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Toolbox for the Trades Growth

The Fractional CFO’s Blueprint for Trades Profit

⏱️ 25:57 🎀 Kristin Deese, Jackie Aubel
AUDIO EPISODE
The Fractional CFO’s Blueprint for Trades Profit
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Chapters

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  • 0:00
    The Joy of Numbers
    Kristin Deese highlights the enjoyment of analyzing financial numbers when a business is profitable, contrasting it with the difficulty of doing so during losses.
  • 1:44
    Introducing Kristin Deese
    Host Jackie Aubel welcomes Kristin Deese, a virtual CFO of the Trades, to the podcast, recorded live at Pantheon 2025.
  • 3:28
    Journey into the Trades
    Kristin shares her and her husband's journey into the home services industry, starting with appliance installation and expanding into various trades.
  • 7:27
    Role of a Fractional CFO
    Kristin defines her role as a fractional CFO, explaining how she provides high-level financial strategy and guidance without the cost of a full-time salary.
  • 20:02
    Departmentalizing Financials
    Kristin emphasizes the importance of departmentalizing financials, especially for businesses with both installation and service departments, to understand gross profit margins better.
  • 27:01
    A Memorable 'Aha!' Moment
    Kristin recounts a memorable experience with a client who transformed their business from operating at a loss to profitability by adjusting pricing based on financial analysis.
  • 45:28
    Evaluating New Technology
    Kristin advises contractors on how to evaluate new technology, such as Service Titan's AI, by prioritizing ROI and assessing the team's capacity for implementation.
  • 53:31
    Megaphone Advice
    Kristin's megaphone advice to the industry is to know your gross profit margin and understand that net profit always trumps revenue.
  • 55:57
    Key Financial Metrics
    Kristin details the key financial metrics and processes she focuses on when reviewing a client's QuickBooks and Service Titan data, including business unit mapping and labor/materials percentages.

Speakers

K
Kristin Deese
virtual CFO of the Trades
J
Jackie Aubel
Host

Key Takeaways

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Prioritize understanding your gross profit margin and compare it against industry standards to identify areas for improvement.

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Focus on net profit over revenue; even if overall revenue is lower, a higher net profit indicates a healthier and more efficient business model.

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Departmentalize your financials, especially for different services like installation and service, to pinpoint profit opportunities and manage costs more effectively.

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Regularly review all subscriptions and services to eliminate unnecessary expenses, even small ones, as they can significantly impact your overhead.

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Before investing in new technology, prioritize based on potential ROI and ensure your team has the bandwidth and training to implement it properly to maximize its benefits.

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If considering private equity acquisition, start preparing your books early to present a clean, well-organized financial history that aligns with what private equity firms seek.

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Establish a clear exit strategy for your business from the outset, as it will guide financial decisions and overall business structure.

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