So what is revenue, really?

Revenue is the total amount of money a business brings in from its regular operations: sales, services, fees, whatever.

It’s often called the top line because it’s literally the first number on your income statement.

But don’t get confused: revenue is not profit. You can make millions in revenue and still lose money if your expenses are out of control.

Revenue shows size, not success. It’s a bragging number — useful, but only when paired with what’s going out the door.

Without context, revenue just tells you how loud the cash register is ringing, not whether any of that money is staying in the drawer.