Profit is the difference between what you earn from the sale of your products and services and what it costs to make them. This metric is essential for business growth and sustainability, allowing you to invest in opportunities, pay your employees and cover operational expenses. The frequency of measuring profit can vary depending on your specific business conditions, but most businesses should at least check in on these figures on a monthly basis and deep dive into them quarterly.
The three main types of profit are gross, operating and net. Gross profit is what’s left over from revenue after subtracting cost of goods sold, which helps you understand product pricing and production efficiencies. Operating profit is what’s left over from gross and adds in things like rental expenses and staff wages. Finally, net profit is what you get to keep after paying taxes and interest on your income.
There are many ways to boost your business profits, including finding new customers, reducing your cost of goods sold or investing in marketing campaigns. However, the most important thing is to develop a profitability mindset, which means constantly seeking out ways to increase your margins and find efficiencies in how you produce and sell your products or services.