Most independent retailers can tell you what sells, what sits, and what season is coming next. But ask, “Where does the money actually go?” and things get fuzzy fast. Not because you are doing anything wrong, but because most of us were never taught to look at a small retail business this way.

In Episode 4 of our Profit First for Main Street Retailers series, Patrick Keiser summarizes one of the most practical ideas in Profit First: before you change anything, take a simple snapshot of your current reality. The book’s point is not to create guilt. It is to replace guessing with clarity.

In this episode, you will learn:

• What “current allocations” means in Profit First terms

• Why looking at the numbers is often the hardest part, and why it is also the most freeing

• A simple way to take a 3 to 6 month snapshot using bank and card statements

• What to measure (Operating Expenses, Owner Pay, Taxes, Profit) and what the percentages are actually telling you

• How to treat the results as a starting point, not a verdict

If money has felt like a mystery even during good sales months, this episode helps you name what is happening so you can make calmer, smarter decisions going forward.

Keywords: Profit First, retail cash flow, small business finance, independent retailer, mom and pop shop, owner pay, retail profitability, operating expenses, cash management, tax savings, small business budgeting, retail business owner, Main Street business