The Foundations of Financial Growth
Predictable Revenue
Consistent Cash Flow
Permanent Profitability
Profit First has been featured in
Want permanent profitability? Commit to the habit 100%. No shortcuts allowed.
Some business owners feel intimidated by 30%+ NET profit numbers. And many business owners don’t even know their numbers. If one of those scenarios describes you, don’t worry.
This map is more like a GPS. We start our navigation point at your location. But to get to permanent profitability, you have to follow the plan.
What Our Clients Say
Are We There Yet?
After 20 years of developing financial plans for trades and service-based businesses like yours, I've seen exactly where you're starting.
Start a lawn care and landscape business they say. You'll make a lot of money and have a lot of free time, they say...
If you're like my clients, family's a priority for you. You work harder to make a life for them. But they don't get to see you as much as they want.
Money comes in, but it feels like it's never enough, and you don’t know why.
You’re working so hard; you can’t help but wonder where all the money goes.
You know a plan would help your business. Where do you start and when?
You're managing the operations, doing the sales, running your crews, planning service routes, and meeting with vendors. You end up exhausted.
Your family feels resentful instead of grateful.
Instead of running your business, your business is running you.
One quarter cash is great. The next - there's no money in the bank.
Then an unexpected and unplanned tax bill arrives.
You're constantly chasing revenue
There IS a better way. You can have a permanently profitable business.
CHRISTEEN ERA
Author
Christeen Era is co-founder of the Green Profit Academy (GPA), a consulting and coaching company that supports lawn care and landscape businesses with courses, webinars, small-group coaching, community-building, and online tools. She is a certified Profit First Professional, Pumpkin Plan Strategist, Fix This Next Advisor, and QuickBooks Pro Advisor. Inspired by the proven success of the Profit First program and methods, she created and pioneered the use of a specialized, industry-specific toolbox, The Green Profit Toolbox™ for Lawn Care and Landscape Businesses, to help owners manage their expenses and increase their gross profit margins to as high as 65%. Her mantra is “You are your company’s best employee. Pay yourself well, and pay yourself first.”
Christeen is also the CEO of Core Growth Strategies, an accounting support and consulting company that has helped hundreds of small and mid-sized businesses improve their cash flow, post higher profits, and achieve stronger growth. With more than twenty years of experience in accounting and business consulting, Christeen is passionate about helping lawn care and landscaping companies flourish and grow, in good times and in bad. She understands that entrepreneurs start their businesses with the goal of living the life of their dreams, and her mission is to help them do exactly that. Connect with Christeen at christeen@profitfirstforlawncareandlandscape.com.
The Business Owner Struggle Is Real
I’ve been working with business owners like you for over 20 years. I’m also a business owner myself!!! My clients and I have weathered some crazy economic ups and downs. From crashes, housing and tech bubbles, and now, a pandemic. I’ve learned to help my clients build businesses that can survive the worst.
I’ve also seen the cost of the regular day-to-day grind. I know the cash flow crunch with pre-payments and job deposits that fund the business before the job ever starts, equipment that gets purchased and never pays off, the bi-weekly payroll anxiety - wondering if the money will be deposited in time, and petty cash that disappears like planes flying through the Bermuda Triangle.
Sound familiar?
These are common business owner struggles experienced by some of the smartest people I know.
The problem is NOT about how smart you are. And it’s not about how much education you have.
Tired of taking all the wrong turns?
All businesses are not alike. Even lawn care and landscape businesses are not the same. When it comes to your profitability, there’s no one size fits all.
When Profit First came along, I knew the simple, applicable process was a great place to start with my clients.
And after focusing my business solely on the lawn care and landscaping industry, I knew owners like you needed more.