Financial Safety Advice

A start-up is usually more slowly than expected. Revenues tend to lag while expenses are always greater than previously estimated. Do your calculations with a large room to spare you any unpleasant surprises.

A growing company can have a great hunger for liquidity to finance growth. WalMart was for years a growing company with negative cash flows (to finance growth). Do not let you leave without liquidity growth by surprise. No matter how well you can not go running out of cash on hand.

If you need external funding to provide capital, looking for professional investors and investment funds. Far better to have outside investors professional individuals.

Hire an auditor and audit your company every year. No matter how small your business, the discipline of the annual audit discipline throughout the accounting team.

There is nothing wrong with having the money earned in the company box. Microsoft spent decades accumulating unpaid dividends and liquidity for expansion. The money in the box gives you capacity for growth.

Controls the time limit for payment of your customers and do not hesitate to call the deadline as many times as necessary. Many companies pay the most persistent first.

Customers are paying. If someone uses your services and does not pay, not a client, is a burden to your business. Get rid of the ballast as soon as possible.

From the beginning you have to be clear you want to do with the company long term because your financial decisions and your operations are very different as you want to) sell to a third party, b) go public or c) keep the business you’re riding. If you want to leave your company “the children of your children” do not seek venture capital, for example.

A common mistake of entrepreneurs is to think “I need the money within two years, I’ll look in 12 months.” Investors have their own plans and timetables. Get the money when the investors / buyers are willing to invest or consistent with its strategy and not when you need it.