Solid cash flow management is vital to ensuring your business survives, but not everyone understands what cash flow is or how to manage it. That’s likely what makes it a leading cause of stress for small business owners. In fact, a Capital One study found that 42% of small business owners say cash flow management is a major concern for them.

Cash flow refers to the movement of money into and out of your business. It’s based on the amount of money you bring in minus the amount you spend. A positive cash flow means you’re bringing in more than you’re spending. A negative cash flow means you aren’t bringing in enough to cover your expenses. Your company can run into problems by not charging enough for goods or services, having clients who are chronically late to pay, growing too quickly or simply spending too much money.

Cash flow can vary throughout the year, depending on sales cycles or whether you’ve made a large purchase. Here are three strategies you can use to gain control over your cash flow.

These days, businesses have plenty of options when it comes to choosing software. There are hundreds of developers creating and perfecting new products designed to help you more effectively and efficiently run your business. With so many options available, it’s important to focus so you know where to start looking and how to make the best decision.

Covid has resulted in many business transformations. While some small businesses found themselves shifting their offerings, others moved online or found new niches. If you’re wondering how to continue moving your business forward following Covid, you’re probably not alone.

More companies are exploring their options when it comes to employees working remotely. There are numerous reasons for doing so:

• Increased worker morale
• More flexibility in work schedules
• Enhanced cost savings by not paying for office space.

With all the benefits, it makes sense that employers are considering whether or not working from home can work for their team.

While Canada and New Zealand have much in common, the tax systems are very different. Any time you move countries you should plan before you leave and ensure that you fully understand the issues as assumptions from one country may not be valid in the other. Once you have moved there is little that can be done.  Here is a summary of the tax issues when you migrate from New Zealand to Canada.

These days, many people are doing their Christmas shopping online, which means there’s a fantastic opportunity for you to get your business noticed by new customers. People who first find your business online at Christmas become loyal, long-term customers when you give them outstanding customer service and value.

The start of a business is an exciting time. You’ve got a great idea for a business and are enthusiastic to get started. It’s important to plan ahead to give your business the best chances for success. Planning ahead means anticipating challenges and developing ways to successfully address them, so they don’t upend your start-up.

Running a business in a smaller city may mean you have a more limited talent pool to draw employees from, but it doesn’t mean you won’t have access to top-notch workers. You may need to alter your recruiting strategy to show those skilled employees why they should consider working for your smaller business instead of going to a large corporation in a big city.

Here are some ways you can attract highly skilled employees to your company.

1. Focus on benefits

Large corporations in big markets can offer huge salaries and a glamorous lifestyle. A small business in a small city may not have that same ability. Instead of worrying about salary, offer amazing benefits.

If you’re looking for people to invest in your business, be prepared to answer some important questions. Investors look for smart investment opportunities

that means they want to find out as much as they can about you and your business before they make a decision about whether or not to invest with you.

It’s vital to have well thought-out answers to investors’ questions. Give them evidence you’ve thoroughly examined your business to make them feel comfortable investing with you.

Balancing customer experience against your budget is a difficult task. You need the right amount of staff working to keep customers happy, but not so many people that workers are standing around looking for things to do.

While Canada and New Zealand have much in common, the tax systems are very different. Any time you move countries you should plan before you leave and ensure that you fully understand the issues as assumptions from one country may not be valid in the other. Once you have moved there is little that can be done.  Here is a summary of the tax issues when you migrate from Canada to New Zealand.

You’ve probably heard the maxim that it’s better to work smarter than harder. Working smarter means allocating your time, energy and money so vital tasks get done more efficiently, freeing up your personal time.

Too many business owners think they must keep working harder—taking on more responsibilities and working longer hours—to be successful. It makes sense, because you’re responsible for your business, but that route leads to work overload and burn out. Ultimately, your business will be unsustainable if you keep pushing yourself to work harder.

You’ve probably heard the maxim that it’s better to work smarter than harder. Working smarter means allocating your time, energy, and money so vital tasks get done more efficiently, freeing up your personal time.

If you’re looking to grow your business, you might consider expanding your service offerings. Adding additional services is a good way to increase your profitability, diversify your income and expand your market. But there are important things to consider before adding to your income streams.

If you want your business to grow, at some point you’ll have to think about scaling it. Scaling it isn’t exactly the same as growing it, though they are often used interchangeably. Growth refers to adding resources and increasing your revenue in a linear fashion. You...

The unfortunate reality is most business owners don't take proper holidays. Usually this is because their business relies on them and they don't have the support to keep the business running without them. As a business owner, have you ever considered what would happen...

Starting your own business requires enough capital so you can pay your bills until your company turns a profit Depending on the type and size of your business, you may need thousands of dollars monthly to cover overhead. If you’re wondering where to find business...

Starting a business means you’ll be in competition with other companies that already exist. It’s actually a good thing if you have competition to go up against. Competition pushes you to be innovative. It also means there’s an established market for your goods or...

You started your business with plans of earning a living and being successful, but an unfortunate fact of business life is that companies suffer financial hardships. Whether those hardships are pandemic-related or linked to other urgent situations, the effect is still...

Hopefully you have long - and short-term plans for your company and you may even have a strategy for your own development, but have you considered having a personal development plan (or individual development plan) for employees? An employee personal development plan...