If, like me, you?re in the early stages of launching your own venture, you?ll probably have realised by now that there?s absolutely nowhere to hide from the accounts. It doesn?t matter how great your idea or how much you love the actual ?doing?, you really really can?t ignore the financial side of your business.
But where on earth do you start? Is an Excel spreadsheet good enough? A full-on accounting package? What?s a legitimate expense? Personally, I?ve found this all rather baffling, and my confusion was in no way relieved when I took a look at the HM Revenue & Customs website for advice (no offence, HMRC, but really?).
Fortunately, there are sources of help. A good accountant who understands small businesses is invaluable, as are many online sources of information like ours. There?s also our new eBook, which gathers all the information you need into a single friendly and informative package.
Finance for small businesses
Finance for Small Business, written by regular EN contributor Emily Coltman, is a guide to everything you need to know about accounting when setting up your small business. Emily is chief accountant with FreeAgent and she?s been working with small firms for donkey?s years. She understands our pain (or so she tells me!).
Short, sweet and very informative, Finance for Small Businesses gives essential information on, among other things:
? the different ways to structure a business and the pros and cons of each
? everything you need to know about the taxes you have to pay, and when
? how to organise your paperwork and how long to keep records for
? what expenses you can and can?t claim tax relief on (a subject very close to my heart).
?All small business owners have to think about the finance and tax side of running a business,? says Emily. ?That?s not only to make sure they keep on the right side of HM Revenue & Customs, but also because a business without cash can?t survive and there?s a wealth of information a well-kept set of records can give.
?I aim to provide a map and compass to guide readers through, written in plain English and backed by more than ten years of acting as an accountant to small businesses.?
How to buy it
Finance for Small Businesses costs just £10 and if you?d like a copy you can buy it here.
And there?s more?
Keep an eye open, too, for some of our other new titles coming up in the next few weeks and months. We?ve been busy bees:
? Setting Up and Growing Your Business
? The Small Business Guide to China
? Networking Step By Step
? Crafting a Successful Small Business
Simon Wicks is Editor of Enterprise Nation
