CC Working File - Run A Successful Business

Harbor Master Formula

The Stable Keel Profitability Check

Setting prices on guesswork leaves your enterprise top-heavy and vulnerable to every financial wave. This calculator weighs your true monthly costs — direct fulfillment, overhead, your own wage, Caesar's tax reserve, and a real net margin — to show you the exact monthly revenue your business needs to stay balanced across your service or product portfolio.

"In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has." — Proverbs 21:20

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Business Model Mode

Select whether you're pricing a service or a physical product — this just changes which cost categories you'll fill in.

Expected Monthly Volume

Expected Average Spend Per Client ($)

Research what competitors in your market are charging. This gives you a baseline for what the market will bear. (Note: Your actual price may need to be higher to hit your profit goals.)

Expected Packages Sold / Mo How many packages or units you can realistically fulfill in a standard month based on your capacity.

Direct Unit Costs

Enter the cost per client or per unit — the calculator multiplies this by your monthly volume automatically.

Software / Direct Tools ($)

Client-specific software, passes, or materials per unit

Contractor / Sub-labor ($)

Subcontractor or fulfillment costs per unit

Monthly Fixed Costs

Your Monthly Buoyancy Number ($)

Your total fixed costs — overhead, professional services, payroll, and your own founder salary — all in one number. ⚓ Don't know your Buoyancy Number yet? Calculate it in the Waterline Dashboard →

Tax Hold & Profit Ballast

Caesar's Share (Tax Reserve) 15%

Recommended: 10%–30% for federal + state tax holds (adjust based on your business structure)

Desired Net Profit Margin 30%

Your desired net profit margin after taxes and costs.

Stable Keel Profitability Check

Monthly Revenue Needed

Covers costs, your wage, taxes, and your target margin

Suggested Price Per Transaction

Monthly Revenue Target ÷ your monthly volume

Actual Business Profit

What's left after everything and everybody else (including yourself) are paid.

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Harbor Master's Assessment

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Monthly Revenue Breakdown

Want Ellen's Eyes on Your Exact Pricing?

This matrix gives you the number. A live session helps you stress-test it against your real market.

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