Know Where You Stand
Before you can grow, you need an honest picture of where you are — your stage, your numbers, your weak spots. Most owners have a feeling about their business. Few have facts.
“Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds.”Proverbs 27:23
The Lesson
Feelings are not a dashboard
Busy is not the same as profitable, and tired is not the same as growing. A few numbers reviewed monthly — revenue, margin, cash, leads — tell you more than a year of anxiety.
Name your stage honestly
Starting, Building, Growing, Passing It On — each stage has its own work. The owner who pretends to be Growing while still Building wastes money on the wrong problems.
Assess the whole business, not the loud part
Sales get attention because they shout. Systems, retention, and cash flow whisper — until they fail. Rate every part of the business, not just the one currently on fire.
Put It Into Practice
Do these three before the next chapter.
Complete the Business Owner Profile assessment — all eight sections, honestly.
Write down your revenue, margin, and cash position from last month — from records, not memory.
Circle the single area of the business you have been avoiding looking at.
Bring It to the Table
If a mentor asked to see your numbers today, what would you be tempted to hide — and why?
Learn It. Do It. Pass It On.