The North Peak Blog
Smart, Practical Financial Advice for Business Owners
This is where we break things down. No fluff, no recycled advice, just clear, useful articles to help you run a better business. From bookkeeping best practices and cash flow strategy to tax planning and decision-making tips, this is where we share what we’ve learned helping real clients solve real problems.
If you’re trying to get your finances in shape or just want to understand the numbers a little better, start here.
Fractional CFOs Turn 2025 Trends into Small Business Success
As technology and financial trends reshape 2025, small business owners face new challenges and opportunities. This post explores how fractional CFO services 2025 help entrepreneurs harness AI, automation, and data-driven forecasting to make smarter financial decisions, strengthen cash flow, and scale confidently without hiring a full-time CFO.
Insurance and Legal Protections Every Small Business Needs to Have
Every business faces risk, but few owners take the time to protect what they’ve built until it’s too late. From insurance coverage to airtight contracts and compliance, this guide breaks down the essential legal protections for small businesses, and how to implement them before something goes wrong.
How to De-Risk Your Business Before It’s Too Late
Every small business carries risk, but most owners don’t realize how fragile their systems are until something breaks. This article shows how to de-risk your business by strengthening operations, building financial redundancies, and using strategic planning to stay ahead of disruptions and protect profitability.
Why Every Business Needs a Financial Cushion and Contingency Plan
A financial cushion is more than an emergency fund. It’s a safety net that lets small businesses weather downturns, cover unexpected expenses, and act strategically instead of reactively. This post explains how to build reserves and create contingency plans that keep your business stable and profitable.
How to Calculate Break-Even Point and Make Smarter Business Decisions
Learning how to calculate break-even point is one of the simplest ways to make smarter business decisions. By understanding your costs and sales thresholds, you’ll gain the clarity to set pricing, control expenses, and align your revenue goals with profitability, ensuring long-term financial stability.
Pricing Is the Fastest Way to Grow, If You Do It Like This
Most small business owners undervalue their pricing power. Strategic pricing and revenue strategies aren’t just about boosting numbers, they’re how you stay profitable, competitive, and sustainable. Learn how to test, refine, and reposition your pricing without losing customers or burning out your team.
Know Your COGS and SG&A Expenses Before They Eat Your Profits
Most small business owners don’t track their COGS and SG&A expenses separately, but they should. This post breaks down what each category means, how to spot cost creep, and how to get your business expenses under control before they quietly eat away at your profits.
Your Gross Margin Isn’t Just a Number. It’s a Lifeline.
Gross margin is one of the most important financial metrics your business has, yet many small business owners misunderstand how to calculate it or apply it effectively. This guide breaks it down step-by-step, helping you track real profitability, improve pricing, and fix weak spots that are slowing you down.
How to Analyze Profit Margins and Fix Weak Spots in Your Business
Profit margins aren’t just financial metrics, they’re the clearest window into whether your business is actually working. This post breaks down how to analyze profit margins across services, clients, and products, and shows you exactly where to look when your growth stalls or your cash flow tightens.
Stay Flexible: How and When to Revise Your Business Budget with Confidence
A flexible business budget keeps your financial plan aligned with reality. Markets shift, costs change, and new opportunities appear when you least expect them. Learn how to review, update, and adapt your budget so you can reduce stress, avoid financial surprises, and make better decisions that keep your business profitable and resilient.
Use Your Budget as a Benchmark: Master Budget Performance Benchmarking
Most business owners treat a budget like a one-time plan, but the real value comes from using it as a performance benchmark. Budget performance benchmarking helps you compare budget vs actual results, track small business KPIs, and build confidence in your financial decisions. Clarity reduces stress and drives sustainable growth.
Make Your Budget Realistic and Detailed: The Key to Staying Profitable
A realistic business budget is the foundation for small business profitability. Learn how to create a budget that accounts for seasonality, categorizes expenses, and uses historical data to plan ahead. Avoid common budgeting mistakes and build a plan that supports growth without sacrificing stability.
Budgeting and Forecasting for Small Businesses That Want to Grow Smart
Budgeting and forecasting aren’t just for big corporations, they’re essential tools for small business owners who want to grow with clarity, prevent cash flow surprises, and plan smarter. This blog walks through how to build basic forecasts, align them with your goals, and use them to guide better decisions.
Aligning Your Financial Plan with Business Goals
Aligning financial planning with goals is how small business owners turn big ideas into real growth. This blog explains how to connect your vision to actual numbers, from budgeting to projections, and why doing so gives you more control, flexibility, and long-term sustainability in your business.
How to Improve Your Credit Score as a Small Business Owner
A good credit score can open doors for your small business, even when you’re not actively looking for funding. Learn how to improve your credit score with actionable steps that protect your business, enhance vendor relationships, and prepare you for future growth, whether you’re ready to borrow or not.