In the realm of business growth, a well-defined roadmap and cost understanding are essential. But true success goes deeper—balancing growth with profitability. The key lies in tracking specific metrics that unveil your business's core. Sales across channels like Amazon and Shopify pinpoint growth sources. Yet, margins hold the real story. Starting with gross margin—sales minus product costs, fees, and more—you decode your earnings. 

Contribution margin after marketing follows, revealing true value post-advertising. Net operating margin, akin to bottom-line clarity, reflects overall financial health. Amid visible metrics, cash flow's dance defies predictability. Regular review—monthly profit and loss, balance sheet, and cash flow—breeds familiarity with trends, taming uncertainty. This dialogue is a compass for financial decisions, charting a steady course through restocks and deposits. In essence, it's foresight, strategic planning, and metric mastery driving a thriving business voyage.

---
 
SPONSORS:
 

This episode is brought to you by:

Treyd
 

I want to take a moment to talk about a service that has made a significant impact on product launches for eCommerce brands called Treyd. Treyd first hit the market in early 2020 and has since become the go-to financing option for over 500 brands including big names like Rowsome. In one sentence, Treyd can be described as the ultimate solution for purchasing inventory allowing retailers to sell first and pay suppliers later.

As an eCommerce brand owner myself, I can't emphasize enough how helpful Treyd has been for our business. Their unsecured funding and credits model, which takes into account the current financial health of a business, has allowed us to access financing without worrying about collateral. We've improved our cashflow by avoiding upfront supplier payments and freeing up funds. This has enabled us to invest in larger orders, expand our product range, and even negotiate supplier discounts. 

Let me tell you, the flexibility is amazing. Treyd offers a pay-as-you-go model with a flat and transparent fee, which means you only use it when you need to. No hidden costs or long-term commitments, just a simple and effective way to manage our inventory financing. The best part is Treyd works independently of eCommerce platforms and requires minimal onboarding. 

It doesn't matter if you are a founder, CEO, CFO, or part of the finance team, Treyd can be a game changer for your business. With taglines like, “Sell First. Pay suppliers later. Snooze your supplier invoices.” 

With Treyd, it's clear that Treyd is all about empowering businesses like ours to import the goods we need now while handling the invoice and allowing us to pay up to 120 days later. If you are in the eCommerce space and looking for a smart, flexible financing solution, I highly recommend giving Treyd a try. Visit their website on Treyd.io to learn more and get started today.