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About Us

About Our Firm

Business Affairs Management, Inc. (BAM) is a full-service management company founded in 1989 by W. Steven Temple. BAM was designed specifically to provide financial management services to individuals and businesses with a strong emphasis on addressing the unique needs of the entertainment and sports industries. BAM's intention and goals are to assist each client in maximizing his or her financial potential and economic security, and to eliminate the daily burdens of accounting such as: payment of client bills; tracking of income; preparation of tax returns; analysis of real estate valuation issues; and providing financial advisory services. BAM recognizes that the more time each client has to apply to developing and perfecting his or her individual talents, the more successful that person can become.

Our Mission

BAM recognizes that as a professional in the creative, athletic or performing arts fields, you have unique financial needs. We know that, often, for individuals in the creative or performing arts, “Economic Security” can evaporate rapidly if the proper planning steps are not taken. Unlike the majority of business or professional people whose careers advance steadily over many years until retirement, those in the fields of entertainment, music, literature, design, and sports frequently experience dramatic surges of income during briefer active careers.

Thus the professional athlete, actor, actress, recording artist, writer, producer, director, and designer are faced with the difficult tasks of controlling current financial affairs and planning for a secure future—during times of peak career commitment —in an increasingly complex economic environment. Dynamic businesses and professionals who earn large incomes are frequently faced with similar problems, despite their ability to enjoy longer career spans.

Our company concentrates heavily on managing the multitude of business details associated with your successful career such as:

  • verifying that income earned is actually received
  • guarding against the accumulation of unnecessary costs
  • creating budgets and encouraging spending curtailments and constraints
  • maximizing your after-tax earnings
  • planning carefully for future financial needs for both you and loved ones

 

We know that, because most creative people need to devote themselves to career activities, it is important that they have professional business managers for guidance in establishing and maintaining financial independence.

 

Our Team

STEVEN TEMPLE, L.R.A., B. S., M. S., E.A.

Mr. Temple, the President and CFO of Bam, has more than 30 years of accounting and tax experience. Mr. Temple holds licenses in real estate, and insurance; he has earned the designation of Enrolled Agent, which allows Mr. Temple the opportunity to represent taxpayers regarding tax issues before the IRS (Internal Revenue Service). He provides services to clients from diverse fields (including entertainment, real estate, legal, manufacturing, among others). He holds a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Accounting and a Master’s Degree in Taxation with emphasis in Entertainment and International.

Achievements & Awards:

  • Appointed Board Member by Governor Brown to CA Assistance Fund for the Enterprise, Business & Industrial Development Corporation (2015-2017)
  • Los Angeles County Small Business Commissioner (2012-May 2023)
  • Panelist on the Goldman Sachs LACC 10,000 Small Business Program (2012-2015)
  • Panelist on 2011 the 22nd Annual Pension and Financial Services
  • California Legislative Black Caucus Foundation, Inc., Committee 2009
  • Panelist on 2009 Hollywood Festival (Topic: Business Management)
  • 2008 Who’s Who in Black Los Angeles, Business Manager
  • Panelist on 2008 Urban Network Music Festival (Topic: Business Management)
  • Member of National Association of Enrolled Agents 2005
  • California Society of Enrolled Agents 2005
  • Hollywood Chamber of Commerce Member 2004
  • County of Los Angeles Commendation Award for Dedicated Service to the Affairs of the L. A. Community (Presented by Yvonne Braithwaite Burke, Chair of the Board of L. A. Supervisors, 1998
  • Certificate of Commendation for 1998 Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to the Entertainment Industry (Presented by Richard J. Riordan, Los Angeles Mayor)
  • Certificate of Recognition , 1998 Outstanding Professional in the Entertainment Industry (Presented by Senator Diane Watson, 26th Senatorial District, California)
  • Certificate of Recognition for "Youth to Work Day" 1997 (Presented by Teresa Hughes, California State Senator)
  • Recipient, B.S.M. & the Gillette Company 1997 Pinnacle Award for Outstanding Achievement in Business and Professional Excellence
  • Commendation from Office of Los Angeles City Attorney, James Hahn 1992
  • Inductee into Arkansas’ Lee Senior High School Football Hall of Fame 1989

STEVEN@BUSINESSAFFAIRSMANAGEMENT.COM (310) 278-4083

Oliver Smith, C.P.A, L.R.A., B. S., M. S.

Mr. Smith joins our team after working 27 years for the Internal Revenue Service. During his tenure at the service, he audited entities in the Financial Services, Health, Natural Resources and Real Estate fields. The audited entities ‘assets ranged from $500,000 to $250 million. He examined such entities as: public, non-public, C-Corporations, S-Corporation, Large Partnerships and REITS. Mr. Smith is a co-author of a real estate guideline manual that was created for internal use for Service members. Mr. Smith is a Licensed CPA, and a real estate agent. He earned a degree in Accounting and Masters in Taxation in 1983. He is also a recipient of one of the highest achievement awards bestowed by the service , “The I.R.S. Award for Superior Performance”.

OLIVER@BUSINESSAFFAIRSMANAGEMENT.COM 

Marilyn Beaubien, B.S., P.A.

Marilyn Beaubien is BAM’s vice-president of film and television production accounting department. She has many years of comprehensive financial management experience. She has served in many capacities and has leadership experience in Strategic Business Planning, Cash Management, Cash Flow Forecasting, Capital Budgeting, Film Budgeting, Financial Planning, Internal & External Audits, and Human Resources Administration.

Marilyn Beaubien started her career with Price Waterhouse & Co. and brings many years of experience in film and television production to her resume. For the past four years she held the position of Chief Financial Officer of Gener8xion Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company, where she prepared and filed quarterly and annual reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), prepared annual budgets and oversaw the day to day financial aspects of the Company.

She was co-producer of the recently released feature film, “One Night with The King,” and has worked on various independent feature and television projects, including the television sitcom, “Moesha”, which ran for over six years, as a line producer.

In June 2002, Ms. Beaubien started her own production company, Grace and Mercy Entertainment, to develop and produce feature films and prepare financial packages for entertainment clients.

She has worked with Warner Brothers, Inc. as cash budget director, and with Buena Vista Films as Production Finance Manager, to name a few of her roles in the industry. Movies supervised include “The Mrs.” aka “Deceived”; “The Hand That Rocks The Cradle”; “Passed Away”; and “Cemetery Club”. Marilyn has always had a great desire to be an integral part of film and television projects that enhance and restore the family unit.

MARILYN@BUSINESSAFFAIRSMANAGEMENT.COM 

 

Marlin Smith, MPhil., MSc.

Marlin Smith is our Trusted Advisor, who leads the firm’s insurance advisory practice and plays a key role in strategic business advisory services for clients across the corporate, sports, entertainment, and institutional sectors. He has more than 25 years of global experience spanning financial services, risk management, executive advisory leadership, and the analysis of complex insurance strategies.

His distinguished career includes senior roles with JPMorgan, Citigroup Global Markets, and leading risk management organizations, where he advised clients on complex financial structures, insurance strategy, enterprise risk, and long-term asset protection.
He has served as a trusted advisor to premier institutions, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, USC, and other major public and private organizations, helping leadership teams navigate sophisticated business, operational, and financial matters.

He holds advanced academic credentials from Harvard University and the London School of Economics, where he earned both an MPhil and MSc. Known for combining institutional-level expertise with practical execution, Marlin Smith, an insurance expert, delivers high-level advice in insurance planning, risk mitigation, and strategic growth initiatives.

MARLIN@BUSINESSAFFAIRSMANAGEMENT.COM

 

Brent Farhang
Senior Advisor: Accounting, Controller & CFO Services

Brent Farhang brings 30+ years of experience in public and private accounting, including serving as a CFO. A trusted Senior Advisor at Business Affairs Management, he specializes in controller and CFO solutions and helps organizations connect day-to-day accounting with financial strategy so leaders can make confident, data-driven decisions.

Brent’s expertise spans the full financial lifecycle, including QuickBooks Online implementations, monthly and close reporting, cash‑flow forecasting, and complex M&A due diligence. Whether strengthening internal controls or serving as a fractional CFO, his focus is on improving operational efficiency and building scalable financial infrastructure.

With a strong foundation in public accounting and operational finance, Brent provides strategies to high‑growth and middle‑market companies to transform the finance function from a reactive cost center into a strategic advantage. He delivers comprehensive outsourced support, including process optimization, multi-state compliance, and KPI‑driven performance monitoring.

Brent has successfully supported clients across the entertainment, e-commerce, and professional services industries, consistently helping them reduce costs, improve cash flow, and drive long‑term enterprise value through disciplined technical execution and forward‑looking financial planning.

Core Expertise

  • CFO Strategy: Budgeting, forecasting, M&A support, and debt/equity financing
  • Controller Services: Payroll, multi‑state sales tax, and process optimization
  • Accounting Excellence: QuickBooks Online conversions, monthly reporting, and audit coordination.
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  • BRENT@BUSINESSAFFAIRSMANAGEMENT.COM

J. Rudy Freeman, Esq.

Rudy Freeman has worked closely with Business Affairs Management as a trusted advisor over the past 10 years to provide its clientele with sophisticated legal advice and counsel on a broad spectrum of matters. For the past seventeen years, Rudy has practiced law in the sectors of business and commercial transactions, as well as sports and entertainment law. Rudy represents professional athletes, entertainers, corporate institutions, and high net worth entrepreneurs in a range of legal and business affairs. For his sports and entertainment clients, Rudy has provided representation on a 360-degree scale on everything from player and performer contract negotiations to advertising and marketing contracts.

He has been certified as an agent by both the National Basketball Players Association and the Women's National Basketball Players Association. Rudy has significant experience representing professional athletes as well as premier sports agencies and business managers.

In addition to professional athletes and entertainment clients, Rudy also represents a number of high net worth entrepreneurs and corporate institutional clients in various contract negotiations and commercial transactions ranging from mergers and acquisitions, to financial restructuring and real estate matters. Rudy regularly advises private equity funds, investment and commercial banks, and production companies in entertainment related transactions, including leveraged acquisition financings, distressed asset acquisitions, production financing, and other debt and equity financings. Rudy has represented production companies, video game publishers and developers, and financiers in connection with development, production, and licensing agreements. Recognized by his peers as one of the "Top Lawyers" for media and sports law, Rudy has also been acknowledged as a rising young star in the areas of business and commercial transactions.

Rudy attended the University California at Los Angeles and received his BA in Political Science and Economics, going on to earn his JD from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Before founding Freeman | Nelson, Rudy worked as an attorney at internationally recognized law firms Pillsbury Madison and Sutro, LLP (now Pillsbury Winthrop) and Paul Hastings, LLP, specializing in mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, and general corporate law before moving on to become the Vice President and General Counsel of ASM Sports, Inc. Rudy is admitted to the state bar of California and admitted in the Central, Northern and Southern Districts of the Federal Courts in California. Rudy’s diverse and expansive work background make him uniquely suited to represent today’s sophisticated entrepreneurs, athletes, entertainers, and corporate clients on any number of potential matters.