Libsyn Directory

Ep 289 Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Release Date: 09/23/2025

Ep 295 How to 4X your Revenue in 4 Years with Alexis Sikorsky

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

How to 4X your Revenue in 4 Years with Alexis Sikorsky Most business owners dream about growth, but few know how to scale without chaos. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Rocky Lalvani talks with Alexis Sikorsky, a strategic advisor who helps founders scale fast and exit strong. Alexis doesn’t speak from theory—he built and sold his own Switzerland-based software company, New Access, in a $100M+ private equity deal. He learned firsthand what it takes to go from exhaustion to exponential growth—and how the right strategy, mindset, and systems can help you 4X your revenue...

Ep 294 Scale Smarter: Use EOS to Add Another Zero with Rick Benton

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Scale Smarter: Use EOS to Add Another Zero with Rick Benton When business growth starts to feel like chaos, it’s time to add structure. EOS (the Entrepreneurial Operating System) gives you a clear roadmap to align people, processes, and profit — but when you combine it with the right financial systems, that’s when the real transformation happens. In this episode, Rick Benton, EOS Implementer and former multi-state business owner, joins Rocky Lalvani to unpack how EOS helps entrepreneurs simplify, scale, and create freedom. Together, they explore how visionaries can step...

Ep 293 From Bankruptcy to 60 Million: The Systems Behind a Successful Exit with Jason Sisneros

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

From Bankruptcy to 60 Million: The Systems Behind a Successful Exit with Jason Sisneros Most business owners think success means more sales and more hustle. But Jason Sisneros discovered the opposite — freedom comes from systems, not speed. After crashing three businesses and digging himself millions into debt, Jason rebuilt from scratch. Over time, he created, scaled, and sold 26 companies with 6,800 employees for more than $60 million — all without investors or partners. Today, through his company Built to Exit, he helps business owners do what he finally mastered: design a...

Ep 292 Maximizing Business Value: Lessons from 800+ Deals with Matt Uhler

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Maximizing Business Value: Lessons from 800+ Deals with Matt Uhler The Cash Discipline That Saves—or Sells—Your Business Most companies don’t go under because they lack revenue. They go under because they run out of cash. And the worst part? It doesn’t happen overnight. It happens slowly… then suddenly. One month, you’re profitable. The next, you’re panicking over payroll and wondering what went wrong. In this episode, I sit down with Matt Uhler—a business broker and owner who’s evaluated over 2,500 companies, completed 800+ transactions,...

Ep 291 Build a Business That Serves Your Life (Not the Other Way Around) with John Nieuwenburg

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Build a Business That Serves Your Life (Not the Other Way Around) with John Nieuwenburg Small business owners are great technicians—but often underpowered CEOs. Coach John Nieuwenburg breaks down why most owners feel squeezed by time, team, and money—and how to fix it. We cover building a simple, real-time dashboard (so you stop driving by the rear-view mirror), the “three-legged stool” of systems-people-leadership, recruiting a bench before you’re desperate, plus hiring for culture over skills. The goal: a business that funds—and fits—your life. In This Episode,...

Ep 290 The Next Level Revenue Formula with Kyle Mealy

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

The Next Level Revenue Formula with Kyle Mealy Business growth doesn’t have to be complicated. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, I welcome back Kyle Mealy, Fractional Chief Revenue Officer and author of The Next Level Revenue Formula. Kyle has helped small businesses double their top line and, in many cases, 10x their profit by applying simple math to sales and marketing. We dive into the new world of GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), niching through the “Snow Globe Economy,” and the power of his Revenue Cascade framework. This isn’t abstract theory—it’s...

Ep 289 Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan Build a Profitable Business Buyers Can’t Resist Most business owners dream of selling one day—but the reality of what buyers actually pay can be sobering. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Rocky sits down with Austin McMillan, founder of Flywheel Financial, to break down how investors truly evaluate businesses, why contractual revenue beats hype, and how Profit First and a handful of simple ratios can transform your company into a business worth buying. Key Lessons from the...

Ep 287 How Small Businesses Beat Big: Profit Lessons from McKinsey to Main Street with Sri Kaza

Profit Answer Man: Scaling with Profit First & Beyond

How Small Businesses Beat Big: Profit Lessons from McKinsey to Main Street with Sri Kaza Most small business owners feel like underdogs—limited resources, endless responsibilities, and constant pressure just to keep up. But what if those very constraints were the secret to outpacing billion-dollar corporations? That’s exactly what Sri Kaza, former McKinsey consultant and now small business advocate, reveals in his book Unconventional and in our latest conversation on the Profit Answer Man podcast. After years advising Fortune 500s and later scaling and selling...

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...

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...

More Episodes

Scorecards, Not Gut Calls: How to Run Profitable Weeks with Austin McMillan

Build a Profitable Business Buyers Can’t Resist

Most business owners dream of selling one day—but the reality of what buyers actually pay can be sobering. In this episode of Profit Answer Man, Rocky sits down with Austin McMillan, founder of Flywheel Financial, to break down how investors truly evaluate businesses, why contractual revenue beats hype, and how Profit First and a handful of simple ratios can transform your company into a business worth buying.

Key Lessons from the Conversation:

Buyers Value Contracts, Not Stories. When Austin worked on acquisitions in the landscaping industry, he learned buyers cared far more about signed contracts than the stories in a P&L. Relationships matter, but recurring revenue is what sets your valuation. Reflection: How much of your revenue is secured by contracts vs. one-time sales?
Your Books Tell the Truth. Clean, accurate financials can instantly raise your sticker price. Many owners think they’ll get a big payout, only to find sloppy accounting drags down value. Reflection: If you had to sell tomorrow, could you prove your profit?
Profit First is a System—Not a Straitjacket. Austin loves Profit First because it forces owners to prioritize profit—but he stresses that you must adapt the allocations to your business, not force your business to fit the book. Reflection: Where do your Profit First allocations need adjusting?
Obsess Over the Labor Efficiency Ratio. For every $1 in total labor costs (including admin, taxes, contractors), service businesses should aim to generate about $2 in gross profit. This simple ratio is often the fastest lever for boosting margins. Reflection: What’s your current labor efficiency ratio with and without owner labor?
Run on a Simple Weekly Scoreboard. Instead of drowning in a 100-line P&L, Austin runs his firm with five weekly metrics: Sales activity (lead generation), New client onboarding experience, Operations consistency, Cashflow & receivables, Customer service response time (the “Queen Bee” role). This keeps the team aligned, accountable, and focused on leading indicators that drive real results. Reflection: What five numbers would tell you if your business is winning or losing?
Fix Process Before People. If a metric stays in the red for three weeks, Austin first checks the process before blaming the person. Only after validating the process does he shift focus to coaching or replacement. Reflection: Where might broken processes—not bad people—be costing you profit?

Key Takeaway:

A business that runs on clean books, clear systems, and a handful of key ratios isn’t just more profitable today—it’s more attractive to buyers tomorrow. Stop guessing by your bank balance. Start running the scoreboard that investors (and your future self) will thank you for.

About Austin McMillan:

Austin McMillan is the founder of Flywheel Financial, an accounting firm that helps business owners scale with financial clarity and build companies of lasting value. He believes healthy businesses create healthy families, and healthy families create healthy communities.

Links:

https://www.flywheel.financial/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austindmcmillan/

Conclusion:

At the end of the day, buyers don’t purchase your hustle—they purchase proof. Proof in the form of recurring contracts, clean books, efficient labor, and systems that keep a business running smoothly. Austin reminds us that profitability isn’t just about bigger numbers on the top line—it’s about clarity, discipline, and building a machine that works whether you’re in the office or not.

The businesses that win—whether you keep them or sell them—are the ones designed with profit and process at the center. Start small: track the right five numbers, implement Profit First in a way that fits you, and focus on turning every $1 of labor into $2 of profit. Do that consistently, and you’ll create a business worth keeping… and worth buying.

#ProfitFirst #CashFlowFix #BusinessProfit #FinancialClarity #SmartScaling #LaborEfficiency #Scorecard #ServiceBusiness #BusinessValuation #OwnerPay #EntrepreneurFinance #RevenueLeaks #SystemsAndProcesses #SmallBusinessGrowth #ProfitMindset

Watch the full episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@profitanswerman

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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