Your P&L Isn't Just For Your Accountant - Here's How to Use It Year-Around
When most business owners hear “Profit & Loss statement” (P&L), they think of tax time, their accountant, or that one time a year when they try to make sense of their finances. But your P&L is so much more than a once-a-year formality. It’s a powerful, strategic tool that can help you manage your business smarter every single month . Whether you’re a solopreneur or managing a growing team, understanding your P&L—and reviewing it regularly—can mean the difference between running your business and letting it run you. What the P&L Reveals A Profit & Loss statement shows your business’s financial performance over a specific period. It tracks: Revenue (aka income or sales) Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) Gross Profit Operating Expenses (like rent, software, payroll, etc.) Net Profit (aka your bottom line) This breakdown helps answer essential questions: Are we making money, or just getting by? Which expenses are eating into profits? Are our sa...