Business can be a complicated venture, especially when it comes to making money. You can have the best idea for a business and drive sales in the millions, but if you are not managing your money well and consistently generating a profit from your business, it will die.
Cash is the lifeline of a business.
Coin stacks
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You need a consistent amount of cash coming into the business to meet the financial obligations that must be paid out. This is a continuous cycle of cash going in and out of the business, so it makes sense that if you are not operating your business at a profit that the expenses will exceed the revenue coming in, and your cash supply dries up.
Business owners need to be making consistent profit in their business for their business to survive.
What is profit?
Profit = sales – expenses
Profit is all the sales for a specified period (i.e., month, quarter or year) less all the expenses incurred by a business in that same period, and if you are left with a positive amount, you have profit. If the result is negative, then you have a loss.
Profit is what fuels a business, not sales. Yes, sales are essential in a company. Still, suppose you are consistently spending more money on your business than what you are making. In that case, you are operating at a loss, and the capital in your business will evaporate, and your business will die.
Margin Concept Graph
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What is profit margin?
Profit margin = (revenue – expenses)/revenue
The goal of your business should be to have the highest profit margins possible so that you can make the most money possible in your business. As business owners, when you create the most profit potential, that’s the money you get to keep as business owners.
Depending on your business goals, you would either reinvest the profit in your business to grow your business or pay yourself out as a business owner.
Why is profit important in business?
Companies cannot stay in business without profit. There are times when companies go through hard times and can survive in the short term because they can tap into the capital that they have to carry them through.
But when capital runs out, the business will shut its doors. No business can survive with perpetual losses. Therefore, profit is a vital part of the business.
You may have heard people tell you that if you are short on cash in your business to make more sales. This is not the best strategy if you do not have a good financial foundation in your business.
Having a solid financial foundation in your business allows you to grow your business wisely. The financial foundation is what your business is built. If you start to grow your business too quickly or without ensuring a solid financial foundation, you will have a hard time managing your business and making it profitable.
The bottom line is profit is essential in business. Creating profit in a business requires financial planning for that business. Never start a business blindly and create a plan and a roadmap to achieve your financial goals.
