Day 6 · The Profit Architect's Guild

Day 6

GO DEEPER: The Profitability X-Ray - Find Your Golden Goose

Welcome to the second part of our Strategic Planning reflection.

The initial question—"What was your most profitable product/service?"—is the most important question you can ask about your business. The answer isn't always obvious or based on revenue alone.

This deep dive will guide you through conducting a "Profitability X-Ray" to find your true "Golden Goose"—the offering that delivers the highest profit for the least effort and stress.

Step 1: Gather Your Data (The "What")

You can't manage what you don't measure. Start by listing your core offerings. For each one, gather this data from 2025:

· Total Revenue Generated

· Cost of Goods Sold (COGS): Direct costs to deliver it (e.g., materials, subcontractor fees, software costs specific to the service).

· Time Investment: The actual hours you and your team spent on it. (Check your time-tracking software or make an educated estimate).

· Client "Headache" Factor: Rate it on a scale of 1 (smooth) to 5 (high-maintenance). Be honest.

Step 2: Calculate What Truly Matters (The "So What")

Now, move beyond top-line revenue. Create a simple spreadsheet with these columns:

Service Name Total Revenue Direct Costs Gross Profit Hours Invested Profit per Hour Headache Factor (1-5)

VIP Day $25,000 $2,000 $23,000 40 $575/hr 2

1:1 Coaching $60,000 $0 $60,000 400 $150/hr 4

Online Course $40,000 $5,000 $35,000 100 $350/hr 1

The Key Metrics:

· Gross Profit: (Revenue - Direct Costs). This is your true earning power.

· Profit per Hour: (Gross Profit / Hours Invested). This is your Golden Goose Indicator. It reveals the efficiency of your profit.

Step 3: Analyze & Categorize (The "Now What")

Plot your services on a mental 2x2 grid. Where do they fall?

· High Profit/Hour, Low Headache (The Golden Goose): This is what you scale. Your goal for 2026 is to get more of these.

· High Profit/Hour, High Headache (The High-Maintenance Star): Can you systemize, delegate, or raise the price to justify the stress?

· Low Profit/Hour, Low Headache (The Easy Habit): It's comfortable but not moving the needle. Consider packaging, raising prices, or eliminating it.

· Low Profit/Hour, High Headache (The Energy Vampire): Your goal is to fire these clients or discontinue this service immediately.

💡 AI-Powered Prompt to Go Deeper:

Paste your service list and data into ChatGPT or Claude and use this prompt:

"Act as a business strategist. I have analyzed my services based on profit per hour and client 'headache factor'. My goal is to design a more profitable and sustainable service suite for next year. Based on the data below, which service should I consider scaling the most and why? Which service should I consider repackaging or sunsetting and why? Suggest one strategic move for each of my core services.

[Paste your data from the table above]"

Your Action Step & Discussion:

Your task is to complete at least Step 1 and Step 2 for your top 3 offerings.

Comment below and share ONE of these insights:

1. What was your true "Golden Goose" (Highest Profit per Hour)? Was it the service you expected?

2. What is one "Energy Vampire" service you now see clearly, and what is your first step regarding it?

Let's make 2026 the year you are strategically intentional about your profit.

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