Savvy or Surrender - Your Guide to Profit, Cash Flow, and Tax Savings
Running a business shouldn’t feel like a never-ending fight for cash. On Savvy or Surrender, host Steven Young cuts through the noise and shows real business owners how to take control of their numbers, keep more of their hard-earned money, and build a business that actually pays them back. Each episode gives you practical strategies you can use right away — from fixing cash flow bottlenecks, to implementing Profit First, to unlocking tax savings most owners never hear about. No jargon. No fluff. Just clear guidance, real-talk coaching, and a little humor to keep things human. Whether you’re a contractor, service pro, or business owner who’s tired of working hard with nothing to show for it, this is your go-to show for leveling up your money decisions and building a business that supports your life… not the other way around. Choose to be Savvy — or surrender your profit. The choice is yours.
Episodes
Summary:
Thinking about starting a business in 2026? Before you dive in, you need to understand the tax implications and financial realities of entrepreneurship. In this episode, Steven Young from Savvy Tax Strategies breaks down the critical difference between startup costs and operating expenses, using two real-world case studies: becoming a realtor or buying a franchise.
Steven shares honest insights about the emotional rollercoas...
Title:
How to Pay Yourself as a Business Owner- Consistent Paychecks, Tax Tips & Profit First Explained: Episode 18
Description:
Are you a business owner struggling with inconsistent paychecks? In this episode, Steven Young- host of Savvy or Surrender Podcast breaks down exactly how to pay yourself—no matter your business structure (Sole Proprietor, LLC, Partnership, S Corp, or C Corp). Learn the difference between draws...
What if your year-end review actually changed next year’s results? We unpack a wild stretch of growth—moving from a part-time practice to a team of four, relocating into a new office, and crossing the 500% revenue growth mark—while being honest about what it cost and what we’d do differently. The big story isn’t just the numbers; it’s how we used clarity to make faster, better decisions when plans went sideways.
We break d...
Title: Decoding the Business Credit Myth-Steps to Build Business Credit with Jimmy Rios: Episode 16
❗Download the episode to learn how to build and use business credit the right way—without accidentally putting your personal finances on the chopping block.
Overall Summary:
In this episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Steven Young sits down with Jimmy Rios, business credit expert, author, and founder of Rios Business A...
Title: 7 Essential Year-End Tax Moves for Business Owners: Episode 15
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Summary:
In this episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Steven Young breaks down seven actionable, IRS-approved tax strategies every business owner should consider before the year ends. From accelerating le...
Title: Quarterly Tax Payments for Contractors- Avoid Penalties & Stress: Episode 14
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
In this episode of The Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Steven Young demystifies the process of paying estimated taxes for business owners and contractors. He covers who needs to pay quarterly taxes, how to calc...
Title: 5 Audit Triggers Contractors MUST Avoid
Season 1 Episode 13
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Episode Summary:
In this episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Steven Young breaks down the five most common mistakes that increase your chances of getting audited by the IRS as a business owner—especially for contract...
Title: 10 Tax Deductions Contractors Miss (and Bonus Strategies!)
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Summary: Steven Young shares the top 10 tax deductions contractors often miss, plus two bonus strategies to save even more. Learn how to track expenses, avoid common mistakes, and maximize your write-offs before year-end. Perfect for...
Episode Title: How to Start the Profit First Method for Small Contractors (Step-by-Step)
Host: Steven, Savvy Tax Strategies and Bookkeeping
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Summary:
In this episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, Steven breaks down the Profit First system for contractors, provid...
Episode 10 – Why Is My $1 Million Service-Based Business Broke?
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Description:
In this milestone 10th episode of The Savvy or Surrender Podcast, Host Steven Young dives deep into the hidden reasons why even seven-figure service-based businesses can struggle with cash flow. Lea...
Podcast Title: Savvy or Surrender Podcast – Episode 9
Host: Steven Young
Episode Title: When to DIY and When to Hire
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Summary:
In this episode, Steven Young explores the critical decision every business owner faces: when to handle tasks yourself and when to bring in a professional. ...
What the Wealthy Know About Taxes – Savvy or Surrender Podcast (Episode 8)
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Welcome back to Savvy or Surrender! In this episode, our host Steven Young reveals the tax strategies the wealthy use to maximize their savings and grow their wealth—strategies that most business owners h...
Title: Why cashflow is better than ego
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Summary In this episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Steven Young dives deep into the importance of cash flow over ego for business owners. He explains why big revenue numbers can be deceiving, shares actionable tips for managing...
Savvy or Surrender Ep 6
Title: From Confusion to Clarity--Entity Structuring and Tax Write-Offs That Really Save You Money
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Too many business owners either overpay in taxes or follow bad advice from social media that could land them in IRS trouble. In this episode of The Savvy or ...
Episode 5: How the Profit First System Can Transform Your Business Finances
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Are you generating six or even seven figures in your business but still feeling broke? In this episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Stephen Young, a certified Profit First Professional, dives into the P...
Savvy or Surrender Podcast – Episode 4
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Summary:
The IRS doesn’t care about your excuses—they care about compliance.
In this eye-opening episode of the Savvy or Surrender Podcast, host Stephen Yang dives into the hidden truths about tax penalties, audits, and how procrastination can cost you...
What if one bill could reshape your entire tax strategy?
In this episode of Savvy or Surrender, Steven breaks down the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)—a proposed piece of legislation that could have a massive impact on contractors, real estate investors, and small business owners alike.
You’ll learn:
- Why this bill could mean permanent 100% bonus depreciation
- How it affects solar tax credits, EV credits, and energy incentiv...
In Episode 3 of Savvy or Surrender, host Steven Young exposes the real cost of “playing it safe” in business.
❗Don’t forget to download the episode — that way you never miss the game-changing cash flow tips that keep your business running strong.
Too many entrepreneurs think they’re protecting themselves by delaying bookkeeping, skipping quarterly tax payments, or waiting until it “feels right” to hire help. In reality, th...
Kick things off with Steven Young in the premiere episode of Savvy or Surrender, the no-nonsense podcast aimed at tough-as-nails tradespeople, contractors, and entrepreneurs. Steven shares his own journey—from blue-collar beginnings to building a thriving business—and lays out the mission of the show: to help you fight back against high taxes, hidden financial pitfalls, and the complacency that keeps you from scaling.
What...
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