A Simple Way to Stress-Test Your Business (No Spreadsheet Required)
Most founders don’t have clean systems yet. QuickBooks is messy. The “process” lives partly in spreadsheets and partly in your head. That’s fine. The mistake happens when decisions are made using numbers that only work in average months. Instead of anchoring on an average, try anchoring on a stress month. A simple rule of thumb: - Think back to your most expensive month in the last 6–9 months - Add a small buffer for the unknowns - Treat that as your real monthly cash requirement when making decisions Why this helps: If your business can survive that month, it can survive most situations. It also has a side effect most founders don’t expect: your true break-even is often higher than you thought, which means your sales targets might be tighter than they appear. Better to see that early than discover it late. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about removing surprises. Question to consider: What was your most expensive month recently—and were your plans built to survive it?