A small business failure can be surprising in terms of what led to the demise and how it may have been avoided. There are some common errors that many small business owners and entrepreneurs make that lead to problems that cannot be overcome. Subsequently, it is these errors that often lead to the end of the company or business.
Avoid these 5 key mistakes that lead to a small business failure:
Money Issues
Probably the biggest reason for small business failure is money; aim to keep your overhead as low as possible and track all your expenses. Be frugal, even when you don’t need to be and be on the lookout for ways to monetize and further improve your bottom-line. Always have a goal of streamlining your operations in efforts of curbing costs and improving revenues to succeed.
Too Big, Too Fast
Another reason small companies don’t succeed is that they try to take on too much, too fast. Start small, such as a pop-up shop or an event like a festival or fair to learn the market. Some businesses assume there is a market for something only to discover that there simply is not; know the market before investing.
No Back-up Plan
Have you heard the expression, ‘prepare for the worst but hope for the best’? That should be your mantra when it comes to your small business. Always have a back-up plan and anticipate, even expect, things to occasionally go wrong or askew. That is simply part of doing business. Make sure that you are fully covered in areas like insurance, staffing, and that you have a slush fund ready for a rainy day.
Lack of Business or Industry Experience
Are you sure that you fully understand the market that you are taking part in? Surprisingly, many businesses fail due to a lack of understanding of their market. For example, some restauranteurs may not understand the time, commitment, and money that it takes to open a restaurant in a specific area. Many successful companies encourage entrepreneurs to go with what they know.
Underestimate the Undertaking
Speaking of underestimation, make sure that you are well-aware of the effort and time that go into making a business successful. Remember that you will have a wide range of obligations, from marketing and human resources to serving clients and keeping facilities clean. Make sure that you never minimize the work that it will take to make your endeavor a success.
These common issues are not always a result of the business owner making rash or compulsive decisions, but rather may be related to the industry, current market, or other unforeseeable circumstances that impact revenues and force closure.
For help keeping your business matters precise and timely, reach out to BMH Accounting, Don’t let mismanagement be the reason your business fails to thrive and succeed; get the accounting assistance that you need.
A successful business or company leader knows when and what to delegate, and this includes outsourcing payroll and taxation tasks to someone else. Ideally, the leader of the team can put their focus into business operations but payroll is something that simply should be handed-off to a professional accounting firm, company, or site.
Ideally, outsourcing achieves three main goals:
1. Time and Attention
Outsourcing frees up your most important resource: your time. This allows you more availability to focus on your core tasks related to the business. Furthermore, hurrying through chores like payroll can have negative repercussions. While it doesn’t necessarily help improve revenues or your bottom line, failure to maintain a precise payroll can cause big headaches and hassles later.
Payroll takes time and includes efforts to complete taxes, too. Do yourself a favor and outsource your payroll.
2. Technology and Expertise
Don’t let your company be at a disadvantage by not offering employees and staff high-tech options when it comes to payroll. To complete payroll well, you need expertise in areas that include, but are not limited to, direct deposit and self-service access to their payroll info. Employers rely on technology for other perks, such as maintaining employee records and taxation reports. If you want your business to grow, you need to fully-invest in the technology needed to get there. Laws change and are complex; outsourcing payroll provides you with the latest and greatest in terms of technology and expertise that helps your business run smoothly and that satisfies your entire team. Companies and businesses that can’t keep up may be at a significant disadvantage when it comes to hiring and retaining a solid workforce.
3. Reduced Risks
If you lose focus, make mistakes, or fail to complete timely payroll, the risks are great. Outsourcing payroll helps to reduce costs and risks- which may help some managers and supervisors sleep better at night! A great payroll provider offers options and capabilities that you simply may not have independently. Consider some of these options and talk with some reputable payroll providers. See what they have to offer and how their expertise can create a more user-friendly experience for your staff seeking payroll information or your supervisors who are looking to review employee records. Put your time and energy into your core business operations and outsource your payroll today. It simply makes good sense.
Ready to learn more about outsourcing your payroll? Talk to the experts at BMH Accounting; they want to alleviate the many tasks on your plate and free-up your supervisory team for other things. This includes actively managing your staff, launching new products or provisions, and serving your consumer audience. Call to find out how outsourcing payroll can be beneficial and advantageous for your business operations.
A lot can fall on your shoulders at the helm of a company or small business. As a business leader, others may look to you for modeling behaviors that will help them progress and succeed.
The five worst mistakes that you can make as a business leader are:
1. Doing Everything on Your Own
Don’t do everything yourself; an effective leader is a delegator, giving others the chance to shine. No man is an island and it takes a range of diverse talents for a company to grow. A good leader can identify where they are needed and what is better handed off to someone else. Trying to do everything on your own only makes those around you feel incompetent and useless.
2. Putting a Lot of Stock in Titles
Don’t be the business leader that puts a lot of stock in job titles. Titles can be deceiving and, often, ineffectual. A great leader empowers those around them and puts others on their same level, regardless of title or position. Empathy is a far more useful tool when working with a team or staff than the perks of having a fancy title, big office, or special letterhead.
3. Blaming Others
Blaming others is one of the worst things that you can do as a business leader or role model for those around you. Face it: things will occasionally go wrong and sometimes it can happen in a big way. Don’t be the one who deflects and places blame when something doesn’t go as you plan or expect it to. An effective and even inspiring leader will assume responsibility and look for ways to prevent it from happening in the future. Blaming others can lower company morale and hamper productivity. Take one for the team.
4. Craving Attention
Don’t be the boss that needs and craves attention. Don’t you get enough? The strappings of being a successful leader may go to some’s head and they can become accustomed to spending time in the spotlight. Humility and giving others the chance to shine is a far greater attribute of a leader- and one that will lead the entire company to success.
5. Failing to Own Mistakes
Own mistakes and acknowledge when they are yours. Lead by example and claim mistakes- even when it is not entirely your fault. Leaders need to demonstrate that it is okay to admit errors and that it is the perfect platform for a learning moment.
Reach out to the professionals at BMH Accounting for help with your small business and company needs. We look forward to providing support that helps you to thrive in prosper in today’s competitive market.
When it comes to employee reimbursements, you must be careful that they comply with current tax law and IRS tax regulations. If not documented and posted correctly, expense reimbursements may get confused for income, which can create a mess. Furthermore, when your staff struggles for prompt and accurate reimbursements, it can create hostility and angst at the workplace; make things a lot easier with the services of a tax or accounting professional and a solid accountable plan.
Employee Reimbursements
Using an accountable plan to document and pay employee expense reimbursements means that the payment is not part of your employees’ wages which makes them exempt from taxation, like federal income or employment taxes. This has benefits for both the employee and your company, as well. If you choose not to use an accountable plan for reimbursements, the payments are subject to taxes and considered part of your staff’s taxable income.
Business Connections
Remember and remind employees as needed that each reimbursed expense under your accountable plan needs to be connected to business; the definition of a business connection is that it is a legitimate expense- allowable as a deduction- and covered or incurred by your employee while they are performing services, tasks, or work for your company. Some examples might be hotel accommodations during a business trip, meals during work-related events, or gas driving to job sites or to visit clients. These expenses should be easily documented with receipts, bills, or statements.
Employee Accountability
Depending on the accountability system that you have in place for your Employee Reimbursements, it is key that a paper-trail documents the expenses and that any excesses are accounted for and paid-back. There are some IRS guidelines that can be adapted and adopted to your workplace- or you can set your own parameters for reimbursing employees quickly and also tracking expenses accurately. It is key to keep these matters clear and concise for when tax time rolls around.
Prompt Payment
Just as it is important for your employees to substantiate expenses promptly, it is important that you do what you can to expedite reimbursements, too. A reasonable time frame for substantiation of expenses is within 60 days, and any overage should be paid within 120 days, in most cases.
Tax Tips
Your employees may deduct their work-related expenses, but it requires itemization.
The deduction for these expenditures is limited to the amount that is more than 2% of their adjusted gross income.
Make sure that your reimbursement arrangements meet IRS requirements for an accountable plan, which may have potential tax advantages for you.
The safest way to deal with employee reimbursements is with a reputable and reliable tax or accounting professional. Talk to the experts at BMH Accounting to learn more and escape the worry surrounding employee reimbursements.
If you want your company to succeed, you must maintain detailed financial records related to the operating of your business. Gaining a grasp on the more complicated aspects of accounting can help you garner a better understanding of your company’s finances, though hiring a professional accountant may be the most practical approach. Whether you learn as you go or hire a pro, two of the fundamental elements of business bookkeeping are your income statements and balance sheets.
Income Statements
When you want to track and analyze revenues and expenses over a period of time, an income statement offers the best glimpse. Usually, these reports are made monthly or quarterly and then integrated for yearly reports. An income statement gives a good look at a company’s performance and if you are a publicly-traded company, it is directly reported to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Income statements cover the basics: revenues, expenses, gains, and losses. From this tracking, periodic reports will show both short and long term growth, health, and future predictors for success. This information helps mold financial decisions for the next fiscal season, quarter, or year.
Balance Sheets
As important as the income statement reports is your balance sheet. Balance sheets aim to track the three fundamental areas of your business financials: assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity. Balance sheets don’t cover a range of time but rather a specific moment, which offers insight into shareholder equity at the drop of a dime. Balance sheets offer a quick view of the company assets, what is owed to other parties, and how much your shareholders have invested in you.
A balance sheet works with a formula that is used to track what your company has at any given point in time. That formulaic equation used by a balance sheet is Assets = Liabilities + Shareholder/Owner Equity.
Merging the Two
The two together- income statements and balance sheets- provide the perfect tool for gaining a look at the financial health of your business. Don’t wait for tax time or quarterly reports to run some numbers; generate reports anytime to gain perspective and see where you are going. If your company is big enough to employ analysts, they would use both reports, the income statement and balance sheet, to give you an overview of your company’s finances and offer predictions based on these reports.
Maintaining the income statement balance sheet is integral to the smooth operation- and subsequent success- of your business. Don’t have time to track your assets and liabilities? Call the professionals at BMH Accounting; they can provide you with a snapshot of your company’s financials and help you analyze data to improve daily function and overall operation.