SBO Financial

08/10/2026

That 25% off code looks harmless right now.

Sales feel slow, a competitor has just cut their prices, and last season's stock is still taking up space in the warehouse. With Black Friday on the way, a discount feels like the easy fix.

And for a few days, it might look like one. Orders come in and the dashboard lights up.

But once things settle, there's a harder question. Did that sale make any money? And will any of those new customers come back and pay full price?

Meanwhile, the old stock is still there. Still waiting.

The good news is that discounting isn't always a bad idea. There are two situations where it makes real financial sense, and a few where it's best avoided.

We've covered both in our latest article. It's worth a read before you lock in your Black Friday plans.

👉 https://sbo.financial/blog/ecommerce/when-is-it-ok-to-offer-discounts-in-my-ecommerce-business/

06/10/2026

You’re getting new customers. But at what cost? 👀

More sales look good. Knowing what you spent to get them is better.

That’s where customer acquisition cost (CAC) comes in.

Swipe through to learn how to calculate it, compare it with customer lifetime value, and bring it down.

Read the blog: https://sbo.financial/blog/startups/customer-acquisition-costs/

01/10/2026

Your business made a profit. So why is cash still tight? 🍋

The answer often comes down to which costs you’ve counted and whether the money has actually been collected.

Think of a lemonade stand:

🍋 EBITDA
What you earn from selling lemonade after paying everyday costs, such as lemons, sugar and wages. Interest, tax and equipment wear haven’t been counted yet.

🍋 EBIT
Your jug and table wear out over time. Account for that cost through depreciation, and you get EBIT.

🍋 NPBT
Borrowed money to start the stand? Subtract the interest, and you get net profit before tax.

🍋 NPAT
Subtract income tax too. What’s left is your net profit after tax.

But profit doesn’t automatically mean cash in the bank.

🍋 Free cashflow
Some customers may still owe you money. You may also have paid upfront for a new jug.

Free cashflow looks at the cash generated by your operations, less spending on equipment and other long-term assets.

That’s how your business can show a profit while you’re still wondering how to pay the next bill.

Understanding the difference helps you make better decisions about spending, borrowing and growing your business.

Read the full article:
https://sbo.financial/blog/accountants/why-profit-is-wrong/

29/09/2026

A discount might help close a sale. But what happens to your profit when your costs stay the same?

Take a look before deciding what discount your business can afford.

Read the full article: https://sbo.financial/blog/wealth-creation/the-true-cost-of-discounting/

24/09/2026

Should you hire an in-house accountant or outsource the function?

It’s a common question, but there isn’t one right answer for every business.

Outsourcing is often more cost-effective and gives you access to a broader range of expertise when you need it. Hiring in-house means having someone closely involved in the day-to-day business, with a level of familiarity and immediate availability that an external team may not always offer.

The right choice depends on your business’s size, stage of growth and the level of financial support you need.

We break down the trade-offs on both sides to help you decide which setup suits your business.

Read the full blog:

22/09/2026

Hire in-house or outsource your accounting? '

It's a question a lot of growing businesses wrestle with, and the answer isn't the same for everyone.

We're breaking down the real pros and cons on both sides this Thursday, so you can figure out what actually fits where your business is at.

Stay tuned.

17/09/2026

Outsourcing your bookkeeping should save money. But if your accountant still has to fix the work, the savings disappear quickly.

This often happens when bookkeeping is treated as a separate task rather than part of the wider accounting function.

The result can be incorrect reconciliations, late lodgements and financial reports you cannot rely on.

When bookkeeping and accounting work together, records stay accurate and problems are picked up earlier. Your accountant spends less time correcting past work, and you have better information for running the business.

Our latest article explains how an integrated approach makes bookkeeping outsourcing more cost-effective.

Read the full article:

Do you know how much money outsourcing your bookkeeping will save you? If the answer is "no" then this will shock you.

15/09/2026

Think DIY bookkeeping is saving you money?

It might be costing you more than you realise, just not in a way that shows up on the invoice.

We're breaking down why on Thursday.

10/09/2026

Businesses don’t lose money because of one major mistake.

It happens bit by bit through hours spent entering transactions, reconciling accounts and following up on overdue invoices. These tasks may not appear as a separate cost, but the time spent on them adds up.

Cloud accounting is now standard for most businesses. The difference lies in how you use it.

Automated bank feeds reduce reconciliation time. Invoicing tools and payment reminders help you get paid sooner. Real-time reporting helps you spot rising costs or falling margins before they become bigger problems.

The software gives you the information. What you do with it still matters.

Our latest blog covers three practical ways to save time and money with cloud accounting, as well as where AI can help.

Read the full article:

Save time & boost your cash flow with these cloud accounting tips. Automate tasks, speed up payments & get real-time insights.

08/09/2026

Let's be honest: nobody starts a business because they love reconciling invoices at 9pm.

But somewhere between growing the business and running it, a lot of owners end up buried in the exact admin they were trying to escape. Manual data entry. Payments that show up late, if they show up at all. A P&L you only really understand once a month, after the damage is already done.

It doesn't have to work that way.

Our latest blog walks through what changes when your accounting actually works for you instead of against you, and whether all the AI hype in this space is worth paying attention to.

Full article on Thursday.