For both freshman and veteran business owners, having a grasp on the budget is essential. Your initial business plan was just that, a plan, and now that you are in the thick of things, you must be adaptable to change and open to finding ways to be innovative yet remain in the driver’s seat of your expenses. In some cases, the areas in which you can improve financial efficiencies are obvious however there are also ways to achieve this same goal that require innovation and a forward-thinking mindset. Establishing a pattern your budget that creates high opportunity for longevity within your business means that you have set the tone for a long lifespan and realize that in some cases you cannot rest on your laurels.
Spend Money to Make Money
While this may seem counter-intuitive, but sometimes you must open your wallet a bit to be able to eventually begin to fill it over the long-term. Within any industry making the investment in technology and software is going to be a significant one, but the products that you need to bump up your tech game vary by busines type. Within the fleet industry for example, the addition of dash cameras in trucks has proven to be of great assist for budget management after the upfront costs are managed.
The fleet industry has so many moving parts, being able to streamline processes and operate as one unit has traditionally been almost impossible. Dash cameras have alleviated some of those impossibilities. Think about your businesses main risk factor and how technology can protect you against it. Safety is a top concern for fleet managers and dash cams give them significantly more control over fleet safety by providing not only real-time analytical data but also increased visibility.
Check in Often
A budget should not be a set it and forget it element to your overall business plan. Checking in at frequent intervals with your financial situation means that not only will you have an up-to-date frame of reference for the financial health of your company, but that you will also be able to identify small problems that could potentially grow to an alarming size. If you neglect to check in with your budget, then you are doing yourself a disservice and not giving yourself any flexibility to the volatile nature of the industry in which you work.
These periodic checks should also be applied to your personnel, vendors, and clients as well. Staying visible, relatable, and accessible as a manager or owner means that you have created an environment where your team knows that you are actively invested in the success of the company. Additionally, this presence leaves little room for things that can take away from your profitability, such as an underachieving employee or vendor who surges pricing at random. Opening your mind to the things that impact your budget beyond the obvious is a great strategy because it removes the possibility that being a creature of comfort is actually costing you money.
