It is a known fact that operating a business can be very costly and time-consuming. With so much to efficiently manage, it’s easy to have expenses that you fail to prepare for. Entrepreneurs normally get carried away focusing so much on the potential revenue or profit they stand to gain rather than the expenses they’ll incur to keep their businesses up and running.
Business owners must not only consider what it takes to get started, such as manufacturing or shipping costs, store, etc. But it’s very important to recognize and plan for other expenses that come with operating a business such as the following:
1. Human resources or employees
Small scale entrepreneurs usually think that they wouldn’t need assistance until they realise that they might have to hire a few talents to join their entreprise. Human resources are expensive, and it can pose as a major factor in your financial projections, so try to plan ahead because you might need the services of people sooner or later in your small business either as full-time or part-time staff.
2. Daily operational costs
New entrepreneurs fail to factor in daily expenses in running a business. After your rent is sorted, if you need an office space, you will have other costs to deal with.These include internet, fuel or diesel, water, trash, etc.
Entrepreneurs are advised to also plan for circumstances such as fuel scarcity, change in taxation policies and more that may have a huge impact on a business’ financial budget and expenses.
3. Emergency
Anything could go wrong without warning in business. If you’re operating in a country like Nigeria, your generator could need emergency repair, and equipment could get stolen.
These aren’t expenses you can accurately predict, so when they come up, they can affect finances. The best approach is to prepare and keep some money for any unexpected expenses. That way, you’re prepared to handle anything that pops up.
4. Subscription fees
These days, there are various tools that entrepreneurs are advised to have so as to help them track and monitor their businesses effectively without necessarily hiring the services of a pro. With business management softwares, business activities could be automated, bookkeeping, inventory, payroll, etc are made easy for business owners. All these sound great to the ears of an entrepreneur but these softwares aren’t free. Therefore, entrepreneurs must plan for expenses that are incurred in getting software and business management tools to ensure business growth.
5. Employee expenses.
Once you start hiring people to build a small team, you’ll start covering more expenses and if you’re not well prepared, your business will suffer. Working with employees means you’ll have to stock your workspace with supplies so they can work efficiently. You might need to reimburse them for work errands, travel, food and other items they need in the process of doing their tasks.
These are a few of the expenses that an entrepreneur will have to deal with in managing their business. But speaking with other entrepreneurs will further enlighten you on the possible expenses to expect in business. Do your research to understand all the types of expenses you’re likely to encounter in your business journey and plan ahead. Investors and potential partners are always eager to see how well you know such details about your business because it will prove to them that you know how to plan for the unexpected.
