💡 The 5 Money Metrics Every Creative Business Owner Should Know (Even If You Hate Numbers)
Let’s be honest — you didn’t start your business to spend your weekends buried in spreadsheets.
You started it because you’re good at what you do, and you wanted more freedom, creativity, and control over your life, right?
But here’s the truth:
You can’t build the business you dream about if you don’t understand what your numbers are telling you.
Don’t worry — this isn’t about becoming an accountant or memorizing formulas.
It’s about learning to see what’s happening inside your business so you can make smarter decisions, feel more confident, and finally pay yourself what you deserve.
And you can do that by tracking just five key money metrics.
🧭 Why Tracking Your Numbers Matters More Than You Think
Here’s the difference between a stressed-out solopreneur and a calm, profitable one: clarity.
When you understand your numbers, you make decisions from data, not emotion.
You know what’s working, what’s not, and what to fix first.
Without clarity, everything feels like a guessing game.
You might be growing… but you can’t tell if it’s actually working.
The good news?
You don’t need a fancy dashboard or an accounting degree — just a few simple numbers that tell you the truth about your business health.
📊 The 5 Money Metrics That Actually Matter
1️⃣ Profit Margin (%)
This is the big one.
Your profit margin shows how much of every dollar you keep after expenses.
Formula:
(Net Profit ÷ Total Revenue) × 100
So if you made $10,000 and your expenses were $7,000, your profit margin is 30%.
That means for every dollar you earn, you’re keeping 30 cents — and that’s your fuel for growth, savings, and peace of mind.
🎯 Goal: Aim for 30% or higher if you’re a service-based business.
Tracking this one number can reveal whether you’re underpricing, overspending, or right on track.
2️⃣ Monthly Recurring Expenses
If you’ve ever looked at your profit and thought, “Where did it all go?” — this is probably why.
Monthly recurring expenses are all the tools, subscriptions, and services that quietly renew every month.
Individually, they seem small — but together, they can devour your profit.
💡 Quick tip:
Print your last two months of statements and highlight everything that’s automatically charged.
Ask: Do I use this? Does it actually move the needle?
Trimming even 10% of unnecessary expenses is like giving yourself an instant raise.
3️⃣ Owner’s Pay Ratio
Let’s talk about something most business owners avoid — how much you actually pay yourself.
Your Owner’s Pay Ratio shows what percentage of your revenue goes directly to you.
If you made $100K last year but only paid yourself $25K, that’s a 25% pay ratio — and it’s time to fix that.
You are your business’s most important investment.
If you’re not paying yourself consistently, your business isn’t sustainable — it’s just surviving.
📈 Goal: 30–50% of your total revenue (depending on your industry).
Start tracking it monthly, and you’ll instantly spot patterns that reveal whether your business is truly working for you.
Need help with this 👆? Click below to get your CFO Audit today.
How it works: I'll take a look at your latest P&L and make a personalized video for you highlighting all of the areas that we need to tweek in order to get you more profitable and on your way to a fatter paycheck.
4️⃣ Cash on Hand / Runway
This is your calm number.
Cash on hand is how many weeks or months you can keep operating if no new money came in tomorrow.
It’s your financial breathing room — your ability to make smart, not desperate, decisions.
If you’ve ever said, “I’ll feel better once the next payment hits,” you need this metric.
📊 Goal: Have at least 1–3 months of operating expenses in your account.
Start by building a small buffer — even one month’s worth of expenses creates instant peace of mind.
5️⃣ Income by Offer or Client
Not all revenue is created equal.
One of the biggest breakthroughs my clients have is realizing their busiest offer or client isn’t their most profitable.
Look at your income by offer or client and compare it to the time, effort, and expenses required to deliver.
💡 Ask yourself:
Which offers bring in the most profit per hour?
Which clients or services have the best margins?
Which ones drain your time without adding real income?
Once you see these numbers, you can focus on what’s truly profitable — not just what’s popular.
🌿 How to Start Tracking Without Overwhelm
You don’t need new software or complicated dashboards.
You just need a simple rhythm and a few consistent habits.
Here’s how to start:
Pick one metric from this list to focus on for the next month.
Create a recurring reminder — maybe a Friday “CEO Money Check-In.”
Use a simple sheet or note to record your numbers weekly.
The goal isn’t perfection — it’s awareness.
When you start paying attention, your business starts improving automatically.
💼 Get Clarity Like a CFO
If you’re reading this and thinking, “I know I should be tracking these things, but I’m not sure where to start…” — that’s where I come in.
In the CFO Audit, I’ll review your Profit & Loss statement, find your hidden profit leaks, and show you exactly which of these five metrics matter most for your business.
You’ll walk away knowing:
✅ Which offers are your true profit drivers
✅ Where you can safely cut expenses
✅ How to pay yourself consistently (without stress)
✅ The exact steps to make your business more profitable
No jargon. No judgment. Just clarity.
👉 Book your CFO Audit now and let’s turn your numbers into confidence, calm, and cash flow.