Sales grow. Profit doesn't keep up.
Revenue can rise while gross profit growth lags. A Profit Map shows whether that gap exists, how it's trending, and what the change may represent in dollars.
For independent industrial & MRO distributors
Your P&L tells you what happened. Your Profit Map shows where to look next.
We turn 12 months of monthly profit-and-loss statements into a focused, owner-level view of performance—and identify two high-priority profit opportunities with potential financial impact expressed in dollars where the numbers support it.
No fee. No obligation. No introductory sales meeting required.
12 monthsMonthly P&Ls
2 prioritiesNot a 40-page report
~5 days*Target business-day delivery
PROFIT MAPILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLE
Make the economics visible.
Financial performance snapshot / Independent distributor
Annual revenue$20.0M
Gross margin24.2%
Example GP gap$160K
Gross margin trendMonthly % • example only
01
Gross margin compression
Illustrative 0.8 percentage-point gap × $20M revenue = $160K of potential gross profit exposure, subject to validation.
02
Overhead growing faster than gross profit
Investigate expense categories and operating leverage before recommending corrective action.
Built for distribution economicsAnalysis before recommendationsPlain-English, dollar-based priorities
The problem
More reports won't solve a prioritization problem.
Most distributors already have financial statements. What's often missing is a simple view of where profit performance is deteriorating, how significant it may be, and which questions management should examine first.
Overhead absorbs the gain.
Expenses creep upward and operating leverage weakens. We compare expense movement with revenue and gross profit—not just last month's budget.
Everything looks urgent.
A long list of possible fixes isn't a plan. We narrow the initial read to the two areas that appear to merit the most attention and validation.
The no-cost Profit Map
One focused readout.
Two profit priorities.
The Profit Map is a first-pass financial diagnostic, not a full operational audit. It looks across 12 monthly P&Ls to identify meaningful trends, prioritize the strongest opportunities, and frame the next questions clearly.
See the movement
Revenue, COGS, gross profit, overhead and operating income trends—not just isolated percentages.
Quantify what may matter
Illustrative annualized opportunity calculations when the data supports a credible baseline.
Know what to investigate
Two prioritized areas, why they stand out, and which explanations still need to be tested.
What you receive
Your Profit Map
A concise, owner-level presentation designed to make financial pressure visible and direct attention toward the largest opportunities.
- 01 Trailing-12-month performance snapshot
- 02 Gross profit and cost movement analysis
- 03 Two priority opportunities to investigate
- 04 Dollar-based impact estimates, where supportable
- 05 Assumptions, data limitations and suggested next questions
Turning a margin gap into a real question
Illustration only: if gross margin is 0.8 percentage points below a sustainable reference level on $20M in sales, the implied gross profit difference is $160,000. That is a size-of-opportunity estimate—not evidence of recoverable savings.
0.8% × $20M = $160K
How it works
Simple to start. Useful by design.
You don't need to schedule an introductory sales call or commit to an engagement to request your Profit Map.
01
Request your Profit Map
Complete the short form below. We'll confirm fit and reply with the information needed to begin.
02
Provide 12 monthly P&Ls
After we agree on a suitable method for sharing confidential information, provide your most recent 12 months of P&Ls in monthly format. A recent balance sheet is optional context.
03
Receive the priorities
We review the numbers and return a concise Profit Map by email, typically targeting five business days after accepted, usable data is received.
* Delivery timing is a target, not a service guarantee. We may ask a clarification question by email. No meeting is required before delivery unless you prefer one.
Designed for a specific business
Built for independent distributors, not everyone.
Margin Mill works with the economics of inventory-holding, product-distribution businesses. The Profit Map is designed for decision-makers who want stronger profit performance from the business they already have—not another generic scorecard.
See If Your Company FitsA good fit typically looks like:
- U.S.-based, independently owned industrial or MRO distributor
- Approximately $10M–$50M in annual revenue
- Stocks, purchases, prices and resells physical products
- Industrial supply, bearings, hydraulics, fasteners, electrical, hose, welding, safety or related categories
- Owner, president or operating/finance leader willing to review the findings
Not designed as a general financial review for service-only businesses, retail stores, or national-chain branches.
What the Profit Map is—and isn't.
It identifies financial patterns and estimates potential opportunity size using client-provided statements. Monthly P&Ls alone cannot prove the root cause of pricing leakage, customer mix changes, purchasing decisions, or inventory and cash-cycle problems. Transaction-level investigation and implementation are separate, optional work. Findings are decision support, not audit, tax, legal or CPA services; no specific result is guaranteed.
Common questions
Know what you're getting.
A defined first look—without a vague consulting pitch or a required meeting to start.
Is the Profit Map really free?
Yes. The initial Profit Map is provided at no cost to accepted, eligible companies. There is no obligation to purchase anything. If you'd like help investigating or implementing a finding later, that would be a separate, optional engagement.
Do I have to schedule a sales call?
No. We can confirm fit, gather the data, clarify questions and send the completed Profit Map by email. A follow-up conversation is available if you'd like to discuss the findings, but it is not a prerequisite to request one.
What financial information will you need?
Start with your last 12 months of profit-and-loss statements broken out by month, ideally exported from your accounting or ERP system. A recent balance sheet may add context but isn't required for the core P&L-based review. Please don't upload financial statements through this public form.
Will it show exactly why our margin changed?
Not necessarily. A P&L can reveal that margin or operating expenses changed and estimate the financial significance. Explaining the root cause usually requires further detail such as customer, product, invoice, purchasing or freight records. We'll distinguish observations from hypotheses.
How will you handle our financial information?
The request form collects only basic contact and fit information. We'll coordinate a suitable transfer process for financial statements after confirming fit. We won't publish company-identifying information, specific results or testimonials without separate written permission. Never submit bank credentials, Social Security numbers, or employee-level personal information.
How long does delivery take?
We typically aim for about five business days after accepting the request and receiving usable data. Timing can vary with workload, reporting format and questions that need clarification; it's not a guaranteed deadline.
Request your no-cost Profit Map
Find out where the next profit conversation should start.
Send a short request and we'll follow up with the next step. No document upload here, no mandatory meeting, and no commitment to continue beyond the free Profit Map.
✓ Designed for industrial and MRO distribution
✓ Two financially meaningful priorities
✓ No payment information required
Request your Profit Map
Tell us a little about your distribution business. Fields marked * are required.