𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝘀:The first step towards becoming more profitable is understanding what profit actually is. It's not just what's in your bank account; it's the money left over after covering all your operational expenses, cost of goods, and more. Knowing the difference can be game-changing for your business. 𝗖𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝗳𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵: Most trade business owners, maybe like you, don't properly close off their financial month. This leads to a skewed view of profitability and hinders the capacity for strategic decision-making. Taking time to 'close the books' each month allows for a true representation of your business performance. 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴: One simple but critical change you can make right now is to invoice more regularly. Instead of letting costs accumulate while awaiting payments, invoicing within the same month aligns your cash inflow with your outflows. It provides a clearer picture of your month's profitability and gives you the data you need to make informed decisions. 𝗔𝘃𝗼𝗶𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗽: It's easy to feel like you're profitable during busy periods but remember, business isn't always booming. It's the slow periods that often eat into your profits. Creating systems for consistent workflow prevents these fluctuating cycles and leads to sustained profitability. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁: Your bank balance can be deceiving. To get a true sense of your financial health, you need to delve deeper into your Profit and Loss statement and balance sheet. Understanding these documents helps you to be proactive rather than reactive in your business decisions. 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆: With consistent invoicing and work schedules, you're not just stabilising your profit but creating a more manageable and less stressful business environment. Systematic operations let you focus on growth and innovation, rather than getting bogged down in day-to-day. 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀: One person can't do it all. Learning to delegate responsibilities allows you to focus on high-value tasks that can significantly impact your business positively. It also frees up personal time that can be devoted to self-improvement or family, leading to a more balanced life. 𝗬𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗔𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗲: Feeling overwhelmed? Remember, you don't have to navigate the tricky waters of trade business ownership alone. Reach out to coaches and mentors who can guide you in implementing these fundamental systems, helping you to achieve operational time freedom in the shortest amount of time possible. If you're hungry for change and keen to break free from the grind, then the Freedom Fighters Program is tailor-made for you. We offer a systematic approach and a community of like-minded business owners all aimed at the same objective: operational time freedom. Take control of your trade business and transform it into the profitable, well-oiled machine it deserves to be. Speak to a coach: https://tradies.cc/book-a-call --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tradies-academy-business/message