About
Profit Comes First
Maximal Results, Minimal Effort
Profit Comes First advises coachable, forward-thinking business owners to make their companies more profitable so they can work less, stress less, and keep more money.
You shouldn’t be a slave to your business. We’re here to empower you to take control of your business so it serves YOU. As certified Profit First professionals, we’ll teach you how to handle the financials of your business without confusing jargon.
We’ll help you leverage what’s already working and create an action plan to increase sales, cash flow, and profitability so you can do more of what you’re good at rather than budgeting and financial planning.
Meet Your Co-Pilot
Rocky Lalvani, MBA, EA
"I'd do this even if I weren't paid."
My story is a little different than those of most financial experts. I’ve never worked on Wall Street, and you won’t find a list of credentials or certifications on this page that’s longer than those pesky 2-foot CVS receipts (though I am a certified Profit First Professional).
Instead, what you’ll find is my story, why I’d teach financial management even if I weren’t paid, and why a good friend once insisted that I needed to change the name of my website to ListenToRocky.com.
My dad brought me, my mom, and just $25 to America when I was barely 3 years old (proof that I’m 100% Indian, although I might look Italian). I’ve seen firsthand what it looks like to build a wealthy lifestyle out of nothing through saving, investing, and spending wisely.
After observing these principles, hard work, and more as an adolescent (with a paper route, of course), I implemented these principles in my own life throughout adulthood. My knack for learning from others and curiosity propelled me forward – looking back, I probably should have job-hopped instead of just staying in the pharmaceutical sales industry (but that’s a story for another time).
I’m now officially retired from corporate America (hooray!), but I have plenty of hobbies that keep me busy. I love traveling with my wife of over 25 years and two kids, I mean, grown adults, flipping and/or renting houses, karate, weight-lifting and volunteering in my community.
Although I’ve always been passionate about managing my money, personal finance has recently become one of my main interests (#Fincon, anyone?). I started a podcast a couple of years ago called Richer Soul that talks about life beyond money.
So while I’m interested in money, I’ve always seen it as a tool, as something that can open countless doors if managed well. Without understanding money, my dad wouldn’t have been able to sustain a family in America. I wouldn’t be able to live out my dream of taking my family on a vacation across Italy.
I’ve seen how much of a difference understanding money makes in my own life. And I’ve now made it my goal to help others solve problems and gain freedom through understanding the finances for their small business.
Rather than only making money off of telling other people what to do, I’ve truly lived out the experiences of both working a corporate job, working independently, and managing a small business. Now, I want to take this knowledge and share it with other small business owners at a fraction of the cost that it would be to hire a dedicated full-time financial manager.
Meet Your Co-Pilot
Geeta Lalvani Hines
“Helping business owners understand their finances and grow their profits isn't just a job for me—it's a calling.”
I work one-on-one with business owners like you to help them understand their finances and grow their profits.
As a certified Profit First Professional with Profit Comes First, I help them leverage their existing habits and simplify their systems.
You’ll often find me in front of a spreadsheet analyzing rows of data (a habit I may have picked up from my dad, Rocky.)
When I was 4 years old, my dad decided it was time I started learning about money. Less than 10 years later, I began working in the family business, writing blog posts, doing light bookkeeping, and learning how to do every task that didn’t have a hiring or outsourcing budget (which was many!).
I’ve worked with Dawn Fotopulos (author of Accounting for the Numberphobic), convinced NYC students that study skills can be both fun and worthwhile, and developed marketing campaigns for startups. Thanks to my experience, I can make concepts that feel difficult and boring (like finance) into ones that feel easy and fun.
I currently live in Texas with my husband and a growing collection of houseplants.
“Business owners know how to generate revenue. Very few know how to keep it and remove it from the business to build more revenue streams.”
– Rocky Lalvani
The Profit Comes First Story
Imagine possessing the ability to forecast your business’s cash flow and profits accurately. Envision having a strategic plan that not only outlines your path to achieving these projections but also clarifies the immediate steps required for realization. The peace of mind from this level of clarity would be transformative, enabling you to focus on what truly matters.
At the core of our philosophy is the belief that your business should amplify your values, not merely reflect your bank account’s status. We stand by several guiding principles:
Empowerment Over Servitude: Your business ought to empower you, not ensnare you. It’s about creating a system where the business serves your life, not the other way around.
Passion Versus Profitability: Not every passion project is cut out for business. It’s crucial to distinguish between hobbies and viable business ventures.
Innovation for Profit: You have the power to transform your business model, enhancing profitability through innovative strategies.
Sustainable Financing: Leveraging debt for daily operations is unsustainable. We advocate for a financial structure that supports growth without compromising stability.
Fair Compensation: Drawing a salary that reflects the value you would pay someone else to run your business is not just fair; it’s essential.
Rewarding Investment: Beyond a salary, your business should generate a profit, rewarding the financial and sweat equity you’ve invested.
Let’s redefine success together, ensuring your business not only flourishes financially but also reflects and supports your personal values and life goals.