Most businesses focus on what has already happened and react from there. But having a Target, an Actual and a Forecast that tracks progress changes everything. It brings the financial consequences of today's decisions forward while there is still time to act. Used together these three markers give business owners something more valuable than another financial report. They give them time to change course before an unwanted outcome becomes reality.

Most service business owners already have an accountant and a bookkeeper. But many still don't know why profit feels lower than expected, why cash feels tighter than it should, or what to do next. Before changing anything, including pricing, ask three questions: What is driving the profit problem? Why does cash feel tight? What does the business need to do next? Clarity on all three leads to better decisions without sacrificing what makes the business special.