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Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

De: Rocky Lalvani
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Hi, I'm the Profit Answer Man! The Profit Answer Man podcast is a weekly show hosted by Rocky Lalvani, a business coach and Certified Profit First Professional. In each episode, Rocky shares his expertise on how to scale profit and cash flow for 7-8 figure businesses. Episode 1 is the why, 2 - is Mike Michalowicz, and 3-13 are Rocky's take on each chapter in the book. The Profit Answer Man podcast is designed for small business owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone else looking to improve their financial management skills. Rocky covers a wide range of topics, including how to prioritize profit, manage cash flow, and grow your business. One of the things that sets the Profit Answer Man podcast apart is Rocky's engaging and entertaining style. He uses anecdotes, humor, and relatable examples to make the concepts he's discussing easy to understand and apply. If you're a small business owner looking for practical advice on how to improve your financial management and increase profitability, the Profit Answer Man podcast is definitely worth a listen. Whether you're just starting out or have been in business for a while, you'll find plenty of valuable insights and tips that can help you take your business to the next level. Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! http://bit.do/profitblueprint More about making profitability simple: http://profitcomesfirst.com/ Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/496018144624882/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.2022 Economía Gestión y Liderazgo Liderazgo
Episodios
  • Ep 289 Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan

    Ep 289 Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan
    Oct 7 2025
    Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan Build a Profitable Business Buyers Can’t Resist Most business owners dream of selling one day—but the reality of what buyers actually pay can be sobering. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Rocky sits down with Austin McMillan, founder of Flywheel Financial, to break down how investors truly evaluate businesses, why contractual revenue beats hype, and how Profit First and a handful of simple ratios can transform your company into a business worth buying. Key Lessons from the Conversation: Buyers Value Contracts, Not Stories. When Austin worked on acquisitions in the landscaping industry, he learned buyers cared far more about signed contracts than the stories in a P&L. Relationships matter, but recurring revenue is what sets your valuation. Reflection: How much of your revenue is secured by contracts vs. one-time sales?Your Books Tell the Truth. Clean, accurate financials can instantly raise your sticker price. Many owners think they’ll get a big payout, only to find sloppy accounting drags down value. Reflection: If you had to sell tomorrow, could you prove your profit?Profit First is a System—Not a Straitjacket. Austin loves Profit First because it forces owners to prioritize profit—but he stresses that you must adapt the allocations to your business, not force your business to fit the book. Reflection: Where do your Profit First allocations need adjusting?Obsess Over the Labor Efficiency Ratio. For every $1 in total labor costs (including admin, taxes, contractors), service businesses should aim to generate about $2 in gross profit. This simple ratio is often the fastest lever for boosting margins. Reflection: What’s your current labor efficiency ratio with and without owner labor?Run on a Simple Weekly Scoreboard. Instead of drowning in a 100-line P&L, Austin runs his firm with five weekly metrics: Sales activity (lead generation), New client onboarding experience, Operations consistency, Cashflow & receivables, Customer service response time (the “Queen Bee” role). This keeps the team aligned, accountable, and focused on leading indicators that drive real results. Reflection: What five numbers would tell you if your business is winning or losing?Fix Process Before People. If a metric stays in the red for three weeks, Austin first checks the process before blaming the person. Only after validating the process does he shift focus to coaching or replacement. Reflection: Where might broken processes—not bad people—be costing you profit? Key Takeaway: A business that runs on clean books, clear systems, and a handful of key ratios isn’t just more profitable today—it’s more attractive to buyers tomorrow. Stop guessing by your bank balance. Start running the scoreboard that investors (and your future self) will thank you for. About Austin McMillan: Austin McMillan is the founder of Flywheel Financial, an accounting firm that helps business owners scale with financial clarity and build companies of lasting value. He believes healthy businesses create healthy families, and healthy families create healthy communities. Links: https://www.flywheel.financial/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austindmcmillan/ Conclusion: At the end of the day, buyers don’t purchase your hustle—they purchase proof. Proof in the form of recurring contracts, clean books, efficient labor, and systems that keep a business running smoothly. Austin reminds us that profitability isn’t just about bigger numbers on the top line—it’s about clarity, discipline, and building a machine that works whether you’re in the office or not. The businesses that win—whether you keep them or sell them—are the ones designed with profit and process at the center. Start small: track the right five numbers, implement Profit First in a way that fits you, and focus on turning every $1 of labor into $2 of profit. Do that consistently, and you’ll create a business worth keeping… and worth buying. #ProfitFirst #CashFlowFix #BusinessProfit #FinancialClarity #SmartScaling #LaborEfficiency #Scorecard #ServiceBusiness #BusinessValuation #OwnerPay #EntrepreneurFinance #RevenueLeaks #SystemsAndProcesses #SmallBusinessGrowth #ProfitMindset Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/ Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.
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    41 m
  • Ep 287 How Small Businesses Beat Big: Profit Lessons from McKinsey to Main Street with Sri Kaza

    Ep 287 How Small Businesses Beat Big: Profit Lessons from McKinsey to Main Street with Sri Kaza
    Sep 23 2025
    How Small Businesses Beat Big: Profit Lessons from McKinsey to Main Street with Sri Kaza Most small business owners feel like underdogs—limited resources, endless responsibilities, and constant pressure just to keep up. But what if those very constraints were the secret to outpacing billion-dollar corporations? That’s exactly what Sri Kaza, former McKinsey consultant and now small business advocate, reveals in his book Unconventional and in our latest conversation on the Profit Answer Man podcast. After years advising Fortune 500s and later scaling and selling private-equity backed companies, Sri discovered something surprising: small businesses that embrace their unique strengths can outmaneuver the giants. Key lessons from our conversation: Profit Struggles Aren’t Just for the Small Guys. Even Fortune 500 companies wrestle with profit pressures—just on a different scale. Every quarter, CEOs are forced to deliver “more” to investors. Small business owners feel the same weight, but without the safety net of massive budgets. The lesson? Pressure is universal—discipline is optional.Stop Digging, Take the Ladder. Many business owners keep “digging” harder when they’re in a hole—working more hours, cutting corners, or avoiding debt even when smart investment could be the ladder out. Climbing requires perspective. Look up, not down, and take the smarter path to profit.The Underdog Advantage: Positioning, Proximity & Purpose. Sri’s underdog principles are what separate resilient small businesses from the rest: Positioning – Know exactly who you serve, and stop trying to please everyone. Proximity – Stay close to your customers; your agility and speed are advantages no big corporation can match. Purpose – Profit matters, but purpose keeps you and your team going when times are tough.Build Jobs Around People, Not Just Seats. Unlike big corporations that design roles and then try to squeeze people into them, small businesses can craft jobs around people’s strengths and passions. It’s not just about skills—it’s about values, culture, and fit.Trust Is the Invisible Profit Driver. There’s no line on the P&L for trust, yet it may be your most valuable asset. Sri highlights the Trust Equation: credibility × reliability × intimacy ÷ self-interest. The more authentic, reliable, and human you are, the more customers and employees will follow you. Key Takeaway: Small doesn’t mean weak. It means nimble, personal, and resilient. By leaning into what makes you different—your closeness to customers, your unique positioning, and your purpose—you can outmaneuver the giants and build a business that’s both profitable and fulfilling. Abou Sri Kaza: Sri Kaza is a seasoned business leader and small business advocate with a background in corporate strategy and entrepreneurship. After earning degrees from the University of Michigan and Northwestern, he began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and Blue Martini Software before advising Fortune 500 companies at McKinsey & Co. He later transitioned to executive roles, including a leadership position at Viking Cruises, before shifting his focus to small business support. Sri founded Talytica, a data analytics startup that helped small businesses assess job applicants, and led the employment tax credit division at Tax Credit Co. (now part of Experian), supporting thousands of businesses in securing government incentives. Most recently, as CEO of ForwardLine Financial, he scaled the private equity-owned company and guided its sale to new investors. His book, Unconvention, draws on this extensive experience, challenging conventional corporate thinking and empowering small businesses to succeed by staying true to their unique strengths. Links: Website: Sri-Kaza.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/srikaza Conclusion: The story of small business isn’t about competing on size—it’s about competing on strengths. While big corporations drown in bureaucracy and quarterly pressures, small businesses have the power to stay close to their customers, move quickly, and lead with purpose. Sri Kaza reminds us that profitability isn’t just about spreadsheets and strategies. It’s about positioning yourself where you can truly make an impact, crafting a business around your people and values, and never underestimating the invisible currency of trust. At the end of the day, being the underdog can be your greatest advantage. The question is: will you use it? #ProfitFirst #BusinessProfit #CashFlow #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusinessGrowth #BusinessClarity #Profitability #UnderdogAdvantage #SmartScaling #EntrepreneurTips Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page Relay Bank (affiliate link): https:/...
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    43 m
  • Ep 288 Your P&L Is Lying—Here’s What to Track with Laresa McIntyre

    Ep 288 Your P&L Is Lying—Here’s What to Track with Laresa McIntyre
    Sep 18 2025
    Your P&L Is Lying—Here’s What to Track with Laresa McIntyre Stop Chasing Revenue: How Fractional CFOs Clear the Financial Fog Most business owners measure success by one thing: revenue growth. The problem? Revenue isn’t cash—and it doesn’t always translate into profit. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, I sat down with Laresa McIntyre, founder of Rockbridge CFO, to uncover the blind spots that keep owners stuck in financial fog. Laresa brings over 15 years of CFO experience and now helps service-based businesses scale smarter with fractional CFO insight—without the six-figure price tags. Key Lessons: Profit Lives in Margins, Not Revenue. Chasing top-line growth without tracking margins is a recipe for burnout. Know which products and clients actually contribute to the bottom line, and be willing to cut or reprice the ones that don’t.A CFO Looks Forward, Not Backward. Bookkeepers and controllers record history. A CFO interprets that history to help you forecast the future and make smarter decisions 6–24 months out. That’s where clarity—and profit—comes from.Cash Forecasting Prevents Panic. Revenue timing rarely matches expense timing. A 12-week rolling cash forecast shows when money will actually land in your account and when bills come due, so payroll never sneaks up on you.Growth Can Be Dangerous if Mis-Timed. Hiring ahead of sales is one of the fastest ways to destroy profitability. Use metrics like revenue per employee or labor efficiency ratio to know when it’s safe to add headcount.Dashboards Need Action, Not Pretty Charts. Software may give you colorful graphs, but what matters is knowing which levers to pull: raise prices, renegotiate vendor terms, or shift client mix. Insight beats aesthetics.Benchmark Yourself, Not the Industry. Industry averages often include failing businesses. The best benchmark is your own improvement over time—measured by profit, not just revenue.Financial Fog Is Optional. Most founders walk around in a financial fog because the numbers feel intimidating. The cure? Honest conversations with someone who can translate financials into simple, actionable steps. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: The P&L Is Not Cash. Your profit and loss statement is an important report—but it leaves out distributions, debt payments, and sometimes even taxes. Use it in context with your balance sheet and cash forecasts, or risk flying blind.Margins > Revenue. A “big client” may look impressive on paper, but if their gross margin is weak, they’re draining your business. Focus on products, services, and customers that actually add to the bottom line.Forecast Cash Like Payroll Depends on It (Because It Does). A 12-week rolling cash forecast helps you avoid Friday panic. It reveals not just what’s in the bank today, but what’s coming in and going out over the next three months.Hire After Sales, Not Before. Scaling too fast with payroll is one of the biggest traps. Track revenue per employee and labor efficiency to know when it’s really time to bring on the next hire.Dashboards Are Useless Without Insight. Pretty graphs won’t grow your profit. The value is in translating numbers into action: what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to change this month to protect your margins and cash flow. About Laresa McIntyre: Laresa McIntyre is the founder of Rockbridge CFO, where she helps service-based businesses scale smarter by providing executive-level financial insight without the cost of a full-time CFO. A Certified Management Accountant with an MBA and Master’s in Accounting, Laresa specializes in turning financial chaos into clarity, improving margins, and bringing calm to growth. Links: https://www.rockbridgecfo.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laresamcintyre Conclusion: Too many business owners work harder and harder for revenue, only to wonder why their bank balance never seems to catch up. The truth is, profit clarity comes not from chasing sales but from mastering margins, timing cash, and knowing when to grow. As Laresa McIntyre reminds us, the P&L isn’t cash, growth without discipline creates fragility, and dashboards without insight are just noise. When you cut through the fog with the right forecasts, metrics, and financial guidance, you finally get what every business owner craves: calm, control, and consistent profit. #ProfitFirst #BusinessFinance #CashFlowFix #FractionalCFO #FinancialClarity #Profitability #SmartScaling #EntrepreneurFinance Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available! Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/ My podcast about living a richer ...
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    39 m
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