Sleep at Night Numbers: What Every Owner Should Know by Heart

There’s a certain kind of anxiety that wakes you up at 2am.

“Are we actually making money?”
“What if a big client pays late?”
“Can we really afford to hire that new person?”

You’re not alone. These are the questions that keep many SME owners up at night — but they don’t have to.

We talk a lot about your “Sleep at Night Numbers” — the key figures that, once you understand them, help you feel calm, confident and in control.

Here are the essential ones every MD or founder should know.

Cash in the Bank — and Your Forecasted Balance

This isn’t just about what’s there today, but what’s coming in and going out over the next 30, 60, 90 days.

Knowing this helps you:

• Plan investments with confidence

• Sleep better, knowing you can cover payroll and bills

• Avoid nasty surprises

Break-even Point

What do you need to sell each month to cover all your costs?

Once you know this, you can:

• Set better sales targets

• Understand the true impact of any pricing or cost decisions

• Make quicker calls when cash is tight

Gross Profit Margin

This tells you how much money you’re really making on what you sell.

Why it matters:

• It shows whether your products or services are priced right

• Helps identify if your team is spending too much time on low-value work

• Gives you a clear benchmark for growth

Aged Debtors

How much money are you waiting on? And how long have you been waiting?

This figure reveals:

• If cash flow problems are down to late payers 

• Whether your terms (or follow-ups) need tightening

• How quickly you’re turning work into income

Run Rate

This is your current revenue, extrapolated over 12 months. It gives a snapshot of where your business is heading — based on what’s happening right now.

Knowing this number helps you:

• Spot gaps early (before they turn into problems)

• Track growth more accurately

• Build a realistic plan for the next year

The Bottom Line?

You don’t need to know everything.

But knowing these few figures? That’s enough to put you back in the driving seat.

And when you understand what’s really going on under the bonnet, you stop making decisions based on gut feel alone. You start making them with confidence — backed by insight.

If you’d love a clearer view of your own ‘sleep at night’ numbers, our Finance for Growth workshops cover everything you need to know to give you confidence and clarity in your business. Find out more and book yourself on the next workshop here.