Starting a new business is an exciting and challenging endeavor, but it also comes with many financial responsibilities and risks. As a new business owner, you need to plan, monitor, and control your financial resources effectively to achieve your goals and ensure your business’s survival and growth. In this blog post, we will share some of the best practices for managing your finances as a new business owner, and how they can help you avoid common pitfalls and improve your financial performance.
1. Create a realistic budget and stick to it
A budget is a plan that shows how much money you expect to earn and spend over a certain period of time, usually a month, a quarter, or a year. A budget can help you allocate your resources wisely, track your progress, and identify any gaps or problems in your cash flow. To create a realistic budget, you need to:
Estimate your income. This includes your sales revenue, interest income, grants, or any other sources of income for your business. Be conservative and realistic, and base your projections on your market research, industry trends, and past performance.
Estimate your expenses. This includes your fixed costs, such as rent, utilities, salaries, and taxes, and your variable costs, such as materials, supplies, marketing, and travel. Be thorough and accurate, and include a contingency fund for unexpected expenses or emergencies.
Compare your income and expenses. This will show you your net income, which is the difference between your income and expenses. If your income is higher than your expenses, you have a positive net income, which means you are making a profit. If your income is lower than your expenses, you have a negative net income, which means you are losing money. You need to adjust your budget accordingly to achieve a positive net income or at least break even.
Review and update your budget regularly. A budget is not a static document, but a dynamic tool that needs to be revised and updated as your business changes and grows. You need to compare your actual income and expenses with your budgeted amounts, and analyze any variances or discrepancies. You also need to update your budget with new information, such as changes in your sales, costs, or goals.
2. Manage your cash flow and maintain liquidity
Cash flow is the movement of money into and out of your business. It shows how much cash you have available to pay your bills, invest in your business, or save for the future. Cash flow is different from profit, which is the difference between your revenue and expenses. You can have a profitable business, but still run out of cash if you don’t manage your cash flow properly. To manage your cash flow and maintain liquidity, which is the ability to generate enough cash to meet your current obligations, you need to:
Monitor your cash flow statement. A cash flow statement is a financial report that shows how much cash you generated and used during a specific period of time, usually a month, a quarter, or a year. It categorizes your cash flow into three activities: operating, investing, and financing. Operating activities are related to your core business operations, such as sales, purchases, and payroll. Investing activities are related to your long-term assets, such as equipment, property, or securities. Financing activities are related to your debt and equity, such as loans, dividends, or capital injections. A cash flow statement can help you see where your cash is coming from and going to, and how much cash you have left at the end of the period.
Improve your cash inflows. This means increasing the amount and speed of cash coming into your business. You can do this by:
Increasing your sales. This can be done by expanding your market, offering discounts or incentives, launching new products or services, or improving your customer service.
Collecting your receivables. This can be done by setting clear payment terms, sending invoices promptly, following up on overdue accounts, offering early payment discounts, or accepting online payments.
Managing your inventory. This can be done by reducing your inventory levels, ordering only what you need, selling or returning excess or obsolete inventory, or negotiating better terms with your suppliers.
Reduce your cash outflows. This means decreasing the amount and frequency of cash going out of your business. You can do this by:
Cutting your costs. This can be done by eliminating unnecessary or wasteful expenses, negotiating better deals with your vendors, switching to cheaper or more efficient alternatives, or outsourcing or automating some of your tasks.
Delaying your payables. This can be done by taking advantage of your credit terms, requesting longer payment periods, or consolidating your bills.
Saving or investing your surplus cash. This can be done by opening a high-interest savings account, buying short-term securities, or reinvesting in your business.
3. Track and measure your financial performance
Tracking and measuring your financial performance means analyzing and evaluating how well your business is doing financially, and whether you are meeting your goals and objectives. To track and measure your financial performance, you need to:
Prepare and review your financial statements. Financial statements are formal records that show the financial position and performance of your business. They include the income statement, the balance sheet, and the cash flow statement. The income statement shows your revenue, expenses, and profit or loss for a specific period of time. The balance sheet shows your assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time. The cash flow statement shows your cash inflows and outflows for a specific period of time. Financial statements can help you see the big picture of your business, and identify any strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats.
Use financial ratios and indicators. Financial ratios and indicators are numerical values that show the relationship between two or more items from your financial statements. They can help you measure and compare various aspects of your financial performance, such as profitability, liquidity, solvency, efficiency, and growth. Some of the common financial ratios and indicators are:
Profitability ratios. These measure how much profit you are making relative to your sales, assets, or equity. Examples are gross profit margin, net profit margin, return on assets, and return on equity.
Liquidity ratios. These measure how well you can pay your short-term debts with your current assets. Examples are current ratio, quick ratio, and cash ratio.
Solvency ratios. These measure how well you can pay your long-term debts with your total assets or equity. Examples are debt-to-asset ratio, debt-to-equity ratio, and interest coverage ratio.
Efficiency ratios. These measure how well you are using your assets and liabilities to generate sales. Examples are inventory turnover, accounts receivable turnover, and asset turnover.
Growth ratios. These measure how fast your business is growing in terms of sales, profits, assets, or equity. Examples are sales growth rate, earnings growth rate, asset growth rate, and equity growth rate.
4. Seek professional advice and assistance
Managing your finances as a new business owner can be overwhelming and complex, especially if you don’t have a strong financial background or experience. That’s why it’s important to seek professional advice and assistance from qualified and reputable experts, such as accountants, bookkeepers, financial advisors, or consultants. They can help you with:
Setting up and maintaining your accounting system and records, ensuring that they are accurate, complete, and compliant with the relevant standards and regulations.
Preparing and filing your tax returns, ensuring that you pay the correct amount of tax and claim all the deductions and credits that you are entitled to.
Creating and reviewing your financial statements, budgets, forecasts, and reports, ensuring that they are reliable, relevant, and useful for decision making.
Performing financial analysis, using various tools and techniques to assess your financial performance, position, and potential, and making recommendations for improvement.
Securing financing, helping you find and apply for the best sources of funding for your business, such as loans, grants, or investors.
Planning for the future, helping you set and achieve your short-term and long-term financial goals, and preparing for any contingencies or emergencies.
This is why we regularly post financial tips on our social media and through our newsletter.
By following these practices, you can manage your finances as a new business owner effectively and efficiently, and ensure your business’s success and sustainability. Remember, financial management is not a one-time event, but an ongoing process that requires constant attention and improvement. You need to monitor your financial situation regularly, and make adjustments as needed to adapt to the changing market conditions and customer demands. You also need to keep learning and updating your financial knowledge and skills, and seek professional help when necessary.