“Nothing happens until you make a sale. You can have the best product or service in the world, but if you’re not generating revenue, your business won’t survive. Profitability starts with clarity, strategy, and the courage to lead with purpose.”
— Roger Knecht
In today’s rapidly evolving business world, profitability isn’t just about cutting costs or increasing sales—it’s about having a clear, strategic framework that helps business owners make smarter decisions across every area of their company. That’s exactly what Roger Knecht, President of Universal Accounting Center, brings to the table. With more than 20 years of experience helping accounting professionals and entrepreneurs turn their passion into profit, Roger is a true authority in the field. As an author, speaker, and host of the Building the Premier Accounting Firm podcast, he’s spent his career empowering businesses to thrive using proven systems and practical strategies.
In this exclusive interview, Roger breaks down the Universal Business Model and his highly effective “Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable,” offering insight into the core components that drive sustainable success: marketing, accounting, and production. He dives into how short-, mid-, and long-term planning shapes business operations, why sales are foundational, and how tools like the Wisdom Pyramid and Control & Impact Matrix can transform chaos into clarity. Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, Roger’s insights offer a roadmap to navigate uncertainty, stay ahead of change, and lead with confidence.
Thank you so much for joining us, Roger! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your backstory?
It’s great to be here—thank you for having me. I’ve spent over two decades working with Universal Accounting Center, where our mission has always been to help accounting professionals and business owners turn their passion into profit. What started as a mission to bring practical, hands-on business education to accountants evolved into a broader movement to help business owners thrive. Along the way, I authored books like Your Strategic Accountant and Your Profit and Growth Expert, and launched a podcast called Building the Premier Accounting Firm. Whether it’s through consulting, courses, or conversations like this one, my goal has always been to empower people to take control of their finances and build businesses that are both profitable and sustainable.
What exactly is the Universal Business Model?
The Universal Business Model is a roadmap designed to simplify business operations and align efforts across three core areas: Marketing, Accounting, and Production—or MAP, as we call it. This model helps business owners evaluate their efforts from both operational and financial standpoints. Marketing and sales focus on generating revenue, accounting ensures proper financial tracking and management, and production is about efficiently delivering products or services. When these three pillars are mapped out and balanced correctly, it becomes significantly easier to maintain a profitable and scalable business.
How do the short-term, mid-term, and long-term timeframes factor into this model?
Each component of the MAP model is broken down into short-, mid-, and long-term timelines. The short-term view focuses on immediate goals—what’s happening over the next four weeks. Mid-term looks at quarterly outcomes and improvements. Long-term planning spans a year or more and is visionary in nature. This breakdown allows you to stay organized and focused, ensuring that each level of your business—from employees to managers to ownership—is aligned with appropriate goals for their respective roles.
Can you give an example of what a short-term focus might look like for a business?
Absolutely. In marketing, the short-term goal is to adopt a mindset that prioritizes sales. Everyone in your company, regardless of their title, should see themselves as a salesperson. Because nothing happens until you make a sale. In accounting, it’s about cash flow—understanding what’s coming in and what’s going out. If you can’t manage your cash, you won’t stay afloat. And in production, the emphasis is on communication. Are you meeting the expectations you set with your customer? Are your internal teams aligned to deliver what’s promised? These are foundational tasks that keep the day-to-day operations running smoothly.
Why do you believe everyone in a company should think like a salesperson?
Because at the end of the day, sales are the engine of your business. You can have the best product or service in the world, but if no one knows about it—or worse, if no one’s buying—it doesn’t matter. By getting everyone to think with a sales mindset, you’re building a culture focused on growth. It doesn’t mean everyone needs to be cold-calling, but they should be thinking about how their role supports revenue generation and customer satisfaction.
What should management be focusing on in the mid-term?
This is where strategic decisions come into play. From a marketing perspective, management should be ensuring that every deal made is beneficial to both the customer and the company. It’s not just about making the sale—it’s about making a smart sale. In accounting, it’s knowing your numbers well enough to forecast accurately. You need to anticipate cash flow needs before they arise. In production, it’s about improving systems—investing in training, refining processes, or bringing in technology that increases efficiency. This is where you’re not just maintaining operations—you’re optimizing them.
Can you share an example of a deal that might look good on the surface but actually harms the business?
Certainly. In service-based industries, it’s common to discount services to win over a client. But down the line, that discount can turn into resentment. You’re doing high-quality work for less than your worth, and it drains your time and energy. In product-based businesses, you might deeply discount older inventory to make room for new stock. That’s fine—until the discounted item becomes popular, and you’re asked to replenish it at full cost without adjusting the pricing. Now you’re losing money on each sale. These kinds of decisions often stem from short-sighted thinking or poor communication between departments.
How can business owners avoid those traps?
It all comes down to having clarity in your financials and maintaining open communication across departments. Before offering discounts or launching promotions, consult with your accounting and production teams. Make sure you’re not undercutting your margins or compromising your capacity. When you know your numbers and your systems are in sync, it becomes much easier to spot bad deals before they happen.
What should a business owner be doing at the long-term level?
The long-term focus is all about vision. In marketing, that means growing the business geometrically—not just vertically. Instead of just finding more customers for your current offering, ask yourself: What else can we offer that our existing customers would buy? That kind of expansion brings in entirely new revenue streams. On the accounting side, long-term planning includes budgeting, forecasting, and raising capital when needed. And in production, it’s about innovation—streamlining delivery, adopting new technologies, and making your business more efficient and resilient for the future.
Can you share a personal example of long-term innovation in your own company?
Absolutely. We used to run 22 physical campuses for our accounting school. As times changed, we moved all our education online. That pivot wasn’t just a trend—it was strategic. It allowed us to scale, reduce costs, and meet our students where they are. Today, everything is delivered through video, manuals, and online testing. Students love the flexibility, and we’ve stayed relevant and profitable in a changing market. It’s a perfect example of evolving your production model based on customer needs.
What is the Wisdom Pyramid, and how does it apply to running a business?
The Wisdom Pyramid is a framework that explains how business owners gain intuitive understanding through consistent data review. At the bottom is raw data. When that data is compiled into reports, it becomes information. Reviewing those reports regularly gives you knowledge. Over time, that knowledge transforms into wisdom—a kind of sixth sense that guides decision-making. The more you interact with your numbers, the more confident and insightful you become. You stop guessing and start leading with clarity.
Why is reviewing reports so important to developing that intuition?
Because intuition without validation is risky. Many business owners make decisions based on gut feelings, which can be helpful—but only when those instincts are backed by data. Reviewing reports regularly helps you detect patterns, spot issues early, and confirm that your strategies are working. It’s how you go from reacting to proactively steering your business.
Can you explain the Control and Impact Matrix?
Definitely. It’s a simple four-quadrant tool that helps you prioritize your time and energy. You evaluate tasks based on two factors: how much control you have and the level of impact they’ll make. You want to focus on things you have high control over and that have high impact. Tasks with low impact or that are outside your control should be deprioritized. This helps cut through the noise and focus on what truly moves the needle.
What are some real-world examples of things outside our control?
The economy, tariffs, or supply chain disruptions are prime examples. You may be affected by them, but you can’t change them. Similarly, the personal decisions of your employees—while impactful—aren’t something you can control directly. However, recognizing where you do have influence, such as reallocating tasks or adjusting pricing strategies, allows you to respond rather than react.
Should businesses plan for the unknown?
Yes, absolutely. Resilience is key. Things rarely go exactly as planned, so having a buffer—whether it’s extra capital, flexibility in staffing, or a Plan B—can be the difference between surviving and thriving. Planning for the unknown doesn’t mean being pessimistic; it means being prepared and giving yourself options when challenges arise.
How do you suggest business owners prioritize when everything feels urgent?
Start by categorizing your tasks. Are they related to marketing, accounting, or production? Are they short-term, mid-term, or long-term in nature? Once you’ve organized everything, focus on the highest-impact items in each category. If something’s not urgent and won’t make a big difference, let it wait. This method not only brings structure to chaos but also restores your sense of control and clarity.
You mentioned there’s a free eBook available on these principles. What can readers expect from it?
Yes! The eBook is titled Nine Principles to Make Your Business Profitable. I co-wrote it with Alan Bostrom, and it’s full of actionable insights. It walks you through the same MAP model and time-based planning system we discussed, and it’s loaded with real-life examples and strategies. It’s completely free and available at universalaccounting.com. Whether you’re starting out or looking to scale, this book can serve as your blueprint.
Where can readers find you online and follow your work?
The best place to connect is universalaccounting.com. You’ll find the eBook, free resources, and information on our training programs there. You can also find me on LinkedIn. I welcome direct messages—just mention this interview, and I’d be happy to continue the conversation. And of course, check out the Building the Premier Accounting Firm podcast for ongoing tips and discussions.
This has been such a powerful and practical conversation. Thank you for sharing your expertise today.
Thank you, Stacey. It was an absolute pleasure to be here. These conversations are what fuel transformation, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned. Let’s keep helping business owners grow, thrive, and sleep well at night.
To dive deeper into these strategies and hear more real-world examples, be sure to listen to the full podcast episode featuring Roger Knecht: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/map-your-path-to-success-with-this-proven-business-model–65835809
