Naming What’s Missing: The Profit Blind Spots No One Talks About
Every contractor knows what chaos feels like—long hours, full calendars, and still, somehow, razor-thin margins. But what if the real issue isn’t what you’re doing—it’s what you’re not seeing?
In this episode of the Total Profit Podcast, we shine a light on the blind spots that sabotage profitability—and how Total Profit Management (TPM) helps owners finally name and fix what’s been missing.
The Dangerous Assumption: “If I’m Busy, I Must Be Profitable”
Let’s talk about Greg.
Greg owned a $4.2M roofing company. Twelve crews. A full pipeline. On paper, he was winning. But in reality, he was nearly broke. His bank account was constantly on fumes, and he hadn’t paid himself consistently in over a year.
When he came to us, he said, “I’ve got a top-line problem.”
But the truth?
His revenue wasn’t the issue. His visibility was.
Greg couldn’t tell you:
Which crews were profitable.
Which service lines had the strongest margins.
Where money was slipping through the cracks.
That’s a profit blind spot—and it’s more common than you think.
What Are Profit Blind Spots?
Profit blind spots are areas in your business where margin leaks hide. You can’t manage what you can’t see—and most business owners aren’t seeing the truth about:
Labor Costs
Many lump all payroll into overhead. But if you don’t break out job labor from admin labor, you can’t calculate job-level profitability.
COGS Misclassification
When your Chart of Accounts is vague, your financial reports lie. You’ll make big decisions—like pricing or hiring—on garbage data.
Underperforming Offers
You think all your services are profitable. But without segmenting margin by business line, you’re just guessing.
Overhead Spread Too Thin
Spreading fixed overhead across too many jobs or service types creates phantom margin—profits that look real but disappear when bills hit.
What You Don’t Know Is Costing You
According to our internal research:
80% of contractors don’t know the true cost of their work.
92% of job costing done in QuickBooks is misclassified or incomplete.
Most find out the hard way—when cash runs out or the bank calls in a line of credit.
You don’t need a new project.
You need a new lens.
TPM Onboarding: The Profit Lens You’ve Been Missing
When clients join TPM, we begin by cleaning the financial windshield:
Step 1: The Financial Diagnostic
We review your Chart of Accounts, COGS structure, and labor allocations. We show you exactly where you’re flying blind.
Step 2: Margin Mapping
We break out margin by job, division, or offer. For the first time, you’ll see what work is truly profitable—and what’s not.
Step 3: Custom Onboarding Dashboard
Within 30 days, you’ll have visibility across:
Real job cost accuracy
Net profit by line of business
Owner’s compensation as a % of revenue
The result?
No more guesswork.
No more blind spots.
Just profitable clarity.
Ready to Name What’s Been Missing?
We tell our clients: “Your numbers are talking. It’s time you listened.”
If you feel like you’re working hard but always behind, you’re not alone—and you’re not broken. You’re just missing the margin lens.
💡 Want to see what your numbers are really saying?
Listen to the Full Episode
🎧 Episode 3: Naming What’s Missing – Now streaming on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube,and right here