financial requirements

When starting your business, you need to put together a business plan. This plan sets out how you intend to operate your business and includes essential financial forecasts. These forecasts will help you determine how much funding the business is likely to require, what it is needed for and when you will need the money. See our guide on how to prepare a business plan.

Good planning will also make it easier to raise the money you need. Use your business plan to explain your business to your bank and other potential sources of finance. A good plan helps convince them that you know what you are doing and that it is worth risking their money backing you. See our guide on how to use your business plan to get funding.

How much will you need - and when?:It's essential to have an accurate idea of your financial needs. Once you've calculated the amount you'll need to cover your initial start-up costs, you'll also need to factor in your running expenses. Customers may not pay you immediately - but you will still need to pay all your bills to keep trading. It's sensible to have sufficient capital to cover projected expenses for at least six months.


Consider your own needs:At the same time, you need to make sure that you have taken into account how much money you need to live on. In the early stages, a new business is unlikely to produce spare cash that you can spend on yourself. See our guide: how do I survive until my business is off the ground.