Ep 288 Your P&L Is Lying—Here’s What to Track with Laresa McIntyre
Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond
Release Date: 09/18/2025
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_outlineYour 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 insight—without the six-figure price tags.
Key Lessons:
- Profit Lives in Margins, Not Revenue. Chasing top-line growth without tracking margins is a recipe for burnout. Know which products and clients actually contribute to the bottom line, and be willing to cut or reprice the ones that don’t.
- A CFO Looks Forward, Not Backward. Bookkeepers and controllers record history. A CFO interprets that history to help you forecast the future and make smarter decisions 6–24 months out. That’s where clarity—and profit—comes from.
- Cash Forecasting Prevents Panic. Revenue timing rarely matches expense timing. A 12-week rolling cash forecast shows when money will actually land in your account and when bills come due, so payroll never sneaks up on you.
- Growth Can Be Dangerous if Mis-Timed. Hiring ahead of sales is one of the fastest ways to destroy profitability. Use metrics like revenue per employee or labor efficiency ratio to know when it’s safe to add headcount.
- Dashboards Need Action, Not Pretty Charts. Software may give you colorful graphs, but what matters is knowing which levers to pull: raise prices, renegotiate vendor terms, or shift client mix. Insight beats aesthetics.
- Benchmark Yourself, Not the Industry. Industry averages often include failing businesses. The best benchmark is your own improvement over time—measured by profit, not just revenue.
- Financial Fog Is Optional. Most founders walk around in a financial fog because the numbers feel intimidating. The cure? Honest conversations with someone who can translate financials into simple, actionable steps.
Key Takeaways from the Conversation:
- The P&L Is Not Cash. Your profit and loss statement is an important report—but it leaves out distributions, debt payments, and sometimes even taxes. Use it in context with your balance sheet and cash forecasts, or risk flying blind.
- Margins > Revenue. A “big client” may look impressive on paper, but if their gross margin is weak, they’re draining your business. Focus on products, services, and customers that actually add to the bottom line.
- Forecast Cash Like Payroll Depends on It (Because It Does). A 12-week rolling cash forecast helps you avoid Friday panic. It reveals not just what’s in the bank today, but what’s coming in and going out over the next three months.
- Hire After Sales, Not Before. Scaling too fast with payroll is one of the biggest traps. Track revenue per employee and labor efficiency to know when it’s really time to bring on the next hire.
- Dashboards Are Useless Without Insight. Pretty graphs won’t grow your profit. The value is in translating numbers into action: what’s working, what’s broken, and what needs to change this month to protect your margins and cash flow.
About Laresa McIntyre:
Laresa McIntyre is the founder of Rockbridge CFO, where she helps service-based businesses scale smarter by providing executive-level financial insight without the cost of a full-time CFO. A Certified Management Accountant with an MBA and Master’s in Accounting, Laresa specializes in turning financial chaos into clarity, improving margins, and bringing calm to growth.
Links:
https://www.rockbridgecfo.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laresamcintyre
Conclusion:
Too many business owners work harder and harder for revenue, only to wonder why their bank balance never seems to catch up. The truth is, profit clarity comes not from chasing sales but from mastering margins, timing cash, and knowing when to grow.
As Laresa McIntyre reminds us, the P&L isn’t cash, growth without discipline creates fragility, and dashboards without insight are just noise. When you cut through the fog with the right forecasts, metrics, and financial guidance, you finally get what every business owner craves: calm, control, and consistent profit.
#ProfitFirst #BusinessFinance #CashFlowFix #FractionalCFO #FinancialClarity #Profitability #SmartScaling #EntrepreneurFinance
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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.