Every Thanksgiving, somebody at the table says, "Let's go around and say what we're thankful for."
If you own a business, you could probably list a few things without thinking. Loyal clients. A team that shows up. Making it through another year in one piece.
Those are real, and they matter. But here's the question I'd add: do your numbers agree with you?
Gratitude feels good. Gratitude backed by numbers feels a whole lot better. So before the turkey hits the table, here's a different kind of thankful list: five numbers worth checking before the year closes out.
1. Your revenue this year compared to last year
Don't just look at the total. Look month by month. Which months were strong? Were they strong because of something you can do again, like a referral partner or a busy season, or because of a one-time project you can't count on twice? The months you can repeat are the ones to be thankful for.
2. Your profit, not your sales
Revenue tells you how much came in. Profit tells you how much you kept. Plenty of businesses have a great sales year and wonder why it doesn't feel great. If your revenue went up and your profit didn't, that's worth a closer look.
3. Your cash on hand, and how long it would last
Take what's in the bank and divide it by what it costs to run your business for a week. That's how many weeks of breathing room you have. More is better, especially heading into the holidays when payments slow down.
4. Your top customers
Who are your three biggest customers, and what share of your revenue do they bring in? Be grateful for them. Send the card. And also know how much you'd feel it if one of them left.
5. What you paid yourself
This is the one owners skip. If the business made money this year but you didn't take much home, that's something to fix, not something to brush off.
Here's the thing: if one of these numbers surprises you, that's not bad news. It's information. And information is what lets you make better decisions in the new year.
So this Thanksgiving, count your blessings. Then count these.
Want help making sense of what your numbers are telling you? Join The Owner's Money Table, our free community for business owners who want to understand their numbers and use them to make better decisions. [Link]