Profit Is Not Selfish
There’s a quiet trap I see all the time — especially with mission-driven founders:
They build a business that helps everyone around them... and forget to make sure it helps them, too.
I’m not just talking about burnout or overwork (though that’s part of it). I’m talking about money. Specifically, profit. And what you do with it.
This edition is for the business owner who isn’t quite sure if it’s “okay” to prioritize profit.
And the one who doesn’t need the income, so you don’t push for more.
And the one who is focused on growth, so you minimize your own compensation.
And the one who feels a little guilty trying to balance between adding meaningful value to your world and running a healthy business.
Let’s talk about what profit actually is — and what it’s for. Because you don’t have to squeeze your business dry. But you do have to make sure it’s feeding something other than your to-do list.
Let’s dig in.
— Andrew
In This Edition:
✏️ Why profit isn’t selfish — or optional
❓ When skipping your paycheck becomes a red flag
📊 A path to more income (without more hours)
⚙️ A dead-simple way to make profit real
✏️ OWNER TO OWNER: Profit is not selfish. It's strategic.
Here’s the simplest definition of business I know:
A business exists to create value.
More revenue means more value — it’s a signal that you’re helping more people or solving bigger problems.
More profit means higher efficiency — that you’re doing more with less and not leaking cash in the process.
And while there’s always a sweet spot (you’re not trying to squeeze out every last dime), most small businesses end up erring in the other direction: too lean, too fragile, too reliant on the owner’s unpaid labor to keep it all running.
Profit is how we fix that.
It’s not just a reward or a bonus at the end.
Profit is what allows your business to weather surprises, fund growth, pay down debt, experiment with new ideas, or even just let you exhale for a minute.
You don’t need to pull every available dollar out of the business. But you do need to make sure you could — and that you’re not running on fumes while telling yourself it’s “fine.”
Profit brings stability. Profit brings options. You don’t even have to spend it yet. Just earning it will open doors down the road.
❓ ONE BIG QUESTION: Is it okay to not pay yourself if you don’t need the income?
Sometimes. But it has to be a conscious choice — not just the path of least resistance.
If your business is profitable, and you’re choosing to reinvest that profit into stabilizing the business or setting the stage for future growth? That’s valid. Things like:
Paying off debt
Hiring support
Building a financial buffer
Launching a new offer
Investing in better systems
That’s not a red flag — that’s a plan.
But what’s not okay is skipping your own compensation just because there’s not enough left over. That usually means your operating expenses are too high relative to revenue — and that points to a business model that needs adjusting.
There’s another reason this matters. If you’re not steadily pulling some value out of the business along the way, you run the risk of getting years down the line and having nothing to show for it unless you sell the whole thing. That’s a dangerous bet — and one you don’t have to make.
Steady compensation is how you “take chips off the table” while still playing the long game.
It’s how you build wealth and freedom alongside impact.
Don’t skip it.
📊 IN THE WEEDS: New revenue without more hours
I worked recently with a founder who had reached their capacity. Their schedule was full, their revenue consistent, and clients were getting great results. But margins were tight — and they weren’t taking home nearly enough for it to feel worth it.
The obvious fix? Raise prices or add more sessions. But they didn’t want to burn out — and didn’t want to lose the accessibility they’d built into their pricing model.
So we looked for a different kind of lever:
What else could they offer that clients would value?
What could they add that wouldn’t require more delivery time?
They identified a few options: a lightly facilitated group discussion, a digital resource bundle, and a premium membership add-on for current clients. Each could be layered on without adding significant complexity to their schedule.
Instead of scaling up, they’re now scaling out — finding more value within their existing work, and turning profit into a design choice rather than an afterthought.
⚙️ TRY THIS TODAY: Set a monthly profit target
Here’s a simple way to make profit real — not theoretical.
Pick a net income target. Start small if you need to — whatever small is for your business.
Decide how you’ll split it: How much will go to owner pay? How much to reinvestment?
Look at your current numbers. What would have to change to hit that target consistently?
This one step often brings immediate clarity.
It shines a light on bloated expenses, underpriced offers, or habits you’ve normalized that don’t actually serve the business anymore.
Profit isn’t something that magically shows up later. It’s something you build toward — on purpose.
Want to talk with Andrew directly?
Schedule a 30-minute Free Clarity Session to get expert eyes on your financial questions and explore what support might look like.
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