Published on October 29th, 2020 | by Bibhuranjan
0Entrepreneur Expenditures: What You Need to Know
Are you thinking about starting your own business? Many people aspire to be an entrepreneur and it certainly can be rewarding and put you in control of your career, but it is important that people are aware of the various costs that are involved in being an entrepreneur in terms of both setting up and running a business. Here are just a few of the main costs to consider when being an entrepreneur and starting your own business.
Office Space
A major cost that needs to be considered is a space for your business whether this is leasing an office or purchasing a property. One good solution is to opt for remote working, which could save you a fortune and brings a range of other benefits provided that you have a suitable space at home for working. On top of this, there will then be utility costs to cover which will include electricity, gas and internet. It is a good idea to shop around to find the best deals which could help you to make big savings over the long term.
Business Equipment
Every business will have certain equipment and this is another major cost. This might be industry-specific equipment or simply just items like computers and printers. There are then various other related costs to factors in, such as software, which can all add up. It is essential that you are able to operate your business to a high-standard from the very start, so it is important that you have all of the equipment and software that you need from the start. There are always ways to bring these costs down, such as leasing or buying second-hand.
Stock
For businesses selling a product, stock will be a major cost to cover initially and you may want to shop around to get the best deal – most suppliers will offer 30 days’ credit or more in some circumstances.
Web Development & Marketing
In today’s day and age, every business needs to have a strong online presence and this will come at a cost. This is likely to include web design from a professional web design agency along with internet marketing from an established agency – this is an area that should be invested in heavily as it will be vital for attracting people to your businesses. It is possible to do these areas yourself, but for the best results, you will want to use an experienced company which will also allow you to focus on other areas when setting up your business.
Staff
Staffing costs are another important cost to consider when setting up and running your business. Outsourcing can be a smart way to keep staffing costs down because you do not have to pay a salary or other employee costs, but you might find that it is helpful to have some employees helping with the business. Recruitment is a key stage and not one that should be rushed as your staff will have a huge impact on the overall success of the company.
Travel
Even if working remotely, it is likely that there will be regular travel costs involved when it comes to meeting clients, suppliers, investors etc. Checking the train times and booking tickets online is a good way to do this and could be a better option than driving when you consider the various costs involved in motoring (it is also more environmentally-friendly).
Insurance
Having insurance in place from the very start is essential and could help your business to survive if you encounter a legal issue. There are various types of business insurance to learn about, so make sure that you have adequate coverage for your particular business before starting. It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to business insurance, especially for a smaller business that could struggle if it were to encounter some kind of lawsuit. A few of the main types of business insurance to consider include:
- Professional liability insurance
- Property insurance
- Workers’ compensation insurance
- Product liability insurance
- Business interruption insurance
Loan Repayments
These are a few of the main costs that you will encounter when starting and running your own business. As you can see, these costs can be significant which is why most entrepreneurs need to take out a business loan to cover the costs – this can be preferable to finding an investor as you do not have to give up any control or ownership. Business loans can be a great way to get the business up and running, but you will need to factor in the repayments and it is absolutely vital that you keep up with these.
These are a few of the main costs involved in being an entrepreneur and it is important that these are all factored in when setting up a company and creating a business plan.
Cover Photo from NeedPix