Notes on running a business.
Practical guidance on cash flow, accounting, and the decisions that come with running a business.
Articles — Page 9
Contractor Cost Allocation for Agency Client Profitability
Most agencies misallocate contractor costs — spreading them evenly or not at all — and end up with client profitability numbers that are fiction. Here's how to do it right.
Scope Creep and Agency Profitability: What It Really Costs
Scope creep is the silent margin killer at most marketing agencies. This guide breaks down the real financial cost with worked examples, shows how to track it in your books, and gives you a practical framework to stop doing free work.
How to Find Underwater Retainers at Your Agency (2026 Guide)
An underwater retainer is one where the hours and costs you're delivering exceed what the client is paying — quietly destroying your agency's margins. Here's how to find them before they sink you.
The Blended Margin Trap: Why Performance Agencies Look Profitable But Aren't
Blended margins make performance marketing agencies look healthy on paper while individual clients and services quietly bleed money. Here's how to spot the trap and fix it before it stalls your growth.
Net Revenue Margin at a Performance Agency: How to Calculate It
Net revenue margin at a performance agency is calculated differently than at other service businesses — pass-through ad spend distorts gross revenue and makes standard margin formulas misleading. Here's how to calculate it correctly.
Gross vs. Net Revenue for Marketing Agencies
Distinguish client billings, agency service revenue, and accounting revenue. Use a worked example and understand why principal-versus-agent analysis matters.
Client Profitability Analysis for Paid Media Agencies (2026 Guide)
Most paid media agencies are flying blind on client profitability. This guide shows you exactly how to calculate, track, and act on client-level margins — so you know which clients are building your business and which ones are quietly draining it.
7 Startup Accounting Mistakes That Hurt Fundraising
Messy books don't just slow you down — they kill funding rounds. Here are the 7 most common startup accounting mistakes that raise red flags with investors, and exactly how to fix them before your next raise.
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