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understand? This is a great step to getting curious about your cash flow and view it from a few different angles. This is a more weekly step versus your daily one, like using an extra strong toner or exfoliator, maybe some red-light therapy. While you may see more results using this step in your skincare routine, it’s not necessarily something you would do daily.
The step that I see the most results with building my financial framework as well as my skincare routine is that monthly step. In reality, I like to combine them. For skincare this is the spa treatment step - heavy moisturizing with a mask. I will put on a mask and let it sit while I am doing that monthly bookkeeping and account reconciliation. I love double duty as both the finance and face steps are all about nourishment. Reconciliation is a check to see, does my accounting system match with the bank accounts? Is this data real that I can make business decisions off?
I would honestly pause at these steps for a long while to make sure they are ingrained and
second nature before moving onto more higher-level steps. What happens when I take a vacation and completely stop my daily/weekly/monthly routine? Will my skin go to shit? Will my company fail? Nothing is ruined. Just start with the building blocks. Also, sometimes you learn this brand of skincare doesn’t work for me or this accounting system really doesn’t fit my needs. So you reevaluate and find something that does. Trial and error is ok. The "breakout" moment: just like stress or a new product can cause a skin flare-up, a slow season or unexpected expense can cause a "financial breakout." The routine doesn't prevent it — it helps you recognize it fast and respond calmly instead of panicking.
At some point you’ll be ready for the quarterly and annual steps. Quarterly steps are all about you planning and looking back. Think of this like an evaluation for what has happened and what you could change in your books and skin. Any products that don’t serve you anymore? Does something feel like it is missing in your skincare routine? Now
that you’ve had time and built muscle memory, you can be honest about making changes. The annual step is where you bring in an expert - in skin a Dermatologist, with your books an awesome financial consultant.
Just like a good skincare routine, getting used to these smaller, more frequent steps in your business finances takes time and repetition. Like improving your skincare, sometimes it’s not an instant gratification of gosh I washed my face once, it should now be smoother, perfectly hydrated and balanced. Understanding your business’ financials will not happen overnight, just like the habit does not become a natural part of a routine with a single step. Not sure which step of your financial routine needs the most attention right now? That's exactly what a starting conversation is for — no judgment, just clarity.