Running a business can be surprisingly lonely.
Not because you don't have employees, customers, friends, family, accountants, bankers, consultants, or other people around you.
The loneliness comes from being the person who ultimately has to make the decision.
Should I hire someone?
Can I afford another truck?
Should I raise my prices?
Why was last month less profitable?
Can I afford this equipment?
Are my expenses getting too high?
What happens if rent increases?
Should I be worried about cash?
Can I afford to pay myself more?
Was the last quarter actually good?
Sometimes you don't need a formal analysis.
You don't necessarily need to schedule a meeting.
You may not even know whether the question is important enough to bother someone with yet.
Sometimes you just need something to bounce the question off of.
That is one of the ideas behind UnpackFi.
Think of UnpackFi as a Mirror for Your Business
A mirror does not tell you what to do.
It shows you what is there.
That is an important distinction.
UnpackFi is not designed to run your business for you.
It is not supposed to make every decision.
It is not your accountant.
It is not your attorney.
It is not your lender.
It is not your business coach.
And it certainly does not know the future.
Instead, think of it as another set of eyes.
A place where you can bring your business information, ask questions, explore possibilities, and get another perspective on what your numbers may be telling you.
You still make the decision.
UnpackFi helps you look in the mirror before you make it.
Business Questions Usually Happen When Your Accountant Is Not Around
Imagine it is Tuesday night.
You are looking at next month's schedule and thinking:
“We are getting busy. Should I hire another employee?”
You could email your accountant.
Maybe they respond tomorrow.
Maybe you need to schedule a meeting.
Maybe they need additional information.
Maybe they're closing books for dozens of clients.
Maybe this isn't even the kind of question they normally answer.
And maybe after thinking about it for 20 minutes, you realize you are not actually ready to hire anyone anyway.
That does not mean your accountant did anything wrong.
It simply illustrates a gap.
Business owners think about their businesses constantly.
Questions do not conveniently appear during scheduled quarterly meetings.
They appear while driving home.
After payroll.
When a large customer calls.
When an employee quits.
When a salesperson proposes something.
When a piece of equipment breaks.
When a supplier announces a price increase.
When you are lying in bed thinking about next month.
You should have somewhere to explore those questions when they happen.
Ask the Question Before You Decide Whether It Is Worth Asking
This may be one of the most useful roles UnpackFi can play.
Suppose you're considering another vehicle.
Your first thought is:
“Can I afford a $60,000 truck?”
That sounds like a big question.
So ask it.
Explore the scenario.
Look at your current numbers.
Add the potential payment.
Consider insurance.
Fuel.
Maintenance.
Equipment.
Potential additional labor.
Then consider what the vehicle allows you to do.
Does it increase capacity?
Could it generate additional revenue?
How much?
What happens to profitability?
What happens to break even?
You may discover:
“This isn't even close. I'm not ready.”
Great.
You learned something.
Or you might discover:
“This actually looks more reasonable than I expected.”
Now perhaps it is worth calling your accountant, equipment financing contact, or another advisor and saying:
“I've been looking at adding another truck. Here's what I'm seeing. Can we go through it together?”
That is a much better starting point.
UnpackFi Can Help You Prepare Better Questions
There is a big difference between calling an accountant and saying:
“How's my business doing?”
and saying:
“Revenue increased over the last three months, but my profit didn't really move. It looks like payroll and material costs increased at the same time. Can we look at why?”
The second question gives everyone something to work with.
The same is true when speaking with:
A business coach.
A banker.
A lender.
A financial planner.
A franchise business coach.
A partner.
A manager.
Or another advisor.
UnpackFi does not need to replace those conversations to provide value.
It can help make those conversations better.
Your Accountant Has a Different Job
Accountants provide enormously valuable services.
Bookkeeping.
Financial reporting.
Tax planning.
Tax preparation.
Compliance.
Accounting guidance.
And depending on the relationship, business advisory services.
But most small business owners do not have an accountant sitting beside them every day.
Even when an owner has an excellent accountant, there may be days or weeks between conversations.
There can also be a timing difference between running a business and completing formal financial reporting.
Books need to be reconciled.
Transactions need to be categorized.
Month-end work needs to be completed.
Adjustments may need to be made.
That process serves an important purpose.
But the owner is still running the business while all of that is happening.
UnpackFi is designed for the space between those conversations.
You Do Not Always Need Perfect Information to Ask a Useful Question
Suppose it is the 18th of the month.
The month is not over.
Your books are not closed.
You do not yet have final financial statements.
But something feels different.
Sales seem slower.
Payroll seems high.
Your bank balance is falling faster than expected.
You can wait until everything is finalized.
Sometimes you should.
But you can also begin exploring the information you currently have.
Maybe you upload available sales information.
Bank activity.
Credit card activity.
Payroll information.
Existing financial statements.
Other business records.
Partial information should be understood as partial information.
It should not be mistaken for finalized accounting.
But it can still help you identify something worth investigating.
There is a big difference between saying:
“This proves we have a problem.”
and:
“This looks unusual. I should investigate it.”
UnpackFi is particularly useful for the second conversation.
Sometimes You Need to Ask a Question Five Different Ways
Human beings learn differently.
Maybe your accountant explains gross margin to you.
You understand it during the conversation.
Two months later:
“Wait. What exactly was gross margin again?”
You might feel uncomfortable calling back and asking the same question.
With UnpackFi, ask it again.
Then ask:
“Explain that more simply.”
Then:
“Show me why this matters using my business.”
Then:
“What could cause my gross margin to decline?”
Then:
“What should I look at first?”
There is no embarrassment.
There is no feeling like you are wasting someone's time.
There is no reason to pretend you understand something when you don't.
Ask until it makes sense.
That educational freedom is an important part of UnpackFi.
You Should Be Allowed to Explore Bad Ideas
Business owners have bad ideas.
So do accountants.
So do consultants.
So does everyone else.
An idea does not need to be good to be worth exploring.
Maybe you're thinking:
“What if I cut prices 15%?”
Try it.
Maybe:
“What if I hire three people?”
Explore it.
Maybe:
“What if I increase marketing by $5,000 a month?”
Look at it.
Maybe:
“What if I raise prices 10%?”
Test the scenario.
You are not committing to anything.
You are thinking.
That is exactly what a What If tool should allow you to do.
Sometimes seeing the potential financial effect immediately makes you say:
“Yeah, that's a terrible idea.”
Good.
You just learned something without actually doing it.
Bounce the Idea Around
Imagine your business currently generates:
$1,000,000 in annual revenue
with:
$120,000 in profit.
You're considering hiring someone who may cost approximately:
$70,000 per year.
Do not stop at:
“Can I afford $70,000?”
Bounce the idea around.
What happens if revenue stays exactly the same?
What if the employee helps generate another $100,000?
What about $200,000?
What happens to margins?
How much additional revenue might be needed to support the position?
What happens if sales decline?
What if you wait six months?
What if you hire part time instead?
The purpose is not for UnpackFi to say:
“Hire the employee.”
The purpose is to help you understand the question you are actually asking.
There Is Rarely One Number That Makes the Decision
Business decisions are messy.
A new employee is not just payroll.
Maybe that employee gives you back 20 hours every week.
A vehicle is not just a payment.
Maybe it lets you serve another territory.
A piece of equipment is not just an expense.
Maybe it eliminates outsourced work.
A price increase is not just additional revenue.
Maybe some customers leave.
A marketing campaign is not just a cost.
Maybe it produces recurring customers.
Numbers provide context.
They do not capture every variable.
That is why UnpackFi should not be the end-all decision maker.
It is another perspective.
The owner's experience still matters.
The team matters.
Customers matter.
The market matters.
Professional advice can matter.
And sometimes instinct matters.
UnpackFi simply gives the numbers a seat at the table.
Think Out Loud Without Actually Talking Out Loud
Business owners do this naturally.
“What if we hired someone?”
“What if we didn't?”
“What if we raised prices?”
“What if sales drop?”
“What if we bought the equipment instead of leasing it?”
“What if we wait?”
“What if we open another location?”
You are already having these conversations in your head.
UnpackFi gives you somewhere to put them.
Instead of bouncing the idea between assumptions in your head, you can begin attaching numbers to those assumptions.
That does not make the future certain.
It makes the conversation more informed.
Your Sidekick Is There When You Want Another Perspective
The UnpackFi Sidekick adds another layer to this idea.
You can ask questions conversationally.
For example:
“How did I do over the last 90 days?”
“What changed compared with the previous 90 days?”
“Where did my expenses increase?”
“Why might my profit be down even though revenue increased?”
“What should I investigate if I want to improve profitability?”
“What numbers should I understand before hiring someone?”
The goal is not to produce an unquestionable answer.
The goal is to give you something useful to react to.
Maybe the answer confirms something you already suspected.
Maybe it points out something you hadn't noticed.
Maybe it causes you to ask another question.
Maybe it makes you realize you should call your accountant.
All four outcomes can be useful.
Sometimes the Best Answer Is: Call Someone
There will be questions where exploring the numbers leads to an obvious conclusion:
You need professional help with this one.
Good.
That is not a failure of the tool.
That is part of its purpose.
Maybe you discover a tax issue.
Call your CPA.
Maybe you realize financing could solve a cash flow problem.
Talk to a lender.
Maybe you are considering changing your retirement contribution strategy.
Talk to your financial professional.
Maybe your numbers show an operational problem you cannot solve.
Talk to your business coach.
Maybe you are considering a major contract with legal implications.
Call your attorney.
The important thing is that you may enter that conversation with a much clearer understanding of what you need to ask.
Other Times, You May Realize You Don't Need the Call
The opposite happens too.
Maybe you wonder whether a $500 monthly software subscription is hurting your business.
You look at your numbers.
You test removing it.
You realize:
This is not remotely the issue.
You were focused on $500 while another expense category increased $8,000.
Now you know where to investigate.
You may have saved yourself and your advisor a conversation about the wrong problem.
That is valuable too.
UnpackFi Does Not Need to Be Right About Everything to Be Useful
This is an important philosophy behind the product.
Business owners should not blindly follow software.
You should question things.
Verify things.
Challenge assumptions.
If something does not make sense, investigate it.
The value of UnpackFi is not:
“The computer told me what to do.”
The value is:
“I looked at my information, explored the question, considered another perspective, and now I understand the decision better.”
That is a healthier relationship with technology.
Your Numbers Should Teach You Something
Financial information should not exist only for:
Taxes.
Banks.
Compliance.
Loan applications.
Or an accountant.
Those numbers describe your business.
They contain a story.
What customers are doing.
Where money is being spent.
Whether margins are improving.
Whether payroll is changing.
Whether profitability is growing.
Whether expenses are creeping upward.
Whether growth is actually creating value.
Whether a decision worked.
UnpackFi is built around the idea that the business owner deserves to understand that story.
Not once a year.
Not only during tax season.
Not only when something goes wrong.
Whenever they want to look.
You Do Not Need to Become an Accountant
The goal is not to turn every entrepreneur into a CPA.
You probably started your business because you were good at something else.
Construction.
Fitness.
Consulting.
Cleaning.
Food.
Technology.
Automotive work.
Healthcare.
Design.
Sales.
Landscaping.
A trade.
A profession.
A product.
You should understand the financial fundamentals of the company you own.
But you should not need an accounting degree to ask:
“Are we actually making more money than last year?”
Or:
“Can we afford this?”
Or:
“Why did profit fall?”
Or:
“What happens if this expense increases?”
That is the level of financial confidence UnpackFi is trying to help build.
A Companion, Not an Autopilot
Maybe the simplest way to explain UnpackFi is this:
It is a companion, not an autopilot.
You are still driving.
You know the customers.
You know the employees.
You understand your market.
You understand the parts of the business that cannot be reduced to numbers.
UnpackFi sits beside you and says:
“Here's what I'm seeing.”
Then you decide what to do with that information.
Sometimes you will agree.
Sometimes you'll investigate further.
Sometimes you'll ignore it because you know something the numbers don't.
Sometimes you'll call an expert.
And sometimes it will cause you to notice something you never would have looked at otherwise.
That's the point.
The Bigger Lesson
Small business owners do not necessarily need another system telling them what to do.
They need better ways to think.
A place to ask.
A place to learn.
A place to test.
A place to reflect.
A place to say:
“I have an idea. What would happen if...?”
without scheduling a meeting two weeks from now.
Your accountant still matters.
Your business coach still matters.
Your financial professionals still matter.
Your experience matters.
And ultimately, your judgment matters.
UnpackFi simply gives you another set of eyes.
A financial mirror you can look into whenever you want to better understand what's happening inside your business.
Ask the question.
Bounce around the idea.
Test the scenario.
Learn something.
And if the question turns out to be bigger than you thought, you'll be much better prepared for the conversation that comes next.
Unpack Your Business Numbers
UnpackFi is designed to give small business owners a comfortable place to understand their financial information, ask questions, explore ideas, and learn how the different pieces of their business work together.
It is not there to make the decision for you.
It is there to help you make the decision with another perspective in the room.
Try the free UnpackFi demo at UnpackFi.com and start bouncing some questions off your business numbers.