Most small business owners walk into January with a goal ("grow this year") and no plan. By March, the year is already a quarter gone.
The fix is simple: build your 2027 budget in November and December, while there's still time to use it on day one. It doesn't need to be fancy. Here's how I'd do it:
Start with 2026 actuals. Pull your profit and loss for the year so far, month by month. That's your baseline, and it shows your real seasonality.
Set a sales goal by month, not just by year. Hypothetical: a business that did $1.2 million in 2026 and wants 10% growth is aiming for $1.32 million, an average of $110,000 a month. But a Reno trade business doesn't earn evenly, so spread it the way your year actually runs.
Plan the big moves. Hires, a new truck or piece of equipment, a price increase, and your own pay. Put each one in the month it would actually happen.
Put the known dates on the calendar. If you make estimated tax payments, the last one for 2026 is due Jan. 15, 2027. Form 1099-NEC for 2026 payments is due Feb. 1, 2027. And if you have a Nevada LLC, your annual list is due by the end of your anniversary month. Ask your tax preparer what applies to you.
Compare actual to plan every month. A budget only works if you look at it. Ten minutes in your monthly money meeting is enough to see what's off and decide what to change.
Keep it to one page if you can. A simple spreadsheet with a row for each kind of revenue and cost and a column for each month is plenty. If you have a partner, spouse or office manager in the business, build it together. They'll catch things you'd miss, and they'll be more likely to stick to it.
A budget isn't a prediction. It's a plan you can adjust, and it keeps big decisions from happening by accident. If April comes in light, you'll see it in early May instead of in October, and you'll still have time to change course: hold off on a purchase, push on sales, or adjust a price.
Building a 2027 budget and a cash plan is one of the main things I do with fractional CFO clients. If you'd like to start the year with one, support starts at $1,500/month with a free consult: https://www.twomilesadvisory.com/fractional-cfo-reno
— Rachel, Two Miles LLC