Monthly Figures Are Like Flossing - You Know You Should

Your dentist tells you to floss. You know he's right. You don't do it.

Your doctor tells you to lose weight, drink less or stop smoking. You know she's right. You don't do it.

Your accountant tells you to review your monthly figures if you want to grow, understand your cash position or simply keep going. You know she's right. Most people still don't do it.

I had an enquiry this week from a business owner who would have paid less with me than she's currently paying to her accountant, and her accountant doesn't provide monthly figures at all. Her reply was: 'I don't need what you're offering and I can get it cheaper without all of that.'

She's right. She can get a cheaper service.

She's wrong. She doesn't need it less - she needs it more.

The businesses that struggle aren't usually short of good ideas. They're short of warning. Cash problems rarely appear overnight - they build quietly, for months, whilst nobody is looking at the numbers.

Monthly figures aren't an extra. They're how you see a problem coming in time to do something about it.

If you already know that you're the one who hasn't flossed in a while, that's fine. Most of us are. Just don't let this be like your cash position.