As a chiropractor, you understand the importance of regular adjustments to maintain your patients’ health. But what about your business finances? When was the last time you checked in on your numbers and made a financial adjustment?

Many business owners only look at their finances when there’s a problem—like struggling to cover expenses, an unexpected tax bill, or uncertainty about profitability. But just as waiting until you’re in pain to visit a chiropractor is not ideal, waiting until your business is in financial distress to address your numbers can create long-term problems.

Keep reading through. This blog post will help you recognize when your finances are out of alignment and guide you through the financial adjustments you need to get back on track.

Signs Your Business Finances Are Out of Alignment

Just like physical misalignment causes discomfort and dysfunction, financial misalignment leads to cash flow issues, uncertainty, and stress. Here are some key signs that your finances may be out of alignment:

✔️ You struggle with cash flow—your revenue and expenses don’t match up, and you’re often scrambling to cover bills.
✔️ You don’t know how profitable your business was last month—or where your profit went.
✔️ Your owner’s pay is inconsistent—you’re never 100% certain how much you can really take home from the business.
✔️ You aren’t sure where your biggest expenses are going or if you’re overspending in certain areas.
✔️ You’re paying for subscriptions or services you don’t use, but you’re unaware because you’re not checking in frequently enough to analyze expenses.
✔️ You feel burdened by debt and don’t have a clear plan for paying it off.
✔️ You don’t have a structured plan for saving for taxes, equipment, or business growth.

✔️ You’re unsure how you would fund new equipment, a new location, or retirement planning

If one or more of these sounds familiar, it’s time for a financial adjustment.

How to Give Your Business a Financial Adjustment

To realign your business finances, follow these steps:

1. Create a Financial Check-In Routine

Your patients don’t just come in when they’re in pain—they schedule regular adjustments to maintain their health. You need to do the same for your business finances.

🔹 Weekly Check-Ins: Review your cash flow, categorize transactions, and pay bills. Make sure you have enough revenue to cover upcoming expenses.
🔹 Monthly Check-Ins: Analyze your Profit & Loss Statement, Balance Sheet, and Cash Flow Statement to ensure your business is moving in the right direction.
🔹 Quarterly Check-Ins: Assess your tax savings, evaluate debt payoff progress, and make financial adjustments as needed.

Set reminders on your calendar and treat these check-ins as non-negotiable.

2. Create a Money Allocation Plan (Your Business Budget)

The word “budget” often has a negative connotation, but in reality, it’s just a money allocation plan—a proactive way to direct your dollars where you want them to go. I like to call this a MAP for short.

🔹 Plan Your Spending in Advance: Aim to project your expenses and revenue 3-6 months ahead. 🔹 Track Your Expenses: Identify what you’re spending too much on and eliminate unnecessary costs. 🔹 Allocate Profit Wisely: Before spending money on extras, make sure you're covering essentials like taxes, debt, savings, and owner’s pay.

Having a plan in place ensures your money is working for you—not the other way around.

3. Set a Profit Goal & Track It Monthly

Many chiropractors focus on revenue, but profit is what really matters. Knowing your numbers helps you make smarter financial decisions.

Here’s how to set a profit margin goal: 🔹 Look at last month’s financials—how much revenue did you bring in? How much was profit? 🔹 Set a realistic profit margin goal for next month (ex: 20-30%). 🔹 Adjust your expenses to ensure you’re keeping more of what you earn.

💡 Pro Tip: Gamify this process! Challenge yourself to improve your profit margin and see how efficiently you can run your practice. This can make it FUN!

4. Plan for Major Expenses & Future Growth

Many chiropractors wait until equipment breaks down or they want to expand their practice before thinking about how to fund it. Avoid unnecessary financial stress by planning ahead.

🔹 List all major equipment purchases you might need in the next 1-5 years.
🔹 Create a savings plan so you can fund purchases with profits instead of debt.
🔹 Consider long-term financial planning for retirement, practice expansion, or selling your business.

Thinking ahead keeps you in control of your business’s future.

Consider working with a coach who can help you work through a plan to turn your business into exactly what you want. Dr. Jennifer Bonde is amazing and can help you do this! Learn more here!

Financial misalignment doesn’t happen overnight—just like poor posture, it gradually develops over time. But by making small financial adjustments regularly, you can stay on track and build a more profitable, stress-free practice.

The sooner you take control, the more empowered you’ll feel. Start today! 🚀