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November 13, 2025 35 mins

Think your bar’s doing okay just because you’re busy? 

Think again. 

A packed house means nothing if your menu is underpriced, your costs are off, and you're bleeding money in ways you don’t even see. 

In this episode, Bruce Nelson, a CFO who’s helped countless bars fix their financial chaos, breaks down the money traps most owners fall into. 

We’re talking real numbers, not fluff, and how to actually price things so your profit isn’t a mystery. 

If you’ve ever looked at your bank account and thought, where the hell did the money go? This one’s for you.

What You’ll Learn
🌟 Why being busy still leaves most bars struggling to stay profitable
🌟 The one cost owners skip that silently kills their menu margins
🌟 How copying your competitor’s pricing can wreck your bottom line
🌟 The truth about overhead and how it eats your profit without warning
🌟 A smarter way to price that reflects your actual experience and brand
🌟 Why most “profitable” bars still feel broke at the end of the month
🌟 The key pricing shift that turns guesswork into sustainable cash flow

📌Get Bruce Nelson’s Book
🔴Grab “Restaurant Management: Myth, Magic, and Math” on Amazon, Audible or Kindle.
🔴Want a signed copy? Order at brucelnelson.com, shipping available in the lower 48.

📌Work With Bruce
Learn more or reach out at brucelnelson.com

🔴 Learn More: 🔴

📌 Want a personalized bar growth plan?
Book your FREE STRATEGY SESSION here
https://barbusinesscoach.com/strategy-session

🚨 Want a stronger team and better bar culture?
Grab the free Bar Culture Workbook now
https://barbusinesspodcast.com

📢 Get FREE ACCESS to a group that understands the bar business
https://www.facebook.com/groups/barbusinessnation

🚀 Snag my book "How to Make Top-Shelf Profits in the Bar Business!"
Learn 75+ strategies to run it more profitably
https://barbusinesscoach.com/book/

Our Partners:

QuixSpec Bar and Restaurant Intelligence
Business intelligence that actually works! Make confident, data-driven decisions that directly impact your bottom line.
https://www.quixspec.com

Dining Alliance
Dining Alliance helps foodservice operators of all sizes unlock real savings and earn CashBack through our industry-leading rebate program.
https://mydiningalliance.com/register/easy/?c=cjps&segment=Restaurant

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