Know Your Numbers: Why Avoiding Your Finances Is Costing You
Let’s get honest—most business owners avoid their financials the same way a cat avoids bath time.
They know it’s important. They know they should. But they’ll do everything else first.
Here’s what I tell every coaching client at Clarity:
“You don’t have to be a CPA, but you do have to look.”
Because when you finally face the numbers? The overwhelm starts to lift—and the decisions get a whole lot easier.
Why Business Owners Avoid the Numbers
From what I’ve seen, avoidance usually comes from one (or more) of these:
Fear of confirming something bad
Not knowing where to start
Past shame or confusion
“I’m just not a numbers person” syndrome
But whether you run a six-person shop or a 60-person team, ignoring your numbers is like racing with your dashboard covered in duct tape.
What You Should Be Looking At (Even if You're Not a CFO)
You don’t need 20 reports. You need 4 things:
Number of leads
Conversion rate
Average customer spend
Net profit
If you can track those monthly, you’re already ahead of most business owners.
(And yes, “monthly” is the magic word here—not just once in Q4 when you panic.)
Other good habits?
Reviewing your P&L
Understanding your break-even point
Checking cash flow weekly, not just what’s in the bank
The Problem Might Not Be What You Think
One of my favorite client stories:
They came in thinking they had a “people” problem. High payroll. Low margins. Team frustration.
But when we ran the numbers, it wasn’t a people problem—it was a pricing problem.
Once they adjusted their pricing structure, everything shifted. The team stayed. The profits recovered. And they stopped treating symptoms and finally fixed the cause.
This is why numbers matter. They tell the truth—without judgment.
Still Not a Numbers Person? Start Here
No fancy tools needed. Just a system you’ll actually use. That might be:
A simple spreadsheet
Wave Apps
A bookkeeper
A whiteboard with four columns. Seriously.
And if it still feels like a foreign language? Let Clarity walk you through it. No jargon. No shame. Just the clarity you need to lead with confidence.
Final Thoughts
Finances aren’t just about spreadsheets—they’re about leadership.
When you stop guessing and start tracking, everything from pricing to people to profit starts making more sense.
Don’t wait for a crisis to open your books.
Start today—and get your dashboard back in plain view.
