In today’s episode, I break down the only numbers I track across our agency and portfolio companies — the same metrics that allow me to work on the business instead of being trapped in it.This video is about removing guesswork, reducing anxiety, and making better decisions as a founder.Got a question? Email me at [email protected]🗒️ What You're Going to Learn in This VideoIn this episode, I walk through the core metrics every founder should be tracking — not vanity stats, not dashboards with 50 numbers, but the fundamentals that tell you whether your business is actually healthy.This is the exact framework I use weekly to:Monitor performance across multiple businessesIdentify problems earlyDecide where to spend time, money, and energyWe go practical — no theory.We cover:Why tracking too many numbers creates paralysis and anxietyWhy tracking nothing is even more dangerousThe difference between revenue vs cash collectedHow to think about profit properly (rand value and percentage)What KPIs actually are and how to use them correctlyThe 4–5 non-negotiable metrics every founder must trackCost of Acquiring a Customer (CAC) explained simplyLifetime Value (LTV) for:eCommerce businessesService businesses & agenciesWhy most businesses don’t know if they’re scaling profitablyHow CAC and LTV work together as a growth leverWhy ROAS alone is misleadingWhat “profit on ad spend” actually tells youHow these numbers reduce stress and improve decision-makingIf you’re a founder, operator, or business owner, this episode will completely change how you think about growth, profitability, and control.⏱ Timestamps0:00 – Intro & why this matters0:40 – Working on the business vs in the business1:30 – Why most founders feel anxious about numbers2:30 – The three biggest tracking mistakes founders make3:30 – Tracking too much vs tracking nothing4:30 – Why numbers reduce anxiety (not increase it)5:30 – What KPIs actually mean6:30 – Why different roles track different metrics7:30 – KPIs vs goals explained simply8:30 – Making KPIs objective (trash bin example)9:30 – Metric #1: Cash collected vs revenue10:30 – Why cash flow matters more than invoices11:30 – Metric #2: Profit before tax (rand value)12:30 – Profit percentage & business health13:30 – What a “healthy” profit margin looks like14:30 – Metric #3: Cost of Acquiring a Customer (CAC)15:30 – Why every business has a CAC (whether they track it or not)16:30 – Metric #4: Lifetime Value (LTV) explained17:30 – Why most founders don’t know their LTV18:30 – LTV formula for eCommerce businesses19:30 – LTV formula for service businesses & agencies20:30 – Understanding churn and its impact21:30 – CAC to LTV ratios that scale22:30 – Why ROAS isn’t enough23:30 – Profit on ad spend explained24:30 – How these metrics guide better decisions25:30 – Why simplicity beats complexity26:30 – Final thoughts & what to track weekly🔎 Hashtags#BusinessMetrics #KPIs #EcommerceSA #DTCBrands #FounderLessons #ScalingBusiness #marketingsa🔎 Related SearchesBusiness KPIs for foundersEcommerce metrics to trackCAC and LTV explainedHow to track business healthProfitability metrics for foundersHow to scale a business profitably🔑 Keywordsbusiness KPIs South Africa, founder metrics, CAC LTV explained, ecommerce profitability, scaling DTC brands, business tracking metrics, profit before tax, cash flow metrics🔗 LinksMarketing help: https://v8media.co.zaInvestment: https://v8capital.co.za📱 Follow MeInstagram: @officialjandredebeerTikTok: @officialjandredebeerLinkedIn: Jandre de BeerIf you want, next step I can:Tighten this for SEO vs human balance, orRewrite it into a short-form YouTube description version, orAdapt it for Spotify / podcast platforms