If you've ever pulled your sales report and thought, "We did okay this week... I guess?" — this episode is for you.

In today’s solo episode, Meg walks you through a simple but powerful tool to help you track what’s really going on in your bakery — without fancy software or a finance degree.

We’re talking about the Leading Indicator Scorecard — a weekly habit that gives you more clarity, more control, and fewer surprises at the end of the month. You’ll learn how to identify the metrics that matter most (beyond just sales), so you can catch issues early, spot new opportunities, and build toward your goals with more confidence.

Whether you’re just starting out or looking to get more strategic with your numbers, this episode offers an easy first step.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The difference between leading indicators and lagging indicators, and why it matters for your bakery
• Simple weekly data points that can tell you whether you’re trending in the right direction
• Meg’s step-by-step advice for building your own scorecard using tools you probably already have
• How to use your numbers to make more informed decisions around staffing, production, marketing, and more
• Info on how to start a repeatable, low-lift habit that helps you stay focused and in control of your business performance

Episode Resources:

• KPI Tracking Episode (Throwback!)
• Book Mentioned: Traction by Gino Wickman
• POS Systems Mentioned:
  • Square for Retail
  • Shopify
  • Hotplate (I kept calling this tool "Hotjar" in the episode ... Hotjar is a different software tool ... the POS system is called Hotplate!)