If you’re a small business owner, you know how important it is to make the right financial decisions. Money flowing in and out is what keeps your business growing. The best way to make sure you continue to survive and thrive is to be prepared when it comes to your finances. Here are some tips to keep in mind. 
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1. Always pay yourself fairly. 
If your business is struggling, this can be a tough thing to balance. You need to make sure you’re paying yourself enough to get by but you also want the business to stay afloat. If you’re going to be successful, you have to be dedicated and motivated. That’s hard to do when you’re not taking a paycheck. 

Pay yourself out of your profits and make sure it’s the amount you deserve. Don’t under or over-value yourself. If you need help deciding how much you’re worth, consult with your accountant or look into accounting software that can give you a good idea. 

2. Remember to save for retirement. 
A lot of small business owners fail to save for their own retirement. Again, it’s a balance between putting profits back into the business to make sure it succeeds and taking a cut of what you deserve. 

If you don’t already have a retirement fund set up, start one right away. The longer you’re able to save, the better off you’ll be in the future. 

3. Focus on both cash and physical assets. 
If you own the building where you house your business or a significant amount of equipment to keep the business operating, you’re probably pretty valuable on paper when you consider how much these things are worth. But this doesn’t mean you have adequate cash flow. After all, you can’t pay the bills with a piece of equipment. 

It’s important to make sure you have some cash accessible in case you need it in the event of an emergency or if an unexpected bill pops up. 

4. Find the right small business loan. 
If you’re in a place where you need to consider borrowing money, make sure you get the right small business loan. A lot of traditional business loans are aimed at larger companies and may not be suitable for your needs. Large monthly payments will only become a problem in the future so make sure you get a loan that you can commit to. 

5. Consider the worst-case scenario.
It’s not easy to think about but there is always a chance that your business can fail. It’s important to consider this well before it becomes a reality so you can plan for what comes next. 

One way to try to prevent this is to always be aware of what can go wrong and have a plan in place to fix it. You can’t predict everything but you can make sure you’re as prepared as possible. Running low on cash is not uncommon so it’s a good idea to have a plan in place in case you need it.
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