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The multi-year analysis calculator was created as a result of an experience in working with a business owner. Over a period of several years, the sales and profit of the business had increased. As they should be, the owner was very proud of their efforts. However, when we took a look at how that growth had occurred there were several points that stood out. The first was that the gross margin had wavered over the years and in the most profitable year they did not have their best gross margin. When we looked at the groups of operating expenses, advertising, occupancy and payroll, as well as operating expenses overall, we saw there were fluctuations. With the fluctuation in advertising expense as a percentage of sales, you could see that an advertising budget was not utilized. You could see with payroll as the sales increased and decreased over the same four years, that with the addition of a new employee as sales increased, there were not fewer employees in the years with lesser sales. Overall the owner was pleased with their efforts. However, if controls of margins and expenses, the net profit would have been 1.5 times what it actually was in the best year. This calculator helps you to detect those patterns.
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NOVEMBER 2024
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With over 25 years of frontline experience Tom Shay is America's leading Small Business Management Expert. He's a "Must Have" for your next event.
Small Business
Perhaps you have investments outside of your small business; gold, stocks, bonds or money market funds. With each you likely know what the rate of return is.
What about your busines? Do you know what the rate of return is for your business? You should. After all, you do not want to be the person who has just bought themselves a job.
Small Business
We see a lot of social media with what we think is a "sympathy plea" do do business with local small businesses.
It is not going to work. People select where they do business based on positive reasons. We discuss what we are seeing.
A timely article for the holiday season. With any business that has inventory, are you looking at sales per square foot? Are you looking to see which is the most valuable space in your business? You can increase sales by knowing which items to place where.
Fix This Next by Mike Michalowicz. We love this description of the book; The biggest problem entrepreneurs have is that they do not know what their biggest problem is.
If you find yourself trapped between stagnating sales, staff turnover, and unhappy customers, what do you fix first? Every issue seems urgent - but there is no way to address all of them at once. The results? A business that continues to go in endless circles putting out urgent fires and prioritizing the wrong things.
