Elena Rossi
Elena writes about taxes and the money side of running a small business. She’s on a mission to make VAT, margins, and break-even points feel a lot less scary.
Writes about tax, VAT/GST, business finance. Educational content only — see our editorial policy.
Guides by Elena
- Sales Tax vs VAT vs GST: What’s the Difference?
Three names for "tax on what you buy" — here’s how sales tax, VAT, and GST actually differ, and how to do the math either way.
- Markup vs Margin: The Difference Every Seller Should Know
A 50% markup is not a 50% margin — here’s the difference, why it matters, and how to convert between the two.
- What Is Break-Even and How Do You Calculate It?
The break-even point is where your business stops losing money and starts making it — here’s how to find it in units and in revenue.
- How Depreciation Works: Straight-Line, Declining Balance, and Why It Matters
Buying a machine is not an expense — it is an investment. Depreciation is how you account for that investment wearing out over time, and it has real tax consequences.
- What Is Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and How Do You Calculate It?
Every customer has a number attached to them — the total revenue you can expect over your entire relationship. CLV makes that number concrete so you can spend on acquisition with confidence.
- What Is Payback Period? How to Decide If an Investment Is Worth It
Before committing capital to anything, the first question is simple: how long until I get my money back? The payback period answers that question — fast.
- Understanding COGS: How Cost of Goods Sold Determines Your Gross Profit
COGS is one of the most misunderstood lines on a small-business income statement. Once you understand what goes in and what stays out, your gross profit finally tells you something real.
- How to Use NPV to Make Better Business Decisions
NPV does something no other metric does: it converts every future dollar an investment will earn into today's money, then checks whether the total beats the upfront cost. Master it and capital decisions become much clearer.