Small business owners tend to manage both personal and professional finances.
When starting up a small business, it is sometimes necessary to introduce new financing to your venture to enable growth while generating enough cash flow to maintain ongoing financial stability.
To keep from joining those businesses that fail in the first five years, it is necessary to hone your budgeting skills, maximize liquidity, and stay on track.
Categorize Your Expenses into Departments – Categorizing your expenses is the first step toward tracking and reporting finances so that you can get a good understanding of your business’ financial status. Some categories might be marketing, IT, labor, and overhead.
Round Up not Down – Make a practice of rounding up when budgeting for your small business. This allows you to simplify accounting with whole numbers and creates a small cushion that can be reconciled at the end of each quarter and funneled back into your business.
Scrutinize Every Business Purchase – Small business owners tend to closely watch large purchases, but fail to analyze the small purchases. Overhead costs and petty cash expenditures add up quickly, so be sure to keep an eye on them.
Update Your Budget Monthly – The customer base, expenses, and cash flow of any business is typically ever-changing. Make sure to update you’re A/R and A/P categories, and adjust your projections accordingly.
Incentivize Your Employees – Be sure to reward excellent employee performance. When someone goes above and beyond, resulting in the further success of your business, acknowledgment or celebration can go a long way in showing your appreciation. Specify a specific dollar amount for this event so you are less likely to overspend when that time comes.
Extra Fees and Late Charges – Be mindful of the costs of paying bills late. Some vendors even add additional charges for delinquent payment. If there comes a time that you have to decide which bills to pay first, this information is handy and can help you plan your accounts payable calendar.
Compare Necessary and Frivolous Expenses – Payroll, taxes, utilities, essential stock, rent, and mortgage payments are considered your necessary expenses and should be compared to additional expenditures. Be frugal when considering paying for anything that isn’t vital to your business – and compare prices make sure you’re getting the best rate.
Above all use common sense – and discipline. The future of your business depends on it.