how ordinary businesses make money

the whole table

78 so far, page 2 of 7

September 2026

A small plain grey child's backpack, a small plain navy child's shoe, a plain wooden block, a plain steel child's water bottle and a blank fee slip on a soft pink paper board

How I'd choose a childcare centre

Look for the plaque, then count the carers.

Three keys on a plain ring, a blank floor plan sketch on paper, a yellow tape measure with plain tick marks and no numerals, a plain steel door handle and a blank booking slip on a deep green paper board

What a property agent's 3% is paying for

Three percent sounds like a lot. Until you split it.

A fan of plain paper swatches in white and grey, a steel paper cutter blade guard, a small ream of plain white paper, a small stack of blank white cards and a blank quotation on a soft pink paper board

How I'd choose a printer for a small job

Ask for a proof. Then ask what happens if it's wrong.

A notebook open to a blank page, a yellow highlighter, a plain grey wireless mouse, a cork coaster with a coffee cup ring and a blank monthly report cover sheet on a deep green paper board

What an SEO agency sells if it can't promise rankings

Google says nobody can guarantee a number one spot.

A used spark plug, a steel combination spanner, a car key on a plain ring, a grey cotton rag and a blank job sheet on a soft pink paper board

What a car workshop earns between oil changes

The panel rate, the parts and the awkward phone call.

August 2026

A small plain dark blue photovoltaic cell sample, a black multimeter with blank display, a coil of black cable, a steel hex key and a blank quotation on a deep green paper board

How I'd choose a solar installer

Panels are the easy part. The paperwork and the roof aren't.

A grey desktop calculator with blank display and plain unmarked keys, a roll of white receipt paper, a plain black ring binder, a stack of three blank invoice sheets with a paper clip and a wooden pencil on a soft pink paper board

How I'd choose an accountant for a small company

Ask who actually does the work.

A plain tan leather pet collar, a white syringe cap, a plain white booklet with no print, a small steel bowl and a receipt on a deep green paper board

Why the vet bill stings more than your own doctor's

Your GP has a fee ceiling. Your cat's vet does not.

A black stethoscope, a white digital thermometer with a blank display, a blank prescription pad, a clear glass jar of cotton balls and a receipt on a soft pink paper board

Why your GP's fee stayed stuck for so long

The fee cap was older than your phone. By a lot.

A corner of a kraft cardboard box, a roll of brown parcel tape, a small stack of plain grey poly mailers, a black marker pen and a blank waybill on a deep green paper board

How I'd choose a courier for a small online shop

The cheapest rate is rarely the whole bill.

A metal receipt spike, a plain stainless steel mug, a blank order pad, a folded white paper napkin and a till receipt on a soft pink paper board

Who pays for the mamak's lights at 4am?

One teh tarik at 4am covers the fan, not the shift.

July 2026

A small jewellery scale with blank display, a plain gold-coloured ring, a jeweller's loupe, a small dark grey cloth pouch and a blank pawn receipt on a deep green paper board

How a pawnshop makes money at 2% a month

The law caps the rate. Gold does the rest.

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