How Profit First Changed Everything: Sarah’s Story
About this episode
Most new business owners are told to expect years of tight cash, thin margins and constant worry before they see real profit. Sarah Swehla, owner of THE Landscape Professionals in Pittsburgh, set up Profit First from day one, and her business has been profitable from the start.
In this episode, Kerry and Sarah talk through what three years of Profit First looks like in a seasonal trades business: the 11 bank accounts, the drip account that carries her through winter, handing off the bookkeeping without losing her grip on the numbers, and how she bought a $500,000 building and an excavator without stress. If you’re a home service owner who’s tired of guessing whether you can afford the next big move, this one’s for you.
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Key takeaways from this episode
- Cash flow is not the same as profit: set your profit aside first and run the business on what’s left.
- Seasonal businesses need a drip account, funded all year, so the slow months are covered before they arrive.
- Smaller account balances lead to smarter decisions and keep you focused on sales.
- Learn to read your own reports first, then hand the bookkeeping to a professional and win back your time.
- Use your quarterly profit distributions to reward yourself; that’s the point of the system.
- When every dollar has a job, big decisions like buying a building or equipment stop being scary.
Show notes
Why Profit First from day one
Before starting THE Landscape Professionals, Sarah watched a previous employer chase “cash flow” while never really being profitable. She wanted peace of mind that she wasn’t spending more than she brought in, and Profit First gave her a way to see where every dollar was going just by looking at her bank accounts.
Rather than muddle through on her own, she hired a Certified Profit First Professional from the start. As she puts it, time is money, and she’d rather get it right from the beginning.
The profit distribution that bought a BMW
Kerry often nudges Sarah to actually reward herself. After her June 30th distribution, Sarah paid cash for a used stick-shift BMW. Kerry explains why this is exactly what quarterly profit distributions are for: the profit doesn’t just sit in the business, it rewards the owner who took the risk.
Profitable from year one, even through winter
Sarah’s biggest surprise was being profitable from day one, despite everyone warni