Profits

In business, revenue is the gross. But in the end, it’s not a very interesting figure.

For instance, it’s possible for a $1 trillion revenue company to have $1.1 trillion in expenses, effectively putting them a billion in the red.

Profit, on the other hand, is much more interesting. This is the difference between what you bring in and what you keep.

A small $1 million dollar (revenue) business with a relatively huge $0.9 million in profits is much more interesting than a business a thousand times bigger with razor-thin margins.

Why?

Because they are essentially the opposite. The first is not sustainable, while the second is a wellspring of opportunity.

The trick, though, is that the bigger company always seems more impressive from the street view. Even when it’s not.

Writing to a church divided by competing interests, Paul discusses a similar issue. Only on spiritual terms.

His advice to them is to keep focusing on the profit. The good work. The value that will last.

“There is going to come a time of testing [and] everyone’s work will be put through the fire so that all can see whether or not it keeps its value, and what was really accomplished” (1 Corinthians 3: 13).