SMB FinanceOS
Get smarter about business finance in 5 minutes a week. Join 35k+ business owners and leaders learning financial statements and growing their business, for free.
WHY YOUR PROFITABLE BUSINESS FEELS BROKE
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great Christmas. 2 weeks ago I mentioned, we're running my cohort again Jan 19-23. If you’ve ever looked at your financials and thought: “We’re profitable… so why does cash feel tight?” “Where did the money actually go?” “I know I should understand this better, but I don’t even know where to start.” That confusion is exactly why I built Five Days to Financial Clarity. It’s a short, focused cohort where we break down: How money actually moves through your...
TAX WRITE-OFFS ARE NOT FREE MONEY (STOP FALLING FOR IT)
Hope everyone is having a good week and ready for the upcoming holidays. This time of year is a unique one, which means that these next two weeks fall on holidays. Because of that, we won't have regular issue next week, as it'll fall on Christmas Day. I want to wish you a Merry Christmas in advance and hope you all stay safe in your travels! On January 1st I'll have a lighter issue, where I talk more in-depth about my upcoming cohort 5 Days to Financial Clarity, so be looking for that. That...
THE ANTI-PLAN: ACHIEVE MORE BY DOING LESS IN 2026
THE ANTI-PLAN: ACHIEVE MORE BY DOING LESS IN 2026 Last week, we talked about the seven founder delusions that quietly sabotage annual planning... those mental traps that make plans look great on paper but impossible to execute. This week, we’re zooming in on the operational trap behind almost every failed plan: complexity. Most business owners walk into planning season with one instinct: add more. More goals. More initiatives. More systems. More projects. And every year, the plan gets...
THE 7 LIES YOU TELL YOURSELF WHILE PLANNING NEXT YEAR
We’re going to be testing out a few formats for this newsletter over the next few weeks. I want to be able to use this space to share more things going forward, so instead of sharing the whole article here, I’ll start to share only snippets and link to the full article on the website. I’ll also be testing out some different sections and mini-essays/thoughts about things I just want to talk about. Once we get into January, we may retain some of this new structure, but I have a whole series on...
GRATITUDE WILL MAKE YOU RICHER (HERE'S HOW)
Last week I opened enrollment for 5 Days to Financial Clarity—the live workshop designed to help owners unlock hidden profit and cash inside their business. Over 50 business owners have already gone through my earlier cohorts. Here’s what they found: One owner spotted a $180K cash-flow gap they fixed within 30 days. Another realized their “profitable” service line was losing 8 points of margin. Several walked away with a 90-day plan that more than paid for the workshop before month-end....
THE ONE-PAGE TOOL EVERY SMB SHOULD BE USING (BUT ALMOST NONE DO)
Before we jump in today, I have an exciting announcement! Most owners don’t need to become financial experts. They just need to know where money is leaking, where margin is hiding, and why cash never seems to match the P&L. And after running over 50 business owners through my previous cohort, I rebuilt the entire thing into a faster, clearer, more actionable 5-day workshop. This new format is designed for one thing: unlocking hidden profit and cash inside your existing business. It’s not an...
THE GROWTH CYCLE: HOW TO SCALE WITHOUT BREAKING YOUR BUSINESS
The Growth Cycle: How to Scale Without Breaking Your Business Last week, we talked about the Operating Cycle and **how rhythm and discipline turn plans into predictable performance. When that rhythm becomes culture, execution becomes effortless. This week, we close out the series by looking at what comes next: the Growth Cycle. When you start with Planning, you gain clarity. When you move into Operating, you build rhythm. And when you reach Growth, you create momentum. Everyone loves growth....
THE OPERATING CYCLE: THE KEY TO SUSTAINABLE GROWTH
The Operating Cycle: The Key to Sustainable Growth Last week, we talked about the planning cycle. When done well, the planning cycle can lead to the growth or operating cycles. But if you haven’t gone through an operating cycle, a growth cycle could break your business. So today, we’re going to talk about the purpose and rhythms of the operating cycle, as well as how you build a culture that values the operating cycle. Everyone gets excited for growth, but very few get excited for consistent...
WHY ANNUAL PLANNING FAILS (AND WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS)
WHY ANNUAL PLANNING FAILS (AND WHAT ACTUALLY WORKS) I’ve heard more than one person say that annual planning is a waste of time. The first time, it caught me off guard. The second time, I shrugged it off. But when I started hearing it from smart, successful owners, I started to listen. Their frustrations all sounded the same: “By the time the plan’s in place, it’s already outdated.” “The world changes too fast and the plan slows us down.” “We spend weeks planning and then everyone just goes...
THE THREE HIDDEN CYCLES THAT RUN EVERY BUSINESS
The 3 Hidden Cycles That Run Every Business Every business owner loves momentum. Growth feels good… revenue’s up, headcount’s up, energy’s high. You’re hiring, launching, expanding. The engine’s running hot, and it feels like you’ve finally cracked the code. But then something shifts. What used to work… stops working. Margins tighten. You’re busier than ever but somehow less profitable. The team’s worn down, and the spark that fueled your early years fades into exhaustion. That’s because...
Get smarter about business finance in 5 minutes a week. Join 35k+ business owners and leaders learning financial statements and growing their business, for free.