There’s a lot of good information available to business owners, whether it be online, in books or just general knowledge successful people share with others. In fact, there is so much business advice out there, it can be overwhelming trying to take it all in.
With that in mind, we’ve streamlined our favorite business advice, into four easy to remember tips. While every business owner struggles with their own, unique challenges, the tips outlined below can be helpful to any business.
1. Get your books in order
If you aspire to grow your business, you’re going to need the help of both a bookkeeper and accountant. Many people think these roles are the same but there are actually some clear differences between bookkeepers and accountants.
Bookkeepers generally handle the on-going responsibility of accurately recording and organizing every one of a business’s transactions. Accountants then take the work done by the bookkeeper and use the data to generate reports, file taxes and give strategic advice.
The earlier you start working with a bookkeeper and an accountant, the better. That being said, it’s never too late to enlist their help. If you’re starting to feel like you’re losing touch with the business’s financial situation or you’re getting overwhelmed with managing your records, it’s probably time to hire a professional.
2. Find an savvy partner to meet with regularly
Having a like-minded person to discuss your business and share thoughts and ideas with can be very beneficial. This person could be your bookkeeper/accountant or they could be a fellow business owner.
Running a business is exciting but can still be scary at times. Meeting with a partner to talk about what’s on your mind can give you a different perspective. And if they’re also a business owner, you can be a source of support for them as well.
3. Keep your financial goals in mind
When you started your business, you likely set goals for yourself or at least envisioned what you wanted the business to become. No matter how hectic things get, never lose sight of your goals.
The best way to track your progress in reaching your financial goals is to first clearly define them. So if you’ve only gone as far as setting some broad goals in your mind, you should put them on paper and work out what your business will need to do to achieve them.
The next step is to create a budget that will guide you towards reaching your goals. You budget should ideally be for the entire year, so every month you can check in and see how you’re progressing. If it starts to look like you’re going to fall short of your goals at any point in the year, you can always revise them and work towards more achievable targets.
4. Take on your challenges head-on
Don’t bottle up your problems and definitely don’t ignore them. Putting off resolving issues will only make things worse.
If your problems concern money, you should probably consult with your bookkeeper/accountant. They likely work with a lot of other businesses and have encountered it all in their time on the job. They’ve probably dealt with issues similar to yours before and know the best solution for resolving them.
If you’re dealing with other issues in the course of running your business, it can be a topic to discuss with your savvy and supportive business partner. Even if they don’t have a solution for you, you might feel some relief from just voicing how you feel.
Keeping these four tips in mind can serve you well throughout the course of running your business. Your finances will be in good shape, your business will be moving forward, your challenges will be top of mind and you’ll have a supportive friend giving you advice and feedback.