You Can't Change What You Don't Track

Brian Thompson loves a good spreadsheet, and in this episode, he's sharing some of his best tips for tracking metrics in a manageable, mission-aligned way. You'll learn how intentional tracking can help mission-driven entrepreneurs gain clarity, celebrate progress, and make better decisions. Drawing inspiration from investor and writer Sahil Bloom's Five Types of Wealth, Brian offers practical tools to help you track progress without it becoming a full-time job.

Episode Highlights Tracking creates accountability

Tracking transforms assumptions into awareness. If you're not measuring something, it's easy to tell yourself stories — I think I'm doing okay, or I feel behind. But those stories may or may not be true. Tracking brings reality into focus, creating accountability, strategy, and visible progress, shifting from emotional decision-making to data-informed clarity.

Five types of wealth to track for mission-driven entrepreneurs

Sahil Bloom is an investor, writer, and entrepreneur whose framework for thinking of wealth in five key domains — time, physical, mental, social, and financial wealth — can also be adapted for entrepreneurs building mission-driven businesses. Tracking across all areas of wealth can give you a holistic picture of your business and your life.

• Time Wealth: How intentionally do you use your time? Are you working on your business or just in it?

• Social Wealth: Who are you connecting with? Do your clients, colleagues, or communities energize you or make you cringe?

• Mental Wealth: Are your decisions aligned with your purpose? Do you set time aside for a regular check-in on your mental well-being?

• Physical Wealth: Are you prioritizing rest, nourishment, and movement? Are you moving throughout the day?

• Financial Wealth: Do your finances support your ability to stay mission-driven and resilient? Are you able to meet all of your obligations?

Start small and make it yours

Tracking doesn't have to be complicated. To prevent overwhelm, pick one area to focus on first and use simple tools such as journaling, scorecards, spreadsheets, or apps to help you track your progress.

Remember: The key is consistency, not perfection. Designate a specific day and time to review your data and choose a cadence you can stick to.

Build your own Wealth Dashboard

As a bonus, consider building a simple "Wealth Dashboard" to visualize your progress. Using tools like Google Sheets or Notion, log weekly or monthly metrics for each wealth category and spot imbalances before they become problems.

Resources + Links

• "The 5 Types of Wealth: A Transformative Guide to Design Your Dream Life" by Sahil Bloom

• Notion dashboards

• "Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine" by Mike Michalowicz

• Toggl time tracker

• Brian Thompson Financial: Website, Newsletter, Podcast

• Follow Brian Thompson Online: Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, X, Forbes

About Brian and the Mission Driven Business Podcast

Brian Thompson, JD/CFP, is a tax attorney and Certified Financial Planner® who specializes in providing comprehensive financial planning to LGBTQ+ entrepreneurs who run mission-driven businesses. The Mission Driven Business podcast was born out of his passion for helping social entrepreneurs create businesses with purpose and profit.

On the podcast, Brian talks with diverse entrepreneurs and the people who support them. Listeners hear stories of experiences, strength, and hope and get practical advice to help them build businesses that might just change the world, too.