How to Increase Revenue and Profit (So You Can Pay Yourself More)

Every business leader wants their business to grow. But if there’s no money left after expenses, you’re just staying busy—and broke. If your business isn’t bringing in enough revenue and profit to give you breathing room and flexibility, something has to change.

You probably thought running a business sounded fun—until you realized it would actually run you. Discover the EntreLeadership System—the small-business road map that takes the guesswork out of growth.

But the solution isn’t just pushing harder or chasing the next idea. It’s learning how to increase revenue in a healthy, steady way while also learning how to make a business more profitable so more of what comes in stays in your pocket and fuels growth. That’s when your business starts working for you, not the other way around.

So let’s walk through some financial lingo every business leader needs to understand. Then we’ll look at the most common financial blockers and proven strategies to increase revenue and profit.

Revenue, Cash Flow and Profit Basics

Why start here? Because these three make or break businesses. Once you understand them clearly, you can see where your business is strong and where it’s leaking money.

• Revenue is your total business income earned through primary operations that include selling goods or providing services during a specific period. Revenue keeps the doors open. You can’t run a business with no money coming in.
• Cash flow is the movement of money into and out of your business throughout a specific time period. Cash flow keeps you afloat. If you’re always running out of money before the month ends, you won’t last long.
• Profit is what’s left from your revenue once all your bills are paid. Profit fuels growth by giving you margin to save for emergencies, seize opportunities, and scale on purpose.

There’s no quiz on these definitions, but here’s a mantra worth sticking on your wall: Revenue isn’t about being busy—it’s about being effective. Cash flow isn’t optional—it’s survival. And profit isn’t a luxury—it’s the engine that drives long-term growth.

Once these three work together, you get to enjoy the financial rewards and the impact of everything you’ve built.

Related article: Cash Flow vs. Profit

Revenue and Profit Blockers

Before we talk about how to increase revenue and profit, let’s look at what might be holding you back. Structural issues in how you plan, lead and spend can choke growth if you don’t deal with them.

Here are some of the most common issues that shrink margin:

• You run the business with a profit and loss statement but no budget.
  In other words, you’re tracking the past but not planning for the future.
• Your customers only want to work with you—not your team.
  That creates a bottleneck and limits your ability to scale.
• Your team isn’t aligned on values, goals or processes.
  Misalignment always hurts the bottom line.
• You went into debt to expand your business.
  Debt creates pressure, not leverage.
• You spend all your time working in your business instead of on it.
  When you’re stuck in the weeds, you’re not leading the team.

Do any of these sting? We get it. But once you face them, you can fix them. Then you’re ready to focus on growth.

How to Increase Revenue

It’s worth repeating: Financial growth doesn’t come just from working harder. It also comes from solving bigger problems, serving more people, and raising your value to customers. With all that in mind, focus on these actions to bring in more revenue the right way.

1. Clarify your unique value proposition.
   Why should someone choose you instead of another business? Your value proposition is the clear reason customers pick you. Maybe it’s faster service, better quality or personal attention they can’t get anywhere else. Figure it out, and then make sure everything in your business shows it.
    
2. Invest in sales and marketing.
   Build a system that attracts the right customers. Your sales and marketing strategies should connect back to your value proposition. Show people why you’re different, then make it easy for them to say yes.
    
3. Raise your prices when you raise your value.
   If your pricing hasn’t changed in years but your costs have gone up, you’re killing your revenue and silently shrinking your profit margin. Many businesses undercharge because they feel bad raising rates. But you have to stop pricing from guilt. Price from value. Be the most trusted and stand confidently in your worth.
    
4. Deliver an unmatched customer experience.
   From communication to follow-through, make the customer the star of the show. Do you run an HVAC business? Train your techs to call back after every service to check on satisfaction. Operate a restaurant? Make follow-up and small but memorable surprises part of the culture.And be quick to fix anything that could break your customers’ trust, like slow response times, missed deadlines or hidden fees. And remember: It’s your customers, not your board or your accountant, who decide whether you stay in business.
   
   Deliver unmatched service and they’ll spread the word. Disappoint them with mediocre service, and you risk losing them. As Ramsey Solutions CEO Dave Ramsey says, “You want to have a conversation with the marketplace and hear it say, ‘We love you.’”

How to Increase Profit Margin (and Plug Profit Leaks)

Bringing in revenue is only half the battle—profit leaks can still leave you strapped. Put these seven habits in place to protect your margin and grow profit.

1. Know your numbers.
   You can’t fix what you can’t see or don’t track. Build and stick to a budget, understand your profit and loss statement, set aside money for taxes, and forecast expenses. Give every dollar a job before it hits your account and stay on top of what’s really happening. Knowing your numbers helps you avoid money mistakes, plan for growth, handle slow seasons, and invest wisely.
    
2. Establish clear financial reporting.
   Part two of knowing your numbers is holding yourself accountable through intentional meetings. Many owners only look at their bank accounts, but that’s flying blind. Schedule a monthly finance review of your profit and loss statement, budget and cash-flow forecast, even if it’s just you and your bookkeeper. Clarity creates control.
    
3. Clarify roles and hold your team accountable.
   Payroll is one of your largest line items, and your profit margin depends on team output. Get clear on Key Results Areas (KRAs) for every team member, and use regular team check-ins to raise the bar on quality and productivity. Shoddy work that ends up in customers’ hands will cost you margin and eventually get your business fired by your customers.
    
4. Develop your team and delegate.
   Scaling only happens when your team can deliver without you. Invest in training, coach for excellence, and give people the authority to solve problems, aka delegate. The more your team can carry, the more you can step back and lead.
    
5. Get out of debt.
   Every dollar sent to the bank in interest is one less for growth. Debt robs you of margin, freedom and sleep. Pay it off with intensity—faster than feels comfortable, but not so fast you starve the business (or your family).
    
6. Trim excess operating costs.
   Subscriptions, software and service retainers all add up fast. Many business owners are still paying for tools they don’t use or vendors they don’t need. Audit your top monthly expenses and ask, Does this drive ROI or just add clutter?
    
7. Act your wage.
   Run your business on less than you make. Margin is what funds growth. Don’t reward a good month with a bad financial decision.

One more thing to consider: Invest in technology. The right tools can make your business more efficient, cut costs, and boost output. From automating routine tasks to streamlining communication, smart tech frees up time and money you can reinvest in growth. (Just be sure it actually lowers costs or increases profit.)

Profitability in Action

Curious what it looks like to apply these revenue and profit principles in a real-world business situation?

Let’s say you own two physical therapy clinics. You’re tempted to open a third, thinking expansion equals profit.

Here’s the catch: Private pay and higher-paying contracts bring in 35% margin, but 60% of your revenue comes from low-paying insurance contracts with just a 10% margin. Ouch! That’s super tight—especially if the contracts are slow to pay and you don’t have a strong cash flow.

If reimbursement rates drop, your business model collapses.

The fix? Grow slower and smarter. Keep your two clinics but rebalance your patient mix to reduce low-margin contracts. You don’t always need more customers—you need better paying ones.

When Revenue and Profit Grow, So Can Your Paycheck

When you fix the blockers, apply smart strategies, and stop the leaks, you finally build a business that works. And when your business works, you can pay yourself what you’re worth—without draining the business dry.

The bottom line: A profitable business creates opportunity for your team and impact for your customers—and the breathing room you’ve been working toward.