#small-business
Financial management strategies and tools for small business owners
Learn what gross margin is, how to calculate it with the gross margin formula, industry benchmarks, the difference between gross margin and net margin, and seven proven strategies to improve your gross margin.
Understand the difference between gross and net across income, profit, pay, and revenue. Includes formulas, real-world examples, industry benchmarks, and common mistakes to avoid when analyzing your business finances.
Learn how to find the best CPA for your startup with this practical guide. Covers when you need a CPA vs. bookkeeper, six criteria for choosing the right one, typical 2026 fees, red flags to avoid, and how to maximize the relationship.
Learn how to pay yourself from an LLC, including owner's draws, salary, and guaranteed payments. Compare tax implications across LLC structures, understand IRS reasonable compensation rules, and find the best compensation strategy for your business.
A complete guide to creating professional invoices. Learn about the 13 essential elements of an invoice, common mistakes, payment terms, and tips to get paid faster.
Learn how to create professional invoices that get paid on time. This guide covers essential invoice elements, payment terms like Net 30 and 2/10 Net 30, common invoicing mistakes, types of invoices, template formats, and proven tips to accelerate payment collection for your business.
Learn what liabilities are in accounting, the difference between current, non-current, and contingent liabilities, key financial ratios for analyzing debt, and practical strategies to manage your business obligations effectively.
Learn the most important financial ratios every business owner should track, including liquidity, leverage, profitability, and efficiency ratios—with formulas, examples, benchmarks, and practical tips for using them effectively.
Learn what operating expenses are, how to calculate the operating expense ratio, the difference between OpEx and CapEx, where operating expenses appear on financial statements, tax implications, and eight practical strategies to reduce your operating costs.
Learn what a profit and loss statement is, how to read and create one for your small business, understand the difference between single-step and multi-step formats, calculate key profitability ratios, and avoid common P&L mistakes that could be costing you money.
Return on Assets (ROA) shows how efficiently a company uses its assets to generate profit.
A practical guide to startup accounting covering entity setup, cash vs. accrual methods, financial statements, tax essentials, and how to prepare your books for fundraising—so you can avoid costly mistakes and make better decisions from day one.
