Why most South African SMEs run out of cash before they run out of customers
I want to start with a story that I have heard more times than I care to count. A business owner comes to me — frustrated, exhausted and confused. Their order book is full. Their phone is ringing. Clients are happy. On the surface, everything looks like success. But underneath it all, there is a […]
Performance is everything — but what performance means is entirely up to you
Different meanings Ask ten South African business owners what performance means to them and you will get ten different answers. One will say it is turnover. Another will say it is profit margin. A third will say it is how many clients they retained this year. Someone else will say it is whether they made […]
You Need a True Accounting Partnership, Not Just Compliance
Why Your Business Needs a True Accounting Partnership, Not Just Compliance Running a business is complex, and managing your financials shouldn’t be a daunting, frustrating chore. Yet many entrepreneurs often see their accountant as just a once-a-year necessity, only contacted when deadlines loom. If that sounds familiar, it’s time for a mindset shift. In this […]
Four reasons why you’re not using a budget
You have all heard how important budgets are. But if you have never used a budget, why start now? Here are four reasons why companies do not have budgets or, if they have them, do not use them effectively. 1. They are incorrect or out of date Budgets are much like goals or dreams. They […]
Cash Flow: 7 No-Brainers for Improving It
Cash flow The lack of cash in a business is not an external issue, but an internal one. If you want to change this problem, you have to be serious about your business financial health and make the tough decisions. Once this one decision is made – you will never look back or regret making the […]
VAT: What you actually can claim but did not know about
“Who loves paying VAT?” Sadly, more often than not, no one puts their hand up. Everyone pays VAT in one form or another. It affects everybody, no matter who you are, read more about this here. That said, here are a few tips in terms of what must be done regarding the VAT requirements. Number one […]
Business complacency: the business killer!
Business complacency is more common than you would think. COVID-19 and the rapid change of the world put that into the spotlight. Those who adapted, survived and those that didn’t either didn’t or came close to not surviving. For millions of years, humans have had to change in order to survive. Our ancestors had to […]
Are you running a cashless business?
Running a cashless business is an ideal in todays world. There are obvious advantages but will it take over completely? Could we have a cashless world? Many businesses, like mine, don’t deal with cash and never have and never will but some businesses rely heavily on the use of cash. The obvious example is the […]
Expenses, what are they and how do they work?
Expenses are costs incurred in order to run your business. They are paid for by the income your business earns from sales. The costs are used in the calculation of nett profit and the taxable income. Expenses and cost of sales are often confused and used for the same meaning. They are different and they […]
5 questions to ask your accountant
We have drafted 5 questions to ask your accountant so you know what is required from you and what you can expect from them. 1) How much do you charge and how do these suit my needs and pocket? Fees are worked out according to your specific needs. There is no “one package for all […]