Ep 274 Increasing Agency Profit with Eli Rubel
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Release Date: 06/16/2025
Ep 288 Your P&L Is Lying—Here’s What to Track with Laresa McIntyre
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Your P&L Is Lying—Here’s What to Track with Laresa McIntyre Stop Chasing Revenue: How Fractional CFOs Clear the Financial Fog Most business owners measure success by one thing: revenue growth. The problem? Revenue isn’t cash—and it doesn’t always translate into profit. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, I sat down with Laresa McIntyre, founder of Rockbridge CFO, to uncover the blind spots that keep owners stuck in financial fog. Laresa brings over 15 years of CFO experience and now helps service-based businesses scale smarter with fractional CFO...
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Ep 286 The Profit Pitfalls Most Business Owners Miss with Lisa Hennigar
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
The Profit Pitfalls Most Business Owners Miss with Lisa Hennigar Most business owners don’t lose profit because of one big mistake — it’s usually a thousand tiny leaks. From not knowing your why, to ignoring customer service, to failing to track the right numbers, the truth is this: profit slips away quietly while you’re busy working hard. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, I sit down with Lisa Hennigar, Vice President of Franchise Development at ERA Group and a nationally recognized franchise strategist with over 22 years in the industry. Lisa has worked with everyone...
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Ep 285 Right People, Right Seats: The Hidden Profit Killer in Your Business with Pam Meissner
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Right People, Right Seats: The Hidden Profit Killer in Your Business with Pam Meissner When profit is slipping, most businsess owners look to cut costs or push sales harder. But what if your biggest drain isn’t on the P&L at all—it’s in your people? In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Pam Meissner—COO and CFO at CathCap—pulls back the curtain on why “right people, right seats” isn’t just an HR slogan. It’s one of the most powerful levers for profit growth that most companies ignore until it’s too late. The Gap: Why Profit Leaks Hide in Your...
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Ep 284 Freedom by Design: How to Build a Profitable Business That Serves Your Life with Michael Walsh
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Freedom by Design: How to Build a Profitable Business That Serves Your Life with Michael Walsh Most entrepreneurs start their journey with the dream of freedom—yet many quickly find themselves trapped by the very businesses they built. Revenue grows, responsibilities pile up, and the joy of entrepreneurship fades into overwhelm. In this Episode of the Profit Answer Man, I sat down with Michael Walsh, founder of the Walsh Business Growth Institute and author of Freedom by Design, to unpack how business owners can create companies that support—not suffocate—their lives. Michael has...
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Ep 283 Boost Sales Without Spending a Dime with Tracy Beavers
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Boost Sales Without Spending a Dime with Tracy Beavers Why “More Sales” Isn’t Fixing Your Profit Problem (And What It’s Really Costing You) Ever wondered why your revenue is growing, but your bank account still feels empty? You’re not alone. Most business owners equate more sales with more profit, only to find themselves in the same cycle of financial stress. The truth? Sales without strategy create a dangerous illusion of success—and the hidden cost is your peace of mind, cash flow, and ultimately, your business’s survival. The pain goes deeper: Financial Cost:...
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Ep 282 Profitable But Worthless? How to Build a Business Buyers Actually Want with Justin Goodbread
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Profitable But Worthless? How to Build a Business Buyers Actually Want with Justin Goodbread Why High Profit ≠ High Value—And How That Mistake Could Cost You Millions Most business owners are chasing profit… But what if the very thing you’re chasing is keeping you trapped? Imagine this: You’re running a “successful” business with strong margins and great income. You’re paying yourself well, your spouse is on payroll, and life feels comfortable. Until the day you try to sell… and no one wants to buy. This episode of Profit Answer Man reveals...
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Ep 281 Why Most Marketing Fails—And How to Make Yours Finally Pay Off with Andrew Gregory
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Why Most Marketing Fails—And How to Make Yours Finally Pay Off with Andrew Gregory Why Most Marketing Fails to Deliver Profit—And How to Fix It Marketing agencies promise leads. But what if leads aren’t your problem? Thousands of small business owners are stuck in the same trap: they’re spending money on ads, but their bank accounts still feel tight. The real issue? Bad leads, broken follow-up systems, and a total disconnect between sales and profitability. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, marketing expert Andrew Gregory breaks down the hidden cost of poor...
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Ep 280 How to Solve the Real Problem Killing Your Profit with Doug C. Brown
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
How to Solve the Real Problem Killing Your Profit with Doug C. Brown Why Sales ≠ Profit—And the Blind Spots That Bleed Cash The Profit Gap: Why More Sales Might Be Making You Broke You’re pushing for more revenue. Your team is grinding. But your bank balance isn’t growing. In fact, you're more stressed, your margins are tighter, and your team is overwhelmed. Why? Because most businesses chase symptoms—like “bad sales teams” or “slow growth”—instead of finding and fixing the true root cause. Doug C. Brown, a $900M revenue growth expert, exposes...
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Ep 279 The Purpose of Business is to Make Money with David Schomer
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
The Purpose of Business is to Make Money with David Schomer Why Scaling an E-Commerce Brand Can Bankrupt You (Unless You Fix This First) The Hidden Cost of Growth Nobody Talks About It’s every entrepreneur’s dream: launch a brand, grow revenue, and finally fire your boss. David Schomer lived that dream—scaling a pet supply company on Amazon before going full-time in e-commerce. But what most business owners don’t realize (until it's too late) is that scaling too fast without financial structure can choke your cash flow and starve your business of profit. You can hit record sales...
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Ep 278 How Storytelling Can Drive Your Profits with Seth Donlin
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
How Storytelling Can Drive Your Profits with Seth Donlin Why Visibility ≠ Growth—And How It’s Quietly Costing You Profits Most business owners think the next breakthrough in revenue will come from ads, funnels, or more hustle. But what if the real opportunity is getting in front of someone else’s audience—without spending a dollar on ads? In this episode of Profit Answer Man, we expose the costly visibility gap most owners don’t realize is bleeding their business. Seth Donlin shares why chasing attention isn't enough—and how strategic podcast guesting can...
info_outlineIncrease Agency Profit with Eli Rubel
From Burnout to Bankable: How Eli Rubel Built $10M+ in Profit Working 25 Hours/Week
What if the secret to explosive agency profits isn’t grinding harder—but designing smarter?
Meet Eli Rubel, the founder of Profit Labs and serial agency entrepreneur who’s racked up over $10 million in net profit since 2020—all while working just 25 hours per week. In this powerhouse episode of The Profit Answer Man, Rocky sits down with Eli to uncover the playbook that’s helping agency owners stop the hustle and start keeping real money in their pockets.
If you're tired of scaling your revenue only to watch profits vanish, this conversation will flip your mindset and give you the tools to build a cash-printing agency that works for you.
In This Episode, You Will Learn:
- Why revenue means nothing without profit—and how Eli structures his agencies to maximize take-home income.
- How Profit First shaped Eli’s philosophy on agency finance (including lessons learned on a beach in Hawaii).
- The financial blind spots killing your margins—and how to flip your decision-making process.
- How to reverse-engineer your agency’s operations from profit, not pressure.
- Why Eli is betting big on specialized, agency-focused bookkeeping and financial services.
- The overlooked math mistake almost every creative entrepreneur makes—and how to fix it fast.
Key Takeaways:
- Net Profit > Vanity Metrics. Eli focuses on what matters: how much you keep, not just what you make. Revenue without profit is just ego.
- Design the Business Around the Life You Want. Working 25 hours a week with high profit is not luck—it's intentional structure, delegation, and data-driven decisions.
- Profit First Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential. Implementing Profit First early on gave Eli the foundation to control cash flow and stop “hope” from being his strategy.
- The Reverse Budgeting Shift. Don’t spend and hope there’s profit left. Define profit first, then determine what’s left to spend—Eli’s agencies live by this rule.
- Pain Builds Purpose. Eli launched his agency finance firm because he lived the pain—and now helps others avoid the same traps.
Guest Bio:
Eli Rubel is a serial entrepreneur and founder of Profit Labs. He owns a portfolio of agencies and has generated over $10 million in net profit since 2020—all while working part-time. His latest venture, Profit Labs, is laser-focused on helping creative and digital agency owners stop losing money through tailored financial insights, clean books, and actionable data.
Conclusion:
This episode is your wake-up call: Stop measuring your business by how busy you are. Start measuring by how profitable it is.
If Eli’s journey showed you anything, it’s this—agencies don’t need more work; they need better financial systems. And if you’re ready to create a business that pays you like the owner—not the operator—it’s time for a conversation.
Links:
Website: https://www.profit-labs.co/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elirubel/
Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman
Sign up to be notified when the next cohort of the Profit First Experience Course is available!
Profit First Toolkit: https://lp.profitcomesfirst.com/landing-page-page
Relay Bank (affiliate link): https://relayfi.com/?referralcode=profitcomesfirst
Profit Answer Man Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/profitanswerman/
My podcast about living a richer more meaningful life: http://richersoul.com/
Music provided by Junan from Junan Podcast
Any financial advice is for educational purposes only and you should consult with an expert for your specific needs.
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