Your Business Isn’t Broke—It’s Just Disorganized

Many business owners assume they’re not profitable when, in reality, the issue is often a lack of clarity and consistent systems.

Somewhere along the way, many entrepreneurs stop looking at their numbers regularly. The reports from their bookkeeper seem confusing. They can’t see the story their numbers are trying to tell. Instead, they’re faced with columns of figures and vague recollections of what those expenses even were.

“Did I really spend that much on marketing?” “Is that my payroll number?” “Geez, do I need to let someone go?”

And the most unsettling question of all… “Am I even profitable?”

That’s usually when the report gets set aside, or the browser window gets closed, and the vow to “get on top of the numbers” is made—only to be forgotten as the next business fire flares up.

Sound familiar?

You're not alone. Most business owners were never trained to understand financials. But here’s the good news: You don’t need a degree in accounting. You need a simple practice and a bit of focus.

Here’s the system I use—and encourage my clients to follow:

My Weekly Financial Routine:

I set aside 30–60 minutes each week—Friday mornings work best for me.

1. Bank Review: I log into Relay (my business banking platform) and review each of my five accounts: Income, Profit, Tax, Reserve, Owner’s Pay, and OPEX. Income flows into the Income account. All expenses are paid from OPEX. I check deposits and withdrawals, make sure transfers happened as expected, and flag anything I want to verify.

2. Credit Card Audit: I check my credit card portal for all posted transactions to confirm legitimacy and catch any potential fraud.

3. QuickBooks Check-In: I review invoices to see who hasn’t paid, and use the Reminder feature if needed. I categorize any uncategorized transactions (if there are too many, I leave it for my bookkeeper).

4. P&L Review: I run a current-month Profit & Loss report. If I’m profitable, great! If not, I investigate—am I dealing with a timing issue, or is there a bigger profitability problem?

   
   

End-of-Month Deep Dive

On the last Friday of each month, I add two more steps:

• Compare this month to the same month last year. Am I improving?

• Pull out my quarterly plan and assess progress. Am I on track, ahead, or behind?

I end with 20–30 minutes of thinking time. I reflect on what the numbers are really telling me. I make a list of the Big 3 financial actions I’ll take next month to move the needle.

Disorganized financials lead to panic—or complacency. But routine reviews? They keep you calm, clear, and in control.

Before you throw in the towel or slash your prices, let me tell you: You’re not broke. You might just be disorganized.

💡 Shameless plug: This exact system is what we walk through in Module 1 of my upcoming course—and it’s easier than you think. Stay tuned!