Is Your Business Profitable? Here’s How to Tell in 60 Seconds

Think you’re making a profit in your business? You might be wrong.

You run a business. Sales are coming in. Customers seem happy. On the surface, everything looks good. But deep down, you’re not sure if your business is really making money or just surviving.

Here’s the hard truth: Many small businesses look profitable on the outside but are bleeding cash on the inside.

The good news? You can quickly find out if your business is truly profitable with a simple 60-second check.

What Does Profitability Really Mean?

Let’s break it down.

Profit = Revenue – Expenses

Being profitable doesn’t mean money is entering your account. It means that after you pay for everything—staff, rent, supplies, logistics, tools, something is left.

Many business owners confuse cash flow with profitability. Yes, sales may be consistent, but if your expenses are quietly eating into your income, you’re not building wealth. You’re barely staying afloat.

The 60-Second Profit Check

Ready? Grab a pen, your phone calculator, or just think through this.

Ask yourself these five quick questions:

Do you know your monthly revenue?
(How much money do you make from sales, services, or products each month?)
Can you list your fixed and variable costs?
(Think rent, salaries, raw materials, delivery, subscriptions, etc.)
After paying all expenses, how much is left?
(This is your net profit.)
Do you track your profit margin?
(Profit margin = Net Profit ÷ Revenue × 100)
Are you reinvesting profits or just breaking even?
(If you’re not growing, you may just be staying afloat.)

If you can’t confidently answer at least three of the five, then you don’t have a clear view of your business profit and it’s time to fix that.

Common Signs Your Business Isn’t Really Profitable

You’re constantly dipping into personal savings
You offer big discounts but don’t track how it affects profit
You only check your bank balance, not your financials
You run out of stock without knowing where the money went
You can’t say what your best-selling or most profitable product is

Sound familiar? You’re not alone.

Why This Matters

Running a business without clear profit visibility is like driving with your eyes closed. Sooner or later, you’ll crash either from burnout, debt, or slow losses over time.

But when you know your numbers:

You make smarter decisions
You price your products correctly
You invest with confidence
You grow sustainably

What You Can Do Today

Start tracking your income and expenses weekly
Use simple tools like SalesUnbox to monitor sales and inventory
Set aside time every month to review your profit
Don’t guess, measure everything

SalesUnbox is built to help small business owners like you stay on top of their numbers without stress or spreadsheets. You can easily track what’s selling, what’s not, and where your money is going

Profit is not a feeling. It’s a fact backed by numbers.

You don’t need to be an accountant to understand your business finances – you just need clarity, consistency, and the right tools.

So, is your business really profitable? Run the 60-second check. You might be surprised by what you find.

Start Smart: Try SalesUnbox for Free

Want to stop guessing and start growing?

Register for SalesUnbox today and enjoy a 7-day free plan to see how much easier tracking your profit can be.
After that, it’s just ₦5,000/month, a small price to gain full control of your business.