Have you ever had a friend look at a business and randomly throw out numbers that made it seem like that business owner must be making serious bank? We’ve experienced that many times, and know from conversations with operators and owners in those industries that their real profitability is often far, far less. The reason is often that there are unique challenges to profitability in almost every industry and so we wanted to create a space for entrepreneurs from across industries and markets to discuss the challenges to profitability in their industries.

Ashley Mullen

One of the biggest challenges to profitability in the plumbing industry is balancing rising overhead costs with customer expectations around pricing. Many people assume plumbing is a high-margin business, but what they often don’t see are the behind-the-scenes expenses that eat into those margins—insurance, licensing, training, equipment, vehicle maintenance, and especially payroll. Read More>>

Ty Williamson

What I do is very niche I’ve personal struggled with this when it comes to establishing myself. I photograph and film what I think looks cool or has a value to me. Colors, shapes, light & shadows no matter the subject if I take the photo I saw something beautiful I’ve always put what I like first. Which isn’t the most profitable approach today. Read More>>

Daniela Pedroza

One of the biggest challenges to profitability in the fashion industry especially as a small or independent brand is finding reliable production partners while maintaining quality, consistency, and fair costs. Read More>>

Melissa Moon

One of the biggest misconceptions about the officiant industry is that officiants, especially ordained ministers, should be inexpensive or even free. Many people assume that because the ceremony itself is relatively short and seems straightforward, the service shouldn’t cost much. However, the reality is quite different. As a professional officiant, I dedicate a significant amount of time and effort to ensure every couple’s wedding is personalized and memorable. Read More>>

Christina Paganelli

In health food retail, there’s a major misconception that strong branding equals strong profits. In reality, the more a mission-driven brand grows, the more financial pressure it faces. Profitability becomes elusive — not because there’s no demand, but because maintaining quality, ethics, and supply chain integrity is expensive. Read More>>