While there is no single model for business success that we all must follow, there are often multiple issues that can arise or challenges that all entrepreneurs must face over the years as they run their ventures.
No matter what industry you’re in, what you sell, or how long you’ve been running your organization, there are some mistakes you should do your best to avoid.
Waiting too long to get a loan or investment
You don’t want to make the mistake of waiting too long to try to get a loan or any outside investment. If you want to use funds to buy some expensive equipment, cover inventory shortages during an expansion period, move into a new market or acquire another venture, among other things, leaving applications up to the minute the latter is not advised.
You may miss opportunities if you wait too long to compile documents for loan applications or investor campaigns and fill out forms and other documents. Otherwise, you may have to say yes to an investor who isn’t the best fit for you and your business or accept a loan from a company that offers less-than-ideal interest rate terms or other terms.
If you want to find an investor or access small business loans in the next year, start researching your options now. Learn as much as you can about different investors or lenders and what they’re looking for, and you’ll be better positioned when the time comes to need additional funding.
Failure to save enough money for easier times
Another financial mistake to avoid is not saving enough money for tough times in your business. While we all hope that growth is steady and continuous and that issues do not arise along the way, as the global pandemic has shown us, we never fully know how the world or markets may change and how they may be affected. their our businesses.
We need to keep some savings aside to cover leaner times when cash flow may be a problem and we need to tap into such funds to cover expenses. There is no set amount you should keep for rainy days, but many financial planners and accountants, etc., recommend that business owners or managers have three months or more of trading expenses in a savings account to be available for unforeseen cases.
Not keeping a close eye on cash flow and other financial matters
Many of us are so busy attending to the day-to-day operations of our businesses and dealing with the problems that arise that we don’t spend enough time or energy taking a close look at the finances of our ventures. Unfortunately, this can lead to many issues, but it is a common financial mistake.
It is vital to track and manage finances closely so you know your firm’s profit levels and how cash is flowing. You must know how to read and understand essential reports and business numbers. For example, all entrepreneurs should be able to quickly check the health of their business by examining balance sheets, profit and loss statements, tax returns, income statements, lists of assets and liabilities, etc.
It helps to use useful technology tools to make this work easier. Online accounting programs and other applications can help you see, at a glance, how your organization is doing financially and help you detect and address issues that may be small now (such as of profits or increased costs), but which may turn into more significant problems over time.
depreciation
One mistake that is not talked about enough is underestimating. Although we often focus on not spending more money on things than necessary in our businesses, we also need to make sure we bring in as much money as possible. One way to do this is by raising prices.
Often, you’ll find that you’ve set your fees too low and so you’re not making nearly as much as you could be. If you haven’t raised your prices for services in years or arbitrarily set product prices without understanding your actual costs and what the market can and will pay, you’re doing yourself and the business a disservice.
These are just a few of the top financial mistakes to avoid in your small business. Others who try to stay away are failing to submit documents on time (eg, to meet tax or HR obligations), targeting too small a customer base, and mishiring and poorly managing employees.
The more financial problems you avoid this year and beyond, the more likely you are to have a thriving business and fewer headaches to deal with as a leader.
