7 KPIs That Tell You the Truth About Your Business

Introduction: Feelings Aren't Facts

There's a dangerous trap that far too many entrepreneurs fall into: They feel like things are going great… until they're not.

Leads seem steady. Jobs are getting installed. The team's "busy." But somehow, there's never enough cash, the stress keeps building, and growth feels like a grind.

At Day 41 Thrive, we believe that the fastest way to level up your business is to get brutally honest about one thing: 📊 Your numbers.

Not guesses. Not gut checks. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).

Because data doesn't lie. Let's look at the 7 KPIs that every contractor and small business owner should track—and how they'll change the way you lead.

1. Lead-to-Appointment Conversion Rate

What it is: The percentage of leads that turn into scheduled appointments.

Why it matters: It shows how effective your front-end process is—marketing, phones, website, lead response time, etc.

✅ Healthy Range: 50%+

📌 If it's low: You're either generating low-quality leads or you've got a bottleneck in lead follow-up.

The truth: You don't have a lead problem—you have a conversion problem.

2. Appointment-to-Sale Conversion Rate

What it is: The percentage of appointments that close into paying customers.

Why it matters: This is the heart of your sales engine.

✅ Healthy Range: 30–50%+ (retail); 60–80% (referrals or insurance)

📌 If it's low: Sales training, proposal clarity, or trust-building may need work.

The truth: If you're running 20 appointments a week and closing 2, you don't need more leads—you need better sales process.

3. Average Job Size (Ticket Value)

What it is: The average revenue per job sold.

Why it matters: Bigger jobs usually mean higher profit margins and better efficiency.

✅ Healthy Range: Depends on your niche (Roofing? $12K–$18K is solid.)

📌 If it's low: You're missing upsell opportunities or underselling your value.

The truth: Raising your average job size by $2,000 could add six figures to your bottom line.

4. Gross Profit Per Job

What it is: Total revenue minus direct costs (materials, labor, subs).

Why it matters: It's not about what you make—it's about what you keep.

✅ Healthy Range: 35–50%

📌 If it's low: You've got issues with estimating, material waste, or labor efficiency.

The truth: Sales are vanity. Gross profit is sanity.

5. Net Profit Margin

What it is: What's left after all expenses—including marketing, payroll, rent, insurance, etc.

Why it matters: This is the number that determines how long you can breathe, invest, and grow.

✅ Healthy Range: 10–20%

📌 If it's low: You're either overspending or underpricing—or both.

The truth: A $5 million company with 5% net profit is working twice as hard for half as much as a $2.5 million company at 20%.

6. Cycle Time (Lead to Completion)

What it is: How long it takes from sale to project completion.

Why it matters: Shorter cycle time = faster cash flow = higher customer satisfaction.

✅ Healthy Range: Depends on your industry, but aim for consistency.

📌 If it's high: Production delays, scheduling issues, or material sourcing need fixing.

The truth: Long cycle times kill referrals, frustrate teams, and choke your growth.

7. Customer Satisfaction / Review Rate

What it is: How often you're getting reviews (and what they say).

Why it matters: Social proof builds trust, boosts close rates, and fuels referrals.

✅ Healthy Range: At least 1 review for every 3 jobs

📌 If it's low: Your team isn't asking—or worse, your service isn't memorable.

The truth: If your customers aren't raving, they're forgetting you.

Final Thought: KPIs Don't Micromanage—They Guide

You don't need to check KPIs every five minutes. But if you don't check them at all, you're flying blind.

These 7 numbers are your weekly dashboard. They show you:

• Where you're bleeding
• Where you're winning
• Where you need to lead

At Day 41 Thrive, we teach leaders to lead by the numbers without losing the heart. Because when you can track the right metrics, you can build the right future.

And that's how you stop guessing—and start thriving.