When you’re first starting up in business and developing your business plan, financial advice can make a huge difference to how easily you can access funding and find your feet. What many people don’t realise, however, is that it remains important going forward. Just as you should always be updating your business plan, with particular attention to financial reports and predictions, you should always be ready to seek financial advice when you’re ready to make a significant business decision. It may cost money, but it can save you a lot – and help you make more – over the long term.
Insurance
Taking out the right insurance for your business and personnel is really important. No matter what the regulations say, insurance companies have a vested interest in trying to make you pay a lot but get as little coverage as possible, so it’s difficult to find the right deal and make sure that it provides all the coverage you need just by talking to them and looking through their policies. Bringing in a specialist to help means that you don’t need to worry about being fooled by the small print and you won’t end up paying over the odds.
Investment and mergers
Whether you’re looking to acquire stock in another company or you’re actually considering a takeover, getting the right advice means that you’ll have a much clearer idea of the value of what you’re buying and how that’s likely to change over time. Investment advice is also important when it comes to managing your capital reserves and making them work for you while minimising risk.
If you’re thinking of merging with another company, it’s essential that you understand the true value of your assets and its assets. Independent financial advice will help you to assess this and can also help you to identify potential pitfalls associated with the merger.
Working internationally
When you’re working internationally, the business of moving money between countries while minimising losses on the exchange rate and in fees can become very complicated. It’s also difficult trying to deal with the different financial regulations and reporting requirements in different countries. You’ll need a really good finance team to manage all this, and until you can afford to pay for one in house, getting help from independent financial advisors is the practical way forward. It’s particularly important when you’re negotiating new overseas deals or setting up new branches abroad.
Dealing with debt
Even the best planning can’t always prepare you for problems in the wider economy. If your business runs into trouble with money, you may feel that the last thing that you should be doing is spending some of what remains on getting advice. A good financial advisor could, however, be just what you need. The right support from a professional can help you to regain control of your cash flow, manage your debt sensibly, and get back into a position where you’re bringing in more than you’re spending. With creditors kept at bay and a sound financial plan in place, you stand a much better chance of getting back on your feet.
Getting help
There are various sources of free financial advice available to help you through smaller decisions. Government help is available when you’re starting up and through your first three years of operation. Some banks also offer free advice. These services can be slow to access, however, and they’re limited in what they can offer, focusing mostly on the basics of day-to-day operations rather than on the markets or the more complicated decisions that you’ll need to make as you progress.
Shard Capital Partners LLP is a company that offers a wide range of financial advice services and can help you with every aspect of your business finance. If you choose to bring in a professional financial advice company, you can develop a relationship over time that gives you access to bespoke advice whenever you need it, even if you’re working to a short deadline. It makes staying on top of the financial challenges that your business faces much easier.
Most people go into business because they have strong ideas about products or services and how to provide them. Finance is a tricky area to get the hang of, especially if you’re starting from scratch. When you find a financial advisor who you feel that you can trust, it really takes the pressure off. You won’t need to develop a whole extra layer of expertise in order to move forward and develop your ideas. You can progress with confidence, knowing that the decisions you make are well supported, and your business is much more likely to flourish.
