An Entrepreneur’s Struggle with Reactive Finances

As a master plumber and business owner, Theresa McFaul of Mai Vu Plumbing and Construction had built a strong business, but managing the financial side was a different story.

“With so much going on every day, it was hard to control what employees were spending, and I never knew what was going to hit my account next,” 

Theresa’s finances were largely reactive—without clear, real-time data, she felt trapped in a cycle of cash flow crises and unanticipated expenses.

Cash Flow Strain and Over-Leverage

Despite the company’s growth, Theresa constantly battled with cash flow issues. Unanticipated expenses, credit card debt, and a lack of real-time visibility left her struggling to cover payroll and bills.

“Our awareness of numbers was looking at a month-end bank statement… We were writing checks because the money was in the account, but we weren’t thinking about overhead costs and future expenses”

This lack of visibility led to over-leveraging and higher credit card balances, ultimately creating a financial strain on her business.

Transforming Financial Management with Profit by Paymentus

Everything changed when Theresa integrated Profit into her business. The platform offered real-time visibility into all expenses, providing Theresa with tools to Inform spending Decisions, And Make and hit profit targets

“With profit, I checked the net profit every day. I make new hire decisions based on our payroll budget percentage. I make new equipment investment decisions based off of our current net profit and our end of month net profit goals to see if it’s the right day, week or month to make that type of investment. “​

With budget tracking and real-time dashboards, Theresa was finally able to prevent overspending and manage her finances proactively.

Improved Decision Making with Real-Time Data

Profit didn’t just help Theresa control everyday spending; it allowed her to make informed long-term decisions.

For example, while renting an excavator for a project, Theresa was unsure whether it made more sense to continue renting or to purchase one.

“With Profit, I was able to pull up all the transactions related to the rental and compare it to the cost of buying. Seeing the rental expenses in real-time helped me decide it was time to invest in buying our own equipment,”

This decision saved her money in the long term and was made possible through real-time insights from Profit.

Real-Time Monitoring and Control

Theresa praised the real-time monitoring and expense control that Profit provides. By setting specific limits for employees, she could approve or deny spending requests instantly via her phone, and all purchases were tracked in real-time.

“With Profit, I can approve an expense instantly from my phone. No more waiting until the end of the month to figure out where we overspent,” Theresa said. “I can assign and unassign cards, move money as needed—all while tracking what every person is spending in real-time.”

Proactive Financial Management Leads to Business Growth

By transitioning from a reactive to a proactive financial management system, Theresa was able to make more strategic business decisions and grow her company.

“We’ve shifted from just generating income to focusing on capturing the highest net profit. Now, I can make decisions based on daily insights and meet our net profit goals,”

Conclusion

Through the use of Profit, Theresa McFaul transformed her approach to financial management, gaining real-time visibility, improving decision-making, and reducing cash flow stress. The platform’s ability to manage employee expenses, control cash flow, and provide real-time financial data has positioned her business for sustainable growth.

With Profit you can streamline operations, reduce financial uncertainty, and achieve long-term success.