Let the Numbers Tell You a Story
In 2017 I was privileged enough to be accepted into the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) through Babson College, a program for small business entrepreneurs with over $150K in revenue.
Our teachers were people with PhD’s in business and varied successful entrepreneurial backgrounds. The most impressive teacher who’s knowledge and wisdom sticks with me daily was our Business Finance teacher, who began each class with a magic trick (like, “see this bottle disappear”) and was a former accountant for the FBI. He was funny, direct, and a masterful orator. The quote of his that I use most still today is, “Listen to the numbers”.
Now, I don’t believe this man is an animist (I didn’t ask, but I assume). So, listening to numbers is clearly impossible unless you allow them to speak to you, like a song, a dance, or a fairytale.
Listen to the numbers is the truest north that I come back to with my clients every time there’s a question about what to do or where to go with their business. The numbers will tell you a story. When you start working with you finances (yes, spreadsheets), they will tell you things that otherwise are not communicated. They will whisper things like: this is working, or, this needs more love, or, change this price, or, time to pivot. The numbers do speak, and it’s our work as small business owners to listen.
Now, I am a spiritual human being that truly believes I have a purpose in this life, that I am co-creating my existence and experience with Source. I am also a deep realist, and understand that man created money and created the an entity called business. This is a man-made idea with a man-made tool which equates to the metric of success.
The only difference between an enjoyable lifestyle hobby and a business is the ability and desire for it to make money, and, hopefully, a sustainable livelihood.
So, here’s the exercise. Give your numbers (spreadsheets, P&L’s, online analytics) a name. Call them Hermes (the messenger) or Crow (the talker) or Fox (the trickster) or your Fairy Godmother (the manifestor) - whatever powerful companion imagery works for you. And have a conversation with them. Learn what they’re trying to say, and if you don’t know, thank goddess you can Google it.
Learn your Cost of Goods Sold (COGS), your profit margins, and your overhead. I promise you (truly promise) once you have created intimacy with the numbers in your business, you will feel more empowered to do the thing you want to do in the world, which is helping more people heal.
Here are some journaling prompts:
What is my current relationship with my numbers? (give it a face/name)
What entity or companion does my mind want it to look like/sound like? (in the future)
How often should I hang out and talk with my numbers?
What support do I need to learn about what my numbers are singing?
If you’re interested in hanging out with other number whisperers, we just went over our Spreadsheets, Funsheets class this week, and the download is ready for you in the Membership corner.
Sending love and hopes for all of us to find peace in purpose.
