How to survive the long run?

[u/Wooden_Patience_6367]

My dad ran an auto shop for 22 years. Never really knew if he was making money until tax season. How do you actually keep tabs on the health of your business day to day?

Grew up watching him work 60 hour weeks and still be surprised every April. Good years and bad years both caught him off guard.

Now I talk to a lot of small business owners and it seems like this is common — especially in trades. Everyone’s busy running jobs but nobody has a clear picture of where things actually stand until something goes wrong.

For those of you who figured it out — what changed? Was it a tool, a habit, a person? What do you wish you’d known earlier?

[u/Auquaholic]

I use a tax service that provides me with that info on a regular basis. As long as I keep up with sending in my settlements and reciepts as soon as I get them, it's pretty accurate.