Top small business money habits, according to accountants

When you’re running your own business, it’s hard to know if your habits are best practice, or if you could do better. How do you know if you have good money habits as a small business owner? Are you doing everything you can to be financially fit?

We thought it would be interesting to collect advice from the true experts in the space – the accountants, tax professionals, and finance experts who work with small business owners every day.

Specifically, we asked about the top money habits of their most successful clients

They shared some great words of wisdom around setting up good business practices, staying on top of cash flow, and in general – how to think about small business finances.

Check out our infographic below for more on what the experts had to say about the top money habits of successful small business owners:

Top money habits, according to accountants

For Joanie Mann of Cooper Mann Consulting, being money smart is all about consistency. She says budgets, goals, and financial plans are not like a timer that you can set once and then forget about. Regular review of your financial position is key to ensuring you are in control of your financial picture.

One theme that rang true for all of the experts we spoke with was the importance of cash flow. For small businesses, cash flow is everything. Armanino’s Blake Oliver says you have to make it easy to get paid. By offering multiple payment options, structuring contracts for upfront payment, and providing incentives means you won’t be sitting around for 30, 60, or even 90 days.

Caren Schwartz of Time & Cents Consultants says deferring billing and collecting is one of the biggest barriers to financial health for small business. Actively manage your company’s financial picture. Stay on top of accounts receivable to ensure you collect money in a timely manner.

Stay focused and protect your most valuable asset: time

Another point that stood out was the importance of spending time to create efficient processes for yourself. When you do this, you find more time to focus on your passions, inside and outside the office, says Christina Garza of Accountingprose. Understand that not every job has to fall to the business owner. Delegation or using tools to create efficiency can be effective ways to free up time.

Lee Reams of TaxBuzz encourages small business owners to stay laser-focused on their business model. It sounds simple, but when you’re running your own show, it’s incredibly important. One of the biggest mistakes small business owners make is wasting energy and money on projects outside the business’s mission. Being flashy, spending large, and trying too many things at once will only create chaos, instead of the brand you are trying to build. Stay focused on one goal, one problem at a time and you’ll achieve more.