In-depth teaching posts that walk through one financial concept at a time — the long-form Project Lighthouse series.
How much revenue does my business need? Start with your financial destination, then work backward. Project Lighthouse · Lesson 014 How much revenue does my business need? It starts with the profit your business must produce. More sales won’t necessarily give you the business—or the life—you want. Here’s how to work backward from your financial…
PROJECT LIGHTHOUSE | LESSON 013 Your business may be profitable. But is it compensating you fairly for the work you do, the risks you take, and the money you’ve invested? Business owner compensation is about more than how much money you take home. It’s about understanding what your business pays you for your work, what…
Executive Brief Don’t build your 2027 business budget by copying 2026 and changing the numbers. A useful budget starts with what this year actually taught you about revenue, margins, expenses, capacity and cash. In this edition of Project Lighthouse, we follow one $2 million business and turn those lessons into a practical 2027 financial plan….
THE PROBLEM A Q3 financial review should tell you whether the business is actually performing better than last year—and what needs attention before year-end. THE SHIFT Stop judging the year by revenue and bank balance. Review profitability, margins, cash, customers and jobs together. THE PAYOFF Three months remain to correct problems, protect cash and finish…
You open QuickBooks. The Profit & Loss looks reasonable. Sales are where you expected them to be. There’s money in the bank. QuickBooks isn’t flashing any giant red warning lights. So the books must be right. Right? Maybe. QuickBooks is very good at doing math. Give it two numbers to add together, and it will…
QuickBooks job costing can make a profitable-looking job look better than it really is. QuickBooks can only report the costs that make it into the job. When labor, change orders, or indirect costs are missing or handled inconsistently, the margin you see may tell only part of the story. Here’s how to find what’s missing…
Executive Brief ROI for small business investments doesn’t need to be complicated. A business investment can fit comfortably into the monthly budget and still be the wrong financial decision. In this edition of Project Lighthouse, we use one $40,000 investment to look at Return, Payback, and Cash—three simple questions that help determine what an investment…
Project Lighthouse · Lesson 007 Your Bank Balance Looks Fine. But What Happens Seven Weeks From Now? How a simple 13-week cash-flow forecast can help you spot problems, protect opportunities, and make better decisions before cash gets tight. Executive Brief A healthy bank balance today does not necessarily mean there will be enough cash for…
Executive Brief Good financial reporting should not merely tell you what happened. It should help you decide what happens next. This is where financial decision making for business owners stops being theoretical. Whether you are considering another employee, a truck, a machine, or better software, the real question is not simply whether there is money…
Executive Brief “We’ve never been busier.” The calendar is full. Your crews are booked weeks in advance. The phones keep ringing. Trucks are leaving the yard before sunrise, and everyone seems to be moving at full speed. From the outside, it looks exactly like success. Yet many owners eventually find themselves asking: “If we’re this…