What My Dead Laptop Taught Me About Tracking the Right Business KPIs
A Dodgy-Looking Shop and an Unexpected Business Lesson
This week, my laptop completely died. Like fell OFF died. *cue extreme panic
I ended up in a tech shop I’d driven past a hundred times. From the outside? Honestly, it looked more like somewhere you’d buy an exotic animal than get a computer fixed 🤣
But inside? The service was brilliant. They fixed my laptop in hours, tuned it up, and even made it run better than before.
While I waited, I chatted with the owner. He told me how he started with a dream of building multiple franchises. But once he was in it, he realised:
👉 he didn’t want staff headaches
👉 he didn’t want to scale endlessly
👉 he just wanted steady profit and freedom
So he focused on keeping expenses low, profits high, and building something solid. Today he owns the building outright, has loyal customers, and steady work.
And it reminded me: business success isn’t about how shiny it looks from the outside. It’s about the numbers you track and the choices you make.
Why Business KPIs Matter More Than Vanity Metrics
On Instagram, we’re told success is all about followers, likes, or even monthly revenue. But just like that shopfront, looks can be deceiving.
Behind the scenes, the numbers that matter most are often the simplest — and they’re the ones that keep your business sustainable.
The Business KPIs Worth Tracking
Profit, Not Just Revenue
Revenue sounds impressive, but it’s profit that tells the real story. The tech shop owner nailed this: he kept expenses lean so profit stayed healthy.
Cash Flow
It’s not just what you earn, it’s how money moves. Can you pay yourself consistently? Cover bills easily? Smooth cash flow is freedom.
Client Retention + Lifetime Value
One happy client who stays with you is worth more than 10 one-off sales. Retention = stability.
Capacity + Energy Metrics
It’s not just numbers on a spreadsheet — it’s whether you have the bandwidth to deliver without burning out. Tracking time spent vs energy gained matters.
Conversions That Actually Matter
Not followers. Not vanity likes. But how many people move from audience → enquiry → paying client.
Forget the Shopfront, Focus on the Substance
That tech shop reminded me that the outside doesn’t matter nearly as much as the inside.
In business, it’s the same. It’s not about the shiny “franchise dreams” or Instagram gloss. It’s about the core numbers you’re tracking — the KPIs that tell you whether your business is healthy, profitable, and actually serving your life.
So here’s your reminder: don’t just celebrate the outside. Track what matters inside.
Final Thought
Business success isn’t about the fanciest shopfront, the highest revenue month, or the most followers.
It’s about building something you own, that feels steady, profitable, and aligned. And the way you get there? By tracking the right KPIs, not chasing crumbs.
