It’s surprising how often people look at only costs or revenue and make a decision. That’s a little like sitting on a teeter-totter by yourself and then proclaiming that it isn’t fun. Similarly, you can set out to provide the best handwoven tablecloths, but if you can’t make money, it won’t last long.
There are many pieces of the value puzzle beyond cost and revenue. Similarly it’s hard to measure whether you make the best cheeseburger in town without an income statement.
The trick is to set a vision, and do both.
Ask “how much does it cost?” when you have a meaningful goal in mind. When you crack the code to that cheeseburger, make sure your financial projections are reasonable.
The numbers are useful, and so is your intuition, just make sure you’re not relying too much on one or the other.