Let’s Do the Most Unsexy (and Most Important) Thing in Business: The Math
I’m going to hold your hand while I say this… you need to have a sales goal each month. Even if you’re not in this ‘for the money’; even if you love your clients, and even if you’re just trying to keep the lights on. (Especially if you’re trying to keep the lights on.) If you’re running a business but you’ve never actually calculated how much money you want to earn… you’re not alone.
Most people start with thoughts like:
“I’d like to make more.”
“I just need a few more clients.”
“If this takes off, it’ll all work out.”
Respectfully: that is not a plan. Hope is not a strategy. Vibes are not a budget. So let’s build an actual plan — quickly, calmly, and without spreadsheets or panic.
Step 1: Pick Your Take-Home Number
Not revenue. Not what sounds impressive. Not what you think you should want.
What do you want to live on?
Let’s say you want to take home $75,000 this year.
That’s the number we’re anchoring to.
Step 2: Add Taxes (I Know. I’m Sorry.)
A simple rule of thumb: add ~25% (adjust based on your tax bracket).
So:
$75,000 ÷ 0.75 = $100,000
That means your business needs to generate $100,000 in profit.
Not revenue.
Not “money that passes through your account.”
Profit.
This distinction matters more than almost anything else.
Step 3: Divide by the Price of Your Offer
This is where things get very real, very fast.
$5,000 offer → 20 sales per year
$1,000 offer → 100 sales per year
$250 offer → 400 sales per year
This is why pricing matters.
This is why “I’ll just sell more” is often a trap.
The math doesn’t judge — it just tells the truth.
Step 4: If Annual Numbers Make Your Eye Twitch, Go Monthly
Totally fair. Let’s zoom in for an easy monthly target.
$100,000 ÷ 12 = $8,333 per month in profit. That’s the number.
Now your job isn’t “grow a business.” It’s to build a system that reliably hits $8,333.
Much calmer. Much clearer.
One Thing You Absolutely Cannot Skip
Profit is what’s left after expenses. So before you celebrate a number, make sure you’re subtracting:
cost of goods sold
contractors or labor
software and tools
materials
anything required to deliver your offer
Money that’s already spent does not count as income. (Ask me how many people learn this the hard way.)
Why This Actually Matters
The point isn’t to become obsessed with money. It’s to stop being vague about it. When you know your number, you can price more confidently, make smarter decisions, stop undercharging “just in case”, and you can build a business that actually supports your life
Clarity creates ease.
The Part Where You Actually Do This
Here’s my honest advice: don’t just nod along and think “yeah, I should do that.”
Instead:
Grab a cup of coffee.
Open a notebook.
Give yourself 20 quiet minutes.
Write down:
the number you want to take home
the number your business actually needs to earn
the price of your offer
how many sales that really means
No pressure. No perfection. Just clarity.
And if you’re someone who thinks better out loud, on paper, or on a giant whiteboard — even better.
Book a conference room at CoHo, spread out, and map this out properly. Big ideas deserve more than the corner of your kitchen counter.
Want This Laid Out for You?
I turned this entire process into a simple, one-page worksheet you can download and work through step by step.
👉 Download the Business Numbers Worksheet here
Print it. Write on it. Scribble in the margins. Use it once — or come back to it every quarter.
And if you get stuck halfway through (very normal), I’m happy to talk it through with you. This stuff isn’t intuitive, and it’s not supposed to be.
We can make this make sense — together. 💛