272. The Profit Problem

About this episode

What happens when your business starts treating profit as the goal instead of the indicator? In episode 272 of At The Table, Pat and Cody challenge one of the most common assumptions in business: that maximizing profit should be the goal. They argue that profit is essential, but when leaders treat it as a company's purpose, they risk harming customers, employees, products, and culture. Leaders are invited to decide what is enough, invest in what matters, and build organizations that create value beyond the bottom line. Topics explored in this episode: (00:00) The Assumption Behind Profit Pat introduces the problem with assuming that maximizing profit is the goal of business. Cody points out how natural that assumption feels, even for people who have never studied business formally. (03:00) Winning Without Running Up the Score Pat compares business to football, explaining that the goal is to win, not to score as many points as possible. Cody expands the analogy by explaining why eliminating competition can hurt innovation, customers, and the overall game. (07:27) Value Beyond the Spreadsheet Cody distinguishes between maximizing profit and creating value for custom