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The multi-year analysis calculator was created as a result of an experience in working with a business owner. Over a period of several years, the sales and profit of the business had increased. As they should be, the owner was very proud of their efforts. However, when we took a look at how that growth had occurred there were several points that stood out. The first was that the gross margin had wavered over the years and in the most profitable year they did not have their best gross margin. When we looked at the groups of operating expenses, advertising, occupancy and payroll, as well as operating expenses overall, we saw there were fluctuations. With the fluctuation in advertising expense as a percentage of sales, you could see that an advertising budget was not utilized. You could see with payroll as the sales increased and decreased over the same four years, that with the addition of a new employee as sales increased, there were not fewer employees in the years with lesser sales. Overall the owner was pleased with their efforts. However, if controls of margins and expenses, the net profit would have been 1.5 times what it actually was in the best year. This calculator helps you to detect those patterns.
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MAY 2024
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With over 25 years of frontline experience Tom Shay is America's leading Small Business Management Expert. He's a "Must Have" for your next event.
Small Business
The May Small Business Advisory is titled "Planning for a successful accountant" and is appropriate for many with the April 15 tax deadline having passed.
Did you work with your accountant? Or, did you just give them a bunch of papers and wait to receive a completed tax return?
Successfully working with an accountant requires a partnership. This month's Small Business Advisory gives suggestions of how to make this happen in 2024.
Small Business
We see that many small business owners have too much of a focus on the "top line" of their income statement.
Increasing revenue is great, but it is not a cure all for any challenges your business is facing. And sometimes, incresing revenue can create a challenge.
Who is your customer? Some small businesses have no focus. Their customer is whoever calls or walks in the door.
And some small businesses have determined which customers, in sufficient numbers, they should spend their efforts to attract.
The article of the month shares an old Southern rhyming couplet about business; "The bertter you niche, the more you get rich."
Lean Startup by Eric Reis is our suggested book for May.
As the title suggests, the reader of the book would be someone that is starting their business. However, we see more value than just that.
Perhaps you have been in business for many years. We think this book could give insight to items, and methods, that a small business owner should think about with their business today.
