Building Your First Budget To Start Your Small Business

After you’ve successfully fundraised for your business idea, you need to budget for every penny that comes in prudently. Otherwise, you risk being part of the 29% of small businesses that fail by running out of cash to sustain their operations and don’t think about these when starting a small business. Keep reading as we walk you through building up your first budget as a small business. Whereas preparing budget to start your small business involves estimating your revenues and expenses, it also reveals funding gaps in the industry. Reach out to lenders for Microloans to plug in anticipated short-term cash flow shortfalls as shown in your budget.

What Goes Into A Budget For A Small Business

1. Reviewing Your Revenues to Start Your Business

This entails tracking down sales that the business has generated overtime for an existing business, let’s say 12 months. For a new business, you have no historical revenues to look to. You’ll work with your start-up capital.

The funds could be from personal savings, crowdfunding sources, and online lenders giving microloans, investor funds, or grants.

2. Tracking Your Fixed Costs

Identify the fixed costs that recur weekly, monthly, or annually for your business to operate successfully.

Common fixed costs in a business; payroll, rent, supplies, taxes, and equipment lease payment.

Compile your fixed costs and deduct them from your income. Take note and track fixed expenses that are peculiar to your business.

3. Add Up Variable Costs & One-off Expenses

Variable costs fluctuate from time to time based on how you utilize such services.

Common variable expenses in business; cost of goods, commissions, marketing expenses, owner’s salary, raw materials, and utilities that vary with production.

Variable costs may also encompass one-off expenses such as revamping the office interior to boost your brand image.

4.  Benchmark Costs Against Your Industry

Compare your costs against the industry average to gauge how efficiently you utilize resources.

For a starting business, use industry benchmarks as targets of your cost structure to ensure you’re building a cost-effective company.

5.  Create An Emergency Fund

Set aside an emergency fund for a rainy day when emergencies, unforeseen expenses, or opportunities arise.

6.  Tabulate Your Data Into A Profit & Loss Statement

Subtract your expenses from your revenues to determine if you have made a profit or a loss over time.

You’ll notice that there are many one-off costs in a business that’s starting. Then, you will likely run the business for a while before reaching your break-even point to realize a profit.

7.  Adjust Your Budget As Your Business Grows

After a series of trading cycles, you’ll be in a position to make an intelligent projection of future business performance. Hence, you’ll be relying on past trends to predict future outcomes.

Make the necessary adjustments that reflect the change in the business environment. And after you have drawn a budget for your small business, make amendments periodically if need be. You can make the amendments quarterly, half-yearly, or annually.

How To Track Your Expenses And Income to Start Your Small Business

1. Use budgeting apps that track expenses.
2. Use tracking worksheets to keep a pulse on your expenses.
3. Review your account statements regularly.
4. Cap budgets to different departments.

When you have access to the appropriate tools, keeping tabs on the costs incurred by your company is a lot less of a chore. Keeping close tabs on business expenditures will become much easier with the assistance of these solutions. As the owner of a small business, this will make it easier for you to maintain a tighter check on the amount of money being spent. In addition, improving the way you manage your spending will lead to increased profitability.

Keeping tabs on the costs of running your company also makes filing your taxes much less of a hassle, as many business expenses are tax deductible. Maintaining an accurate record of your expenditures on a consistent basis increases the likelihood that you will not overlook any potential deductions. This means that you will pay less in taxes when the time comes (or get more back).
You won’t have any trouble staying on top of your day-to-day costs if you use an app designed specifically for businesses to record those costs. It is essential that you keep track of your spending before starting your small business, since the amount of money you have will determine how much day-to-day cash flow you have as well as how much opportunity for expansion your company has.

Adjusting Your Budget As Your Business Grows

A reasonable budget is a dynamic tool that responds to the prevailing business environment. Business growth is reflected in the increase in monthly revenues and expenses.

To respond to changes as a result of business growth, you may need to adjust key components of your budget, such as:

• Variable costs; to produce more, you’ll need to put in more factors of production.
• Fixed costs; a sustained growth in production over a period will exert pressure on your available facilities and permanent fixtures. You’ll need to invest in capital expansion, such as moving to a bigger production unit or opening new branches.
• Borrowing need; bulk customers who come into your business may want to pay on credit terms. Consequently, you’ll need to reach out to lenders for Microloans to fund your business operations as you await payments from your customers.
• Savings; business growth may mean you need to put aside more funds for unexpected and future development.

Conclusion on How to Start Your Small Business

You’re starting on the right footing by building a budget as you start your small business. A budget enables you to determine your business’s revenues, expenses, profitability, and efficiency. Draw a budget for your business today to ensure your business isn’t living beyond its means. Lastly, a budget also helps to save for future emergencies and expansion.

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