02 / 08 · First
Data deep dive & profitability
Where the money is really made or lost, by product, client, branch and month.
The problem“We sold more than ever last year and the bank balance is the same. Where did it go?”
A profitability map by product, client and site. Within a month you know where money is really made.
How the deep dive works
- Rebuild the P&L by product line, client segment and site
- Trace every shekel from sale to bank: pricing, discounts, terms, returns, waste
- Compare what you think earns money with what actually does
- Present it in one meeting, in plain language
Gross margin by client · 12 months
- levers that move margin
- 3
- of clients lose money
- 20%
- weeks to results
- 4
What you get
Not a feature list. What changes next Tuesday.
- BeforeSold more, bank balance the sameAfterA profitability map you can defend
- BeforeEveryone busy, nobody sure on whatAfterThe three levers that move margin most
- BeforeDiscounts given to close the monthAfterA written plan for the next quarter
- BeforePrices set by competitors, not by costAfterA baseline the ongoing CFO work builds on
- 2–4weeks
- 3levers at the end
- 1presentation meeting
- 12months back
Why it matters
Where the money is really made or lost, by product, client, branch and month.
Profit by product
Not “how much we sold” but “how much of each dollar stayed”. By line, by channel, by month.
Profit by client
The big client who takes 40% of the time and pays in 90 days. After the deep dive you know what they are really worth.
Profit by site
Branch, warehouse, team. Where money is made and where it only passes through.
How it unfolds
- Week 1
Collect
Books, sales system, payroll, inventory. We work with what exists; no waiting for a new system.
- Week 2
Rebuild
A P&L broken down by the dimensions that matter to you, after discounts, after the cost of time.
- Week 3
Validate
Sit with sales, operations and finance. Every surprising number is checked twice.
- Week 4
Present
One meeting. Profitability map, three levers, a plan for the quarter. Plain language.
What it looks like in practice
A profitability map by product, client and site. Within a month you know where money is really made.
- Day 1
- System access. One hour with the CEO: what do you think makes money?
- Day 5
- First draft of the map. Usually one big surprise.
- Day 12
- Validation with managers. Numbers get context.
- Day 20
- Presentation to management and the quarter plan.
What people say, and what’s true
- They say
They say: “We know what’s profitable.”
In practiceIn 9 of 10 deep dives, the product or client believed most profitable was not. Not through error, but because nobody checked after discounts and payment terms.
- They say
They say: “Our data isn’t good enough.”
In practiceIt never is. We work with what exists and flag the gaps. Not a reason to wait.
- They say
They say: “It will take months.”
In practiceTwo to four weeks. The deep dive is time-boxed on purpose: good decisions don’t need 100% precision.
“Strategic, hands-on, and commercial. They improved our financial clarity and decision-making fast.”
Who it’s for
Established businesses with unclear profit, and any company before a big decision.
Who it’s for →Frequently asked
- How long does it take?
- Two to four weeks, depending on how clean the data is. We work with what you have; we don’t wait for a new system.
- Is this a one-off?
- It can be. Most clients continue into ongoing CFO work because the deep dive shows what needs steering.
- What does a profitability analysis include?
- A profitability analysis breaks the P&L down by product, client, site and month, after discounts, payment terms and the cost of time. You end with a profitability map, three margin levers and a plan for the next quarter.
Not sure you need a CFO yet?
30 minutes. You tell us what’s happening; we tell you honestly whether a CFO is what you need.
Book a diagnostic call