I don't trust my intuition as my business ages. Anyone else?

Nearly all of my initial business decisions back in the day were made entirely on impulse. To be fair, it actually worked at times, but it definitely wasn't a sustainable way to scale.

These days, before making any significant judgments, I find myself craving concrete numbers like revenue patterns, margins, actual money flow, and projections. Basically, I want anything that provides a realistic view of what's happening. I think that's one of the main reasons why entrepreneurs eventually develop a much bigger interest in accounting than they ever anticipated. It’s not because spreadsheets are fascinating on their own, but because having sound data helps you sleep better at night and make smarter choices.

I was recently reading up on how different accounting firms approach this and saw that Wardle Partners focuses their whole strategy on helping owners actually understand the story behind their figures, rather than just filing paperwork once a year. That kind of practical approach makes so much more sense as you grow.

Did you guys also experience this shift from relying on gut feeling to becoming obsessed with data, or did you start out analytical from day one?