Every new business will lose fresh
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It is important for every entrepreneur to understand that making money is not going to be easy. Don’t believe for a second that revenues will instantly start coming in and customers will start flocking around to buy your products. The reality is totally different, and you will fare much better if you understand that and plan for it beforehand, rather than get surprised later.
It is better to plan for losses and state that in your business plan. When monthly reviews are held with the board of directors, it is always better to explain how you have over-achieved your numbers instead of taking high targets initially and explaining negative variances each month.
Always remember that it is easier to ‘under-promise and over-deliver’ rather than ‘over-promise and under-deliver.’ The wise thing to do is build a ‘stretch’ in the business plan, which will give you the cushion you need to handle any contingency.
No one likes to lose money and yet, it is a well-recognised fact that most new businesses will lose money. Some businesses will lose money for longer periods than others because of the nature of the business, and retail businesses have very long gestation periods. Don’t feel ashamed if your business is losing money, as long as you can see the light at the end of tunnel.
All businesses will burn money and it is necessary to have sufficient funds in the bank to meet the burn. Most entrepreneurs and start-ups should plan for their losses and understand what the monthly burn is likely to be – so that at no stage the business will run out of funds.
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All businesses will be confronted with several unplanned costs, which will throw the entire cash planning out of gear. That is when the entrepreneur will have to scramble to raise additional funds.
The author is the chairman of Guardian Pharmacies and the author of the bestselling books, The Corner Office and The Buck Stops Here. Twitter: @gargashutosh