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Revenue is Vanity

The #1 Reason Businesses Fail (And How to Make Sure Yours Doesn’t!) 

Psst! Want to hear a money secret? In this episode of Money Secrets, Fi unpacks one of the most important (but often misunderstood) financial truths in business: the difference between revenue, profit, and cash flow—and why understanding this could be the key to your long-term success.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity, but cash is reality.” But what does that actually mean for your business? Fi breaks it all down, sharing why revenue alone isn’t enough, why profit matters more than big sales numbers, and—most importantly—why cash flow is what really keeps your business alive.

If you’ve ever celebrated a revenue milestone, wondered why your bank account still feels tight, or struggled to get paid on time, this episode will shift the way you think about money in your business.

🎧 Hit play now and start managing your cash flow like a pro.


What you’ll learn in this episode: 

  • Revenue is vanity. Those flashy “I made seven figures in 3 minutes” headlines? They don’t tell the full story. Revenue only matters if you’re actually keeping some of it.
  • Profit is sanity. Profit is what’s left after covering your expenses. If your costs are swallowing up your income, you don’t have a business—you have a financial problem.
  • Cash is reality. You can’t pay your bills with revenue or profit—you pay them with cash in the bank. If your cash flow isn’t steady, even a profitable business can go under.
  • Late payments can kill your business. If you’re always waiting for invoices to be paid, it’s time to change your approach—whether that’s batching invoices or shifting to upfront payments.

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We’ve come so far as a society in many ways, but money is one of the areas where progress hasn’t been enough. If we want to tip the scales in favour of marginalised people, it starts with understanding the secret: money in small business.

In this podcast, Money Secrets, host Fiona (Fi) Johnston—Chartered Accountant, small business advocate, and impact enthusiast—dives into the conversations we need to have about money. The secrets that once stayed behind closed doors (or on the golf course) are finally out in the open.

Fi’s mission? To get more money into the hands of good people, like you. She believes small businesses have the power to change the world, and the key to making a bigger impact is to make—and manage—more money.

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Thank you to everyone involved for bringing this podcast together. We are excited to hear from you with any questions, feedback or suggestions for future episodes that you might have. Send a Direct Message to @peach.business

If you are excited for what’s to come, please like this episode, follow the podcast and share it with your friends. We are thrilled you're here.

Want to find out more about Good Money Club? It's for female and LGBTQIA+ business owners ready to make more money and impact. Join us?

Check out my FREE Pricing Training you need to set your prices for profitability.

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This podcast episode was recorded on the lands of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation and I'd like to acknowledge them as the Traditional Owners and custodians of this land and water that I live, work and play on. I'd like to pay respect to elders both past and present, and note that sovereignty has never been ceded. This always was and always will be Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land. 

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