55. The Number 1 Metric You Should Be tracking (It's Not Profit)

S.P.A. Business Podcast · Apr 23, 2026 · 13m

For years, I've been tracking profit using something I call a Profit Protection Number (PPN). It's helped me stay grounded and protected. But there were still weeks when my PPN would drop to an uncomfortable level, and I couldn't figure out why. Then I learned about cash flow. You have a healthy profit margin. Revenue is up. So why does your bank account still feel tight sometimes? I recently started working with a fractional CFO, and what she taught me is game-changing. Spoiler: profit isn't the most important number to track. Cash flow is.

You'll learn:

Why profit alone doesn't tell the…