Financial planning pertains to the process of determining how much capital your business needs to get it off the ground and stay afloat fo...
Financial planning pertains to the process of determining how much capital your business needs to get it off the ground and stay afloat for several months as it earns revenue. It’s an essential part of your preparation for running your enterprise, and it’s where you create policies regarding procurement, investment, and administration of your funds.
If you’ve decided to start a business, these are the reasons why financial planning is an important step:
1. Ensure Adequate Capital
Financial planning is an objective way to see how much capital you can invest in your venture. While there certainly are enterprises that don’t require substantial funds to get it running, all legitimate companies are required to acquire a business license which costs money.
Moreover, if you want to join the food industry or retail, you will need equipment and employees to operate. Financial planning informs you how much cash you need to have to jumpstart your business.
2. Forecast Cash Flow Seasons
Most businesses go through seasonal cycles where customers come in abundance at times while revenue is low at other months. Financial planning allows you to take these factors into account and come up with the amount necessary to keep your business running even when the cash inflow is merely a trickle. It also helps you control expenses during the predicted low revenue periods.
Here are some cash management tips for small business owners:
● Categorize Expenses
Separate your business expenditures from your personal ones, even when your company needs a little financial help. Set a different budget for each aspect of your life and stick to it, even with your bank cards. This will save you a lot of time on bookkeeping and tax filing.
● Pay Bills on Time
Pay off business bills such as taxes, utility, and the ones from your suppliers diligently so that they don’t add up for the next month.
● Know Basic Accounting
You should be able to understand how accounting works even at the most fundamental level so that you won’t be kept in the dark with its processes. Moreover, to supplement your basic knowledge of this department, work with financial service providers like Capstone which offer exceptional support from their network of financial advisers and accountants.
3. Plan for Growth
Business owners face a new set of challenges each day, such as a gadget breaking down, and these obstacles can easily distract you from thinking about your long-term plans. Financial planning can keep you on track with the things that you need to do or buy today which have a significant impact on your company’s growth.
Moreover, building a business from the ground up requires you to make a lot of crucial decisions at the beginning of your entrepreneurship journey. These choices have effects on your business that you can’t quantify if you don’t have a financial plan. For instance, you can assess if the money you spent on promoting your product or service led to a spike in sales for a particular month or period.
4. Monitor Priority Expenses
The ability to manage your resources properly is crucial for budding entrepreneurs.
A financial plan helps determine which costs are of utmost priority for your production and operation. These expenses should bring immediate improvements in efficiency and market penetration. Other expenditures that don’t have a significant impact on these factors can wait until you have money to spare.
These are some of the overlooked costs when starting a business:
● Business Insurance
You should allocate budget on insurance for your office, stocks, equipment, and employees. The types of coverage you must consider are general liability, medical, worker’s compensation, and professional liability insurances.
● Product Development
This is a necessary factor if you’ll be introducing a new product to the market. You must have a team dedicated to building and improving your commodity. This cost includes the expenses for designing, engineering, and manufacturing.
● Digital Marketing Expenses
Whether you’re going the traditional route with a brick and mortar store, building an e-commerce empire, or both, you will need to enlist the help of people who will focus on promoting your products and services online. You have the option of hiring an in-house team or outsourcing this process to a third-party agency. Either way, you must account for this expense during the financial planning stage.
Conclusion
Financial planning is a crucial step before you start a business because it gives you an accurate idea of your capability to build a company. There are plenty of expenses involved in a venture. Being prepared can help you face your entrepreneurial journey with confidence no matter what challenges you may encounter.
