An End-of-Season Reflection: Why I Continue to Choose Profit First
Every September, I get the honor of attending ProfitCon in New Jersey. It’s usually held there because that’s where Profit First is headquartered — which means we get to spend time not only with fellow certified Profit First professionals, but also with the staff, the guides, and the people behind the system itself.
And every single year, I walk into that room with the same thought:
I can’t believe I get to be here.
ProfitCon is part training, part community, part deep reflection. We learn directly from people who are shaping conversations around money, leadership, value, and personal growth — and we do it surrounded by professionals who care deeply about the businesses they serve. It’s a room I never imagined I’d be in — and one I’m deeply grateful for.
A Community That Understands the Weight of the Work
Bookkeeping, accounting, and cash flow management are tough spaces to work in. They’re often misunderstood and heavily commoditized, yet they form the foundation that allows businesses to sustain, grow, employ people, and make an impact.
What gives me hope is being in a room full of people who get that. People who understand that numbers represent real lives — real families, real employees, real communities. When I’m with this community, I’m reminded that there are strong resources out there for small business owners, even when it doesn’t always feel that way.
This is a group that builds each other up. Shares openly. Challenges one another thoughtfully. And stays focused on impact.
Learning From People Who Live the Work
One of the things I value most about ProfitCon is who we get to learn from.
We heard from Mike Michalowicz, who challenged us to look at what’s hiding in plain sight — not just profits in a business, but ourselves. He talked about how our culture constantly pushes spending now, rewarding now, and consuming now, even though we’re actually wired to collect, batch, preserve, and consume intentionally. That wiring is the foundation of both Profit First and the upcoming Money Habits framework — systems that work with human behavior instead of against it.
We also spent time with Matt Shoup, who spoke about the power of brave, vulnerable storytelling. He reminded us that painting a picture of perfection actually prevents connection — something that resonated deeply with me after years of believing I had to have everything polished to be relatable.
Another powerful session came from Hal Elrod, who reframed personal development as a daily ritual tied to what matters most. While I’ve never been a natural “miracle morning” person, his message helped me rethink what non-negotiables look like across a miracle day or week — and how those rhythms support sustainability in both life and business.
As a designer-level Profit First professional (a level I’ve been part of since 2020), I also had additional sessions with Carl Gould. He emphasized the importance of asking better, deeper questions — the kind that move past surface symptoms and uncover the true heart of what a client is experiencing. In financial work especially, that means understanding fear, scarcity, or lack of constraint, and helping people move responsibly toward their goals while honoring their values.
We also heard from Melissa Dulgecki, who spoke about grief, leadership, and the importance of having the right people around you in hard seasons. She introduced the idea of a “grief team” — recognizing that different people are capable of offering different types of support, and that not everyone can meet every need. It was a meaningful reminder that growth, business, and humanity are deeply intertwined.
Lessons That Landed This Year
This year’s ProfitCon hit differently.
A recurring theme was what’s hiding in plain sight. Not just in our businesses — but in ourselves. I’ve spent much of my life striving for perfection, believing that anything less would make me less relatable. What I’m learning — and what this year reinforced — is that perfection actually blocks connection.
Pain identifies your lane. And healing creates room to step fully into it.
There were powerful conversations about value — how hard it can be to name it, protect it, and stand behind it — especially when negotiation and discounting pressures show up. But there was also a strong emphasis on stewardship: delivering the value we charge for, preparing our businesses as if they might one day be sold, and making decisions through a legacy lens, regardless of whether an exit is ever planned.
The Part No One Plans For
And then there was the part I didn’t plan.
On Monday, while at the conference, I ended up in urgent care with a scratched cornea. I missed training. I was supposed to stay through Thursday, but I changed my flight and came home on Wednesday instead. It cost money. It meant missing time with people I love learning alongside. And yes — there was real FOMO.
But there was also growth.
Choosing my health. Spending money without spiraling into guilt. Prioritizing what actually mattered, even when it was inconvenient. Feeling both gratitude and disappointment at the same time — and allowing both to exist.
That experience reminded me that stewardship includes taking care of ourselves — and that lesson stayed with me long after the conference ended.
Why I’m Still Here — And Why It Matters
ProfitCon was three months ago, but the impact of this community shows up all year long.
I continue to choose Profit First not because I couldn’t do other things — but because of the people. The integrity. The shared commitment to helping business owners build something that lasts.
Through this community, I’ve found mentors, peers, and people I would genuinely call sisters. I’m part of a prayer group that has deeply strengthened my spiritual walk in the business world — something that isn’t always easy to find. And I’ve been reminded, again and again, how powerful it is to grow alongside people who share your values.
As I reflect on this season, I’m filled with gratitude — and curiosity:
- Where are you still hiding in plain sight?
- What season of life or business are you in right now?
- What non-negotiables are you protecting — financially, professionally, personally?
- And who are you doing this journey with?
Because community matters.
And the right one can change everything.
