Tag Archives for " business tips "

Managing finances in your business

When you are busy running a business getting your head around effective financial management can be difficult.

If you get it wrong you could end up focusing on the wrong things that are detrimental to your business.

As a business owner, there are four basic areas that you need to consider when managing finances in your business:

Have a plan

It’s important to have a plan to you understand your business expenses, project your revenue and be able to track your finances.

Having a plan allows you to track and review your profits and losses, outstanding accounts, payroll expenses and more.

You should review your plan regularly so you have a clear understanding of your business financials and are able to forecast accurately.

We recommend using online software, like Xero. Online software helps you keep accurate and up-to-date records and is a more efficient and time saving way to stay across your financials.

Cash flow

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again. Cash flow is the lifeblood of business.

By understanding and tracking your incoming and outgoing cash (or cash equivalent), you can gain insight into trends over time. This gives you more understanding of, and therefore control of, your cash flow.

And that means you can use forecasting tools, like Futrli, to identify opportunities to make adjustments to help prevent fluctuations in your cash flow.

Debt

If you have debt associated with your business, and let’s face it – most of us do, it’s essential to keep an eye on it.

Borrowing isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s important to make sure the benefits of going into debt outweigh the costs.

On the flip side, if you’re owed money, it’s vital to closely manage unpaid invoices and secure any money you’re owed in a timely manner. Read more about having a watertight accounts receivable process here.

Growth

Growth is great, but it does need to be manageable.

When you are looking at growing your business or taking on new clients, work out if you manage the additional work and how it will affect your current setup. What additional resources, tools, personnel, financial investment will be required? And (like taking on debt), will the benefits outweigh the costs.

Successful financial management isn’t necessarily about the specific decisions you make. It’s about understanding the impact your decisions will have on your business.

Talk to us about the Apps and tools available to help you manage your business finances.

5 Ways to Improve your Cash Flow

In our last blog, we discussed ways of managing your cash flow. We know that cash is the lifeblood of any business, so here are 5 more tips to help you improve your cash flow.

 If the cash dries up, problems quickly begin to multiply. By keeping the cash running freely and you can continue to grow your business.

Here are five tips for improving your cash flow:

1. Have a system to manage your debtors. 

Come up with a clear, step-by-step way to handle outstanding accounts. This might include:

• automated reminders on unpaid emails
• a phone call or email when the amount has been outstanding for a certain period of time
• a stop credit on the client when they exceed an acceptable payment time.

2. Be prepared for tax time 

One of the fastest ways to run out of cash is to find yourself short at tax time. Talk to your accountant about tax planning measures you can implement to ensure you can make your compliance and tax obligations. 

3. Try not to dip into business funds for personal spending

It’s always tempting to tap your business account for personal spending. Instead, try to keep them separate. If you’ve over-saved at the end of the tax year, you may be able to draw down a nice bonus. That’s much better than being caught short.

4. Sell old stock

Too much stock? Consider old stock, old furniture, machinery or even stationery: they can all be sold to free up space and provide a small cash injection.

5. Forecast your cash flow

Create a cash flow forecast (we can do this with you) and that will help you monitor and measure the flow of cash in and out of the business.

Need help with forecasting or cash flow management? We’re here for you. Feel free to get in touch.

Accessing Business Funding

Cash is the fuel that powers your business. But, does your business have enough capital in your company to actually fund your short, medium and longer-term goals?

Whatever your business aims are, you’re likely to need some additional finance at some point along the business journey. But, how does this extra cash then benefit the growth, scaling up and (eventually) the sale value of your business?

The value of extra capital in the business

Third-party business finance comes in many forms.

It might mean talking to your bank about agreeing an overdraft extension, or taking out a business loan from a business funding provider. It may even mean looking at specialist finance products, such as:

• asset finance (for buying new equipment)
• invoice financing (for quickly raising cash from your outstanding invoices)
• government-backed grants and tax incentives for enterprising businesses.

Whatever finance route you take, it’s important to understand the impact that this extra capital will have for your business. And for your longer-term success.

Accessing business funding

Accessing business funding provides a number of opportunities for your business.

Boosts your working capital

Funding gives you the liquid cash needed to stabilise and expand your operations.

With enhanced working capital, you can overcome your post-pandemic cash worries and get your balance sheet looking healthy once again.

You can also take on new work, projects and customers, safe in the knowledge that you can cover the initial expenditure while waiting for new revenue streams to bear fruit.

Provides investment in your growth strategy

If you’re looking to expand your operations or scale up the business, extra funding gives you the capital to invest in this growth.

You have the capital to take on more people, to invest in equipment, plant and new technology, and to scale up the overall capacity of your business.

Strengthens your company's balance sheet

The health of your balance sheet is determined by the balance between your assets (the things you own, including cash, within the business) and your liabilities (the debts that you owe other people).

Additional funding in your business helps to:

• increase your assets, which, in turn, helps to boost your working capital and liquid cash
• enhance your asset performance
• improve your capitalisation structure as a viable business.

Makes your company more valuable

With more cash in the bank and more capital to draw on, your company becomes a more valuable, and a more attractive proposition in the marketplace.

This healthy financial position is invaluable when approaching lenders for more funding, when buying out a competitor or even when selling the business and bringing your exit strategy into play as the owner.

However, if you’ve taken on private investors to provide part of your funding, you do have to consider that these investors will likely now own shares in the business – limiting your overall ownership and control of the company.

Whatever the next stage is for your business, the journey will be easier with a robust, tailored funding strategy behind your business plan.

Talk to us about creating a tailored funding strategy

10 ways to improve your margin

Improvements can always be made at the margin. Small tweaks to your processes or systems can make a massive difference to the end result. It’s the same with your business margin; a 1% increase in your gross margin on $500,000 of sales is an extra $5,000 on your bottom line.

The best part about improving your margin is that you increase your profit without needing to lift your sales.

Here are 10 ways to improve your margin

1. Negotiate better prices with your suppliers.

As they say, ‘the squeaky wheel gets the oil’, so if you don’t ask, you won’t get.

2. Update your pricing model.

Make sure you’re using the most recent supplier prices and that all costs are included in your price.

3. Back cost jobs regularly.

Review exactly what you spent on 2-3 jobs each month and compare the actual cost to what you anticipated the cost would be when you quoted the job.

4. Get rid of slow-moving items or work that has a poor return.

Selling old stock at cost will drop your margin, but if you replace those items or jobs with higher-margin items, you’ll achieve a higher return in the long run.

5. Set budgets and targets with your team.

Give your team something to aim for. Celebrate success when the targets are achieved.

6. Report your results on a cloud-based, real-time system.

You can’t manage what you don’t measure! Regularly monitor your most important Key Performance Indicators on your dashboard.

7. Reduce wastage and re-work.

What processes need to be updated to help reduce wastage and re-work? Or, if the processes are correctly documented, what training do you need to provide to your team to ensure the processes are being followed to reduce wastage and re-work?

8. Review your sales process.

Does your sales team know which products or services have the highest margin? Do they know how to upsell to those higher-margin products or services? Identify the sales skills gaps in your team and implement training.

9. Make a plan.

There are plenty of areas for improvement in your business. Unless you write them down, you’re unlikely to bring the correct focus to them. Make a plan to improve one area at a time.

10. Involve your business advisors.

Not only to help you with idea generation and building a plan, but also to hold you accountable to do the things you need to do.

We can help you lift your margin. Contact us today!

"To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often." - Winston Churchill

Vaccinations and the Workplace

The Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has released guidance for employers on vaccinations and the workplace.

Currently, there are no laws in place that allow employers to order existing employees to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. The Australian Government policy is that vaccinations are voluntary. Each state and territory government is responsible for implementing vaccination plans.

There are some circumstances in which an employer may require existing or potential employees to be vaccinated, but most employers cannot enforce vaccinations. If there are state or territory laws that provide specific orders requiring vaccination of certain workers, then employers and employees must comply. However, the FWO states that no such orders exist right now.

Employers need to check Fair Work Act workplace protections and discrimination protections before making changes to any employment agreements to require vaccinations. Employers should also discuss any proposed changes to agreements with employees, including options for implementation and safe work practices.

The Fair Work Ombudsman COVID-19 Vaccinations & the workplace webpage has detailed information explaining rules about many aspects of vaccinations in the workplace. Visit the webpage to get details on when an employee can refuse, asking for evidence of vaccination, disciplinary action and lawful directions.

The Department of Health has a great tool to check eligibility for priority vaccinations for high-risk workers such as emergency services, border services, frontline healthcare or aged care and disability workers.

Safe Work Australia provides industry-specific information, including risk assessment and worker consultations. An employer has a duty to eliminate or minimise the risk of exposure in the workplace by cleaning, distancing and hygiene information.

Many employment situations may require legal advice before the employer can make any changes to vaccination policies.

Don’t get caught out by making unlawful changes to your workplace! Review your employment agreements and look at your options for keeping your workplace safe.

Is Your Business Eligible for JobMaker Payments?

The JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme is designed to encourage businesses to employ additional young jobseekers aged 16-35 years. The hiring credit subsidises an increase in employee headcount.

Eligible employers can receive the hiring credit for up to 12 months for each eligible employee engaged between 7 October 2020 and 6 October 2021.

Registration for the scheme has been open since December 2020. Employers can still register for the scheme now, even if you have already put on eligible workers since 7 October last year.

Is Your Business an Eligible Employer?

Various factors must be satisfied for an employer to receive the hiring credit payment, including:

• You must register for the scheme with the ATO by the due date of the first JobMaker period you are claiming.
• You must be registered for PAYG withholding.
• You must be up to date with income tax and activity statement lodgments for the previous two years.
• You must not be claiming JobKeeper in the same period.
• You must be reporting Single Touch Payroll.

The business must also satisfy payroll and headcount increase conditions by proving new employment positions have been created.

Payment Rates

• 16 to 29 years old - $200 per week
• 30 to 35 years old - $100 per week

JobMaker Claim Periods

There are eight JobMaker claim periods available for the scheme from 7 October 2020 to 6 October 2022. Single Touch Payroll reports must be submitted three days before the end of each claim period. Employers must also complete claims electronically through ATO online services.

The ATO JobMaker Hiring Credit scheme webpage has more detail about the scheme, including a calculator spreadsheet to estimate payments you could receive.

Want to Check if You can Receive the Credits?

The headcount rules are important to understand before registering for the scheme.

Contact us to discuss whether your business can access the hiring credits, and we’ll make sure your business can verify the payroll increase.

We can also take care of the ATO reporting and claiming process for each JobMaker period on your behalf.

Pricing Strategies

What's the best way to establish a price for your products or services?

Getting your pricing right is crucial. Put your prices too high and your customers may desert you; put them too low and you’ll generate sales but won’t have a large enough profit margin to create healthy revenues and cashflow for the business.

Whether you’re a new startup, or an established business, choosing the right pricing strategy is a fundamental part of designing your business model. As such, pricing is something that’s likely to take considerable thought, research, planning and analysis over the lifetime of your products.

So, how do you know what to charge for each product and/or service? And how do you decide a price point that’s both competitive AND profitable for the business?

Costs, margins and hitting the right price point

For your business to be viable, you have to know for certain that you can:

• Find and win customers
• Meet your project sales and revenue targets
• Cover your running costs, overheads and operating cashflow
• Generate profits and get a return on your investment.

But how does this all come together to define your final sale price? The answer is to have a granular understanding of your costs, your margins and your pricing – and also to know who you’re selling your product/service to.

Different ways a price can be worked out

Cost price

When you make a product, or deliver a service, you need to spend money to do that. This expenditure includes the raw materials, the business overheads and the labour costs of creating your product/service.

By adding up all these expenses and dividing them by the number of units you delivered, you get your cost price. In other words, it’s the total cost of the unit before any margin or profit is added.

Wholesale price

Your margin is the amount you add on to your cost price to make a profit.

So, if my cost price per unit is $5, I might sell each unit to a wholesaler at $7.50. By doing this, I recover the cost of making the unit (or ‘Cost of Goods Sold’ in accounting terms), and I make a profit of $2.50 on each unit I sell to my wholesale client. This is the wholesale price.

The wholesaler will then add on their own margin in order to sell it to a consumer at. Using the example above, if the wholesaler sold each unit for $10. You make $2.50 and the wholesaler makes $2.50.

Retail price

This is the price when you sell the product to a consumer. The retail price factors in margins and comparing prices within the market to ensure you're competitive but still turning a good profit.

So, if you sell direct to a consumer, at a price of $10, and your cost price is $5, then you’ll make $5 profit for every unit you sell.

This contrasts with $2.50 profit per unit if you sell to a wholesaler, although you’re likely to sell in bulk to a wholesaler and will make your profits through this economy of scale.

Premium or economy pricing

Knowing how to position your product/service in the market is important.

Are you selling a premium product, with a high price tag? Or are you selling an economy product, with a low price point? There’s a big difference between selling a limited number of units at a high price (and high profit), and selling a big number of units at a cheap price (low profit but larger sales).

Positioning your prices between these two polar ends of the pricing spectrum isn’t easy, and will take time, experience and plenty of experimentation to get right.

Knowing when to discount or increase your prices

Your price isn’t a static thing.

Costs of production will increase, markets will change and sales campaigns will require discounted prices. So it’s vital to continually assess, review and update your prices.

For example, you could run a discount to increase sales, decreasing your margin and selling more units. Or you could choose to put your price up to increase your margin and make things more profitable.

What’s important here is to know how price-sensitive your customers are, how loyal they are to the brand, and what they’re willing to pay for your specific products/services.

Pricing is a complex and difficult area to get right, so working on your pricing is something that should be done on a regular basis.

If you’d like to review your current pricing strategy, please feel free to talk to us. 

Tips to being a proactive business

Recent times have certainly shown us that the future path of your business can change in an instant. Usually, due to influences that are far beyond our own control.

The Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing global economic recession have both had a negative economic impact on the business world. So, when a challenge arises, you need to be ready.

The key is to be proactive. Be prepared, have a ‘Plan B’ and react in a proactive way to the uncertainty. But what elements of your business should you focus on to get your downturn plan ready?

How to be a proactive business

To keep your business afloat, you’ll need to be agile, innovative and resourceful. And being flexible in the face of adversity is also likely to play a big part in your survival. 

No business owner has all the answers, and there are some important steps to take if you’re going to overcome the challenges of a downturn.

Proactive steps to take will include:

Enhancing your business knowledge

Knowledge is power, and being in control of your business data gives you that knowledge. The latest cloud reporting tools, like Futrli, help you to understand the financial numbers and forecast the future path of the business, allowing you to make truly informed decisions.

Improving your cashflow

During a downturn, money will be tight and your cashflow position is more likely to be poor. To improve this, you need to be proactive about reducing overheads, billing promptly, following up on overdue invoices and making sure that the minimum amount of cash flows out of the business, and the maximum flows in.

Negotiate with your suppliers

If you can wrangle a better deal from your suppliers, that goes a long way to enhancing your cashflow position. Negotiate with your suppliers to agree on better terms, or cheaper prices. And talk to your landlord about a reduction in rent – or even a rent holiday if the situation is extremely dire.

Accessing additional funding

When your cash reserves get tight, there may be a need to look for additional funding. This could mean asking your bank manager for an extended overdraft, approaching business lenders for a loan, or even looking at attracting private investors or private equity firms that may want to pump money into the business – although you’ll need a strong business plan for investors to be willing.

Evaluating your market offering

To generate enough revenues to survive, you need your products and/or services to be selling. To that end, it’s worth evaluating your market offering and making some changes. Do some products deliver a much higher return than others? If so, you could make more money by focusing purely on these products and having a tighter and more profitable product range.

Evolving your marketing and sales

Communication with your customers during a downturn is vital. Keep them in the loop and let them know that your products/services are still there for them. And reevaluate your marketing channels to make sure you’re hitting the right audience. Is your online presence as good as it could be? Are you providing enough information on your website and social channels to help solve your customers problem? If not, what else could you do to bring in more enquiries and sales.

Learning to pivot and diversify

Some sectors, for example, the travel and hospitality sectors, were badly hit by Covid. If this happens, you may need to pivot into a new niche or sector to find a new audience and more revenue streams. You can also diversify your product range to meet the needs of a wider range of customers, bringing in more revenue streams and bumping up your cash position as a business.

It’s all about having that Plan B in place. When (and if) a downturn hits, you’re then primed and ready to respond.

The better prepared you are, and the faster you react, the more likely it is that you’ll ride out challenging times successfully.

If you’re looking to improve your business planning, or improve your financial model, come and talk to us.