It’s December. Your tools are getting packed away, the air-con’s working overtime, someone’s already booked the pub for the Christmas wind-up and half the staff are onsite but already thinking of Christmas with the missus.

For most tradie bosses and small-business owners, this is also the moment when the year’s numbers quietly murmur in the background like the ghosts of last year's Christmas pudding in the fridge. Out of the corner of your eye know they're out there, waiting. Those reports you meant to look at but never quite did.

If this is you, you’re in good company.

Why This Time of Year Matters (Even When You’re Busy)

December is a natural checkpoint.

Even if your financial year ends in June, the end of the calendar year gives you a chance to stop, look back, and see what’s working, and what’s not. 

You don’t need to dive into every report or spreadsheet. A quick, honest look at a few key numbers can tell you more than you think.

Plus you may be attending social events where you might have time between conversations to ponder and think about the year past and the year ahead. Being OUT of your business can sometimes help you to see it more clearly. 

Mark the Sparkie Boss

Let’s say you’re like Mark, who runs a small electrical business with a few staff. December for him looks something like this:

1. Booked solid until Christmas Eve but everyone's pretending they're not getting invites to boozy Christmas parties on Sundays from their families.

2. Overtime is up, everyone’s tired, and phones magically seem to be losing SMSs and phone calls.

3. There’s a Christmas party coming up, the bookkeeper asked what's the budget for it and he genuinely doesn't know.

4. The bank balance looks okay...?  But he hasn’t checked his profit since April even though he's still paying his Xero fees. 

Mark’s not lazy or bad with money. He’s just focused on keeping the work moving. But a short look at his key performance indicators could show him what’s really happening under the surface so next year feels smoother and less frantic.

What Your Numbers Might Be Saying

Here’s what a few quick end-of-year check-ins can tell you:

1. Bank Balance vs. Profit

If the bank account looks healthy but you’re not sure why, it might be time to compare income to expenses for the last quarter. Remember, the money in your account isn't the full picture. 

Maybe December feels rich because invoices are finally paid but BAS and super are around the corner.

Quick check: How many weeks of expenses could you cover if the phone stopped ringing tomorrow?

Are you prepared and ready for BAS with funds and paperwork sorted? 

2. Team Hours vs. Income

Your payroll report can tell you a lot.

If hours went up but income didn’t, that might mean jobs took longer than expected, or pricing needs a tweak. As the one responsible for everything, you need to understand how this has happened. If you've got more hours of work, it also means the staff need to be paid. Will you be short of cash when it comes to pay day? Knowing why there's an ebb and flow means you can budget better and be ready for emergencies. Christmas is the worst time to be late or unreliable with pay.

Quick check: Are you charging enough for the real time it takes to do the work?

3. Top Jobs of the Year

Run a report by job type or customer.

Which ones made the most money, and which were more hassle than they were worth?

Quick check: What kind of work do you make a decent profit from? Do more of that next year. Did any customers need to be let go? 

4. The Christmas Party Factor

This isn’t just about fun (though that matters).

Your end-of-year celebrations are a reflection of culture and cash flow.

If you can shout the barbie this year without breaking a sweat, that’s a sign your profit management is working.

If not, it’s not failure, it’s just feedback. Maybe next year’s goal is to plan a “Profit First Christmas Fund” account so December feels easier and you get to enjoy it too, instead of sitting in the corner stressing that budget sausages in a bun aren't enough to show your appreciation for your staff. 

5. The Owner’s Pay Reality Check

If you paid yourself less than everyone else, or skipped pay to cover bills, that's common in Australia. You're not the only one doing it, and that’s the clearest KPI of all. It means you need to set aside some time and get deep into whether it's time to adjust pricing, work flow, services or products. Your business should put YOU first.

Quick check: Are you being paid for the work you do, or just covering everyone else first?

No Judgment, Just Insight

This isn’t about getting a gold star from your accountant.

It’s about seeing your business clearly enough to make next year easier.

The truth is, most small-business owners don’t run monthly reports.

They rely on the bank balance or gut feel and that’s okay as long as you start somewhere.

Even ten minutes with your Profit and Loss, Wages Summary, and Debtors Report can give you a mini-snapshot of how 2025 could start stronger.

How to Make It Stick (Without More Admin)

If you want to make this simple:

1. Pick one KPI that actually matters to you (maybe it’s not dinging your own pay to get a bill out of the way).

2. Track it monthly, not perfectly. Set aside ten minutes for a coffee in a cafe each month and think about whether you were successful or not.

3. Celebrate the trend, not the number. Doing it LESS than the previous year is a win. Don't forget, improvement is possible, perfection is not. 

And if you’re ready to take it further, our Unexpected Bookkeeper community is here to help you understand those numbers in plain English so you can actually enjoy your Christmas break knowing what’s coming next.

A Toast to Your Numbers

So here’s to you, Mark, and every small business owner wrapping up a year of long hours, full schedules, and hard work.

May your Christmas party be stress-free, your invoices be paid before the 25th, and your reports give you something to smile about.

Ready to make sense of your numbers before 2026 rolls around?

Join our next Quarterly Business Tracking Session inside The Unexpected Bookkeeper and see what your numbers are really saying – no jargon, no judgment, just clarity.

👉 Find out more and join here.