What I Track Every Month as a Business Owner (It’s Not Just Revenue)
Most founders are juggling more than they care to admit: client work, marketing, admin, team check-ins, parenting and a never-ending mental load. But when do we pause long enough to check if how we’re spending our time actually aligns with what matters most?
That’s where my Monthly CEO Hour comes in. It’s not just a planning session. It’s a dedicated pause button; an intentional space to zoom out, look at the data, reflect on how I feel and course-correct before I veer off track.
This ritual has been quietly transformational for my business. In this post, I’ll walk you through what I track, why it matters and how other founders are making this kind of reflection their own.
What Is a Monthly CEO Hour?
Your Monthly CEO Hour is exactly what it sounds like: one hour per month to step out of the day-to-day and into the role of strategic leader.
This isn’t about chasing arbitrary metrics or giving yourself a performance review. It’s about getting intentional. About aligning how you spend your time with what actually moves the needle, for your business and your wellbeing.
If you’re feeling like the glue holding everything together, this might be the hour that helps you loosen your grip, without losing your grip.
Here’s What I Track Each Month
These aren’t vanity metrics or a checklist of what I should measure. They’re meaningful signals that help me make informed, aligned decisions.
1. Business Metrics
Website traffic (especially organic traffic via Google)
Email list growth (subscribers, open rates, click-throughs)
Podcast downloads and top-performing episodes
Sales and revenue breakdowns
Lead source insights (e.g. where new enquiries are coming from)
These numbers help me see what content or offers are working, and what I might need to tweak or pause.
2. Marketing & Visibility
LinkedIn analytics: reach, engagement, top posts
Instagram insights (even if I'm barely there these days)
Content consistency: did I publish as planned? What resonated most?
Often, this section gives me permission to do less, especially if a platform isn’t converting.
3. Time & Energy
Time spent on delivery vs. marketing vs. admin
How I felt overall: energised? stretched? creative? flat?
Screen time, daily steps and sleep quality
These reflections often reveal mismatches; like high screen time during a supposed “digital detox”. It’s less about the number and more about the story it tells.
Why I Track Both Business and Life
As ambitious founders, our time and energy are our greatest resources. If I’m exhausted, overbooked or creatively drained, my business feels it.
I track how I feel not to get soft, but to stay sharp. If I’m consistently frustrated or stretched, something needs adjusting. Sometimes that means hiring support. Sometimes it means clearer boundaries or even changing up my offer suite.
Because growth at the expense of wellbeing? That’s not the kind of business I’m building.
The Power of Data-Driven Confidence
Thanks to these monthly check-ins, I’ve made decisions with more clarity and less second-guessing. Case in point: I paused my Instagram efforts when I realised 80% of my leads were coming from Google, and invested in SEO instead.
The data didn’t just confirm a hunch. It gave me confidence to let go of what wasn’t working and double down on what was.
What Other Founders Are Tracking
Everyone’s metrics will look a little different depending on their business model and goals. Here’s what I’ve heard from other founders:
Client retention and churn rate
Average response time on emails or DMs
Profit per offer (not just revenue)
Energy levels during launches
Time spent in meetings vs. creative work
Rest days actually taken vs. scheduled
I’ve heard from clients that they don’t like ‘numbers’ or the having to track data. But, successful business owners will have a handle on their numbers and so there’s an element of understanding that this is part of the job. One of my recent podcast guests, Mette Baillie - founder of Freja Designer Dressmaking, shared that she dresses up in a suit for her solo financial review meetings, to help her “step into the role” of CFO and make decisions with a clear head. I love this playful reframe.
Not All Metrics Are Numbers
Sometimes the most valuable insight from your Monthly CEO Hour isn’t a spreadsheet, it’s a gut check.
Am I creating the kind of content I enjoy?
Am I proud of how I spent my time this month?
What do I need more of next month? What needs to go?
These questions remind me that I’m not running a business to fill a dashboard… I’m building something intentional.
How to Start Your Own CEO Hour
Want to try this for yourself? Here’s a simple structure to get you started:
Block the time: Put one hour in your calendar at the end of each month. Make it a recurring appointment.
Pick your pillars: Choose 4–6 areas you want to review (e.g. sales, visibility, wellbeing).
Track consistently: Use the same format each time (Notion, Google Sheet, pen and paper… it doesn’t matter).
Look for trends: What’s improving? What’s slipping? What feels heavy?
Set small shifts: Choose 1–3 adjustments to make next month.
Don’t overcomplicate it. This isn’t a corporate performance review. It’s a kindness to your future self.
One Hour That Changes Everything
If you’re craving more clarity, control and confidence in how you run your business, start with one hour a month.
You don’t need a fancy template (though I do love a colour-coded Excel sheet). You just need space. Reflection. And a willingness to look at the data beneath the busyness.
Whether you’re tracking sales or sleep, the goal is the same: to align your effort with your intention and build a business that feels as good on the inside as it looks on the outside.
💌 Want to run your own CEO Hour? Grab the free Time Audit Workbook to get started.
🎙 Prefer to listen? Check out the Own Your Time podcast for more behind-the-scenes systems and mindset shifts.
📩 Curious about what I track month-to-month? Join the newsletter for real-time insights and templates.
💬 I’d love to hear what you track, drop me a note or tag me on LinkedIn.