Before I ever became a bookkeeper, I spent 20 years reviewing small business loan files. Here's the one number I checked before revenue, before profit — and how to find yours.

The uncomfortable truth: most service businesses don't have a revenue problem. They have a profit leak problem.

These aren't dramatic disasters. They're quiet, consistent drains — the kind that are easy to miss because they hide in plain sight. Together, they can silently eat $20K, $40K, or even $60K+ per year from your bottom line.

Here are the five most common profit leaks I see in service businesses — and exactly what to do about each one.