5 Mistakes New Business Owners Make With Capital

Capital: Friend or Enemy?

More capital given to someone who mismanages it just means bigger losses.

Capital isn't the problem. Misusing capital is.

Mistake 1: Spending Before Separating

Money from sales comes in. Owner immediately starts spending without separating cost and profit.

The Fix: Before touching ANY sales money:

1. Set aside cost of goods

2. Set aside operating expenses

3. Set aside taxes

4. What remains is available profit

Mistake 2: Using Business Money for Personal Life

Business money pays for rent, family expenses, debts, outings.

The Problem: The business never builds capital. Every good month gets drained.

The Fix: Pay yourself a fixed salary. Personal expenses come from salary only.

Mistake 3: Buying Tools Instead of Customers

New owner buys laptop, logo, office, business cards—before having customers.

The Reality: None of these GET customers.

The Fix: Only buy tools AFTER you have paying customers.

Mistake 4: Not Knowing Real Costs

Prices based on what "feels right," not actual costs.

The Problem: Losing money on every sale without knowing it.

The Fix: Calculate TRUE cost including everything. Then price with real margin.

Mistake 5: Expanding Too Fast

First month goes well. Owner immediately doubles inventory, hires staff.

The Problem: Systems aren't ready. One bad month and everything collapses.

The Fix:

• Prove the model works for 3-6 months first
• Expand slowly
• Keep reserves

The Bottom Line

> Capital isn't your enemy. Misusing it is.

Start with less. Prove the model. Reinvest profits. Grow slowly but sustainably.

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*Get clarity on where your capital is going. Our Accounting Dashboard shows how money moves through your business.*