It might not always be immediately visible, and it might not always be obvious, but a company’s success is measured in money — whether present or future. Everything else, as it sounds, is something else entirely.
A product can be better or worse, a service can work or not. A company that works does so by making money. I can have all sorts of opinions — for example, I might think we’re a better company than Google because we’ve never done business with the dictatorship in China or been fined $500 million for selling drugs. I might think we’re better than Apple at search engine optimization — which, frankly, is probably true — but does that make Brath a better company than Apple? Of course not.
One can argue about whether a company should be evaluated quarterly or over a hundred years, whether revenue, profit, or even solvency is the best metric. But one thing is beyond debate — the grade a company receives is always measured in money.
Of course, running a business isn’t just about making money. Just like you don’t go to school solely to earn grades — you go to school to learn. Almost none of the entrepreneurs I know chose this path for the money, at least not the successful ones. And here at Brath, we’re especially clear about what we value.
So why write a blog post about something so obvious? Good question.
Magnus Bråth
Consultant & Adviser
Magnus is one of the world's most prominent search marketing specialists and primarily works with management and strategy at his agency Brath AB.