Last week I was at Camp A2X with 39 accounting firms and 60+ other ecommerce accounting leaders.

We spent two days talking through how to keep delivering accurate financial statements quickly for clients as the ecommerce world keeps changing.

Needless to say, the economy came up more than once.

In one session — eight leaders from ecommerce accounting and CFO firms, plus Intuit and A2X — someone asked the room: as a financial advisor, what are you telling clients to do in an uncertain economy?

I didn’t hesitate. In Profit First, we’re always most concerned with conserving cash.

Another leader agreed. Then a third chimed in: Profit First is just common sense. Nothing special about it.

It wasn’t the words that bothered me — it was the tone of dismissal. I hear that a lot, actually.

Of course you should manage your cash. For those of us who are good with numbers, it’s easy to think that way.

But here’s what my industry gets wrong: we assume everyone is like us.

I was talking with a client last week and she put it perfectly. She said we talk about her financials with the same level of detail she uses with her own clients about their SEO results.

Funny thing is, both are numbers. She lives and breathes the SEO data. The financial data is where she struggles.

Most ecommerce owners are a genius at something — it’s just usually not cash management.

That’s the beauty of Profit First. It’s a system. Once you set it up and follow it, you don’t have to be a wizard with numbers. You just have to stay the course — watching the trends in your accounts.

If they’re growing based on your allocations, you’re headed in the right direction. If they’re falling short, it’s time to do a deep dive, find what changed, and fix it.

We’re at the end of Q3 this week — time to take your profit distribution.

What are you going to do to reward yourself?

Join our waiting list now

For my book research, I’d love to know: when you take a profit distribution, what do you typically do with it?

Treat my family or myself

Save it toward a big personal goal or family event

Reinvest it in the business

All three

Quick Summary

• In an uncertain economy, the first priority is conserving cash — not chasing growth at any cost.
• Profit First works because it’s a system, not a numbers skill — you don’t have to be a “numbers person” to follow it.
• Watch your account trends: growing balances mean you’re on track, shortfalls mean it’s time to investigate.
• Q3 profit distributions are due now — take yours as a reward for staying the course.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is conserving cash so important in an uncertain economy?

When conditions are unpredictable, cash on hand is what gives an ecommerce business room to adapt. Profit First prioritizes conserving cash so you’re not caught off guard by a slow season, a supplier price hike, or a shift in ad costs.

Do I need to be good with numbers to use Profit First?

No. Profit First is designed as a system you set up once and then follow — allocating income across accounts on a regular cadence. You don’t need to be a numbers expert to stay the course; you just need to check your account trends.

How do I know if my Profit First allocations are working?

Track whether your account balances are growing in line with your allocation percentages. If they’re on pace, you’re headed in the right direction. If they’re falling short, that’s the signal to dig in, find what changed, and adjust.

If you need help getting started, Your Profit Team can help.

— Cyndi