BOOK US

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.

What it takes to make a profit calculator from Profits Plus

Small businesses often have a challenge of getting staff to understand the challenges of profitably operating a business. Too often the staff thinks that you simply double the cost of everything you buy, have some minimal expenses and then put the rest in your pocket. If only it were that easy.

This calculator is provided to help you illustrate to your staff just what it takes to operate a business. Without sharing specific numbers, this calculator asks you to input several numbers from the operating expense part of your income statement and the maintained margin which also comes from your income statement.

After inputting that information, pick an example item from your business and input the selling price. The calculator will then show how much of the sale of that item goes to each of the categories of expense and how much is profit. This calculator provides a great illustration, using your business, to show that it is quite a challenge to profitably operate a small business.


What it takes to make a profit calculator from Profits Plus
Our maintained gross margin is:
As a percentage of sales, our occupancy costs are:
As a percentage of sales, our staffing costs are:
As a percentage of sales, our advertising costs are:
As a percentage of sales, other operating expenses are:
As a percentage of sales, our total operating expenses are:
As a percentage of sales, our taxes are:
When an item sells for this amount, here is where the money goes:
Pay for the item:
Occupancy costs:
Staffing costs:
Advertising costs:
Other operating expenses are:
Our taxes are:
Our net profit is:

   

PROFITS PLUS, FOUNDER OF...

 

©1998-2026 Profits Plus Solutions, Inc.
Tom Shay
PO Box 128
Dardanelle, AR 72834

(727)823-7205

SEPTEMBER 2026
Have the Small Business Advisories and News sent to your inbox. Subscribe HERE

Small Business

AdvisoriES


Our September advisory is titled, "What do you sell?" My favorite example of someone getting it wrong has an email that starts with, "Sallysellsinsurance@."

 

Yes, that may be the product that Sally sells, but what she is really selling is peace of mind in knowing that if something happens, you are not going to pay the entire cost of the loss.

 

This is but one example. Our September advisory - What do you sell?

Small Business

NewS

Top Story

Yes, selling does include translating features into benefits. But it does not stop there. What if the benefit is not relevant to the customer? Then, there might not be a sale. This is where advantage comes into consideration, and that is our top story of the month.

Article of the Month

When you think about a customer who makes a point to talk to you and your staff, have you ever thought about getting them to talk about your business with their friends? The September Article of the Month shares an idea.


Book of the Month

The Art of the Exit is our suggested book of the month. The author, Jackb Orosz, discusses ways of getting out of your business whether it is retiring or just time to move onto something else.

All this plus the Internet Tool for Your Business and a staff incentive idea for your business.

BOOK US

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

Advisories

Our September advisory is titled, "What do you sell?" My favorite example of someone getting it wrong has an email that starts with, "Sallysellsinsurance@."

 

Yes, that may be the product that Sally sells, but what she is really selling is peace of mind in knowing that if something happens, you are not going to pay the entire cost of the loss.

 

This is but one example. Our September advisory - What do you sell?

Small Business

News

 

Top Story

Yes, selling does include translating features into benefits. But it does not stop there. What if the benefit is not relevant to the customer? Then, there might not be a sale. This is where advantage comes into consideration, and that is our top story of the month.


Article of the Month

When you think about a customer who makes a point to talk to you and your staff, have you ever thought about getting them to talk about your business with their friends? The September Article of the Month shares an idea.


Book of the Month

The Art of the Exit is our suggested book of the month. The author, Jackb Orosz, discusses ways of getting out of your business whether it is retiring or just time to move onto something else.

 

All this plus the Internet Tool for Your Business and a staff incentive idea for your business.