As exciting as launching your own business can be, it’s important to remember that success rarely comes for free. The saying “you need to spend money, to make money” is one that often comes up in the entrepreneurial world. However, while many would-be business owners know that they’re going to have to tap into their savings to get their company off the ground, they’re not fully aware of the expenses that can be involved in running a business.
According to one study from the Kauffmann Foundation, startup costs for a small business can average out at around $30,000. Of course, the amount it costs to get your organization running will depend on a number of things, including how much your product costs to make, and how much you have to pay for things like overhead and utilities.
While startup costs in any industry can pile up relatively quickly, knowing what to expect can mean that you’re better prepared when you’re planning for things like website development, real-estate, and initial inventory costs. Here, we’ll be looking at some of the hidden costs that business owners often overlook in the excitement of starting a new venture.
Insurance
When you’re first starting out as an entrepreneur, it’s tempting to think that all you need is an internet connection and a healthy supply of inventory to start making a profit. However, there are a lot of other expenses to think about if you want to launch your company successfully and protect it in the long-term. For instance, insurance provides you with a critical safety net in case anything goes wrong when you’re running your company.
Although you might not feel as though you need insurance at first, as time goes on, the need for various forms of protection is likely to increase. For instance, you may need not only small business insurance, but also liability insurance, omissions and errors insurance, workers compensation, and more.
How much you’ll need to spend on any policy will depend on various factors, including the size and type of business you’re running, your industry, location, and any previous issues you might have had. You can easily spend more than a thousand dollars each year on insurance alone.
Employee Perks and Benefits
While you may have already thought of “salary” as one of the many expenses you’ll need to deal with as a new company, a lot of entrepreneurs overlook the importance of those added extras that make employment so appealing to their staff. Benefits and perks are a crucial component of what you pay out each month, and according to some studies, the average cost can run to about 1.4 times the basic rate of pay.
This means that a $50,000 wage could quickly become about $70,000 by the time you’ve finished accounting for healthcare, vacation time, and other perks. Make sure that you know exactly how much you’re going to pay altogether before you start promising your employees the world.
Alternatively, you could work with freelancers that wouldn’t expect the above-mentioned benefits. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t offer some perks. Something as simple, and comparatively less-expensive, as a monthly fresh-roasted coffee subscriptioncould do the trick or a gift card to a restaurant they mentioned they like.
Permits and Fees
Depending on the industry you choose to operate in, and the types of things you want to sell, you may need to invest in a number of fees and permits just to make your company legal. Some business owners don’t realize just how much cash can go into things like liquor licenses and retail permits. The best way to make sure you’re prepared is to do your research into the necessary expenses for your industry before you launch your business. For instance, you might need:
- A fire department permit if your business deals with flammable materials
- An air and water pollution permit if your company burns any materials or use products that produce gas (including paint sprayers)
- County permits that allow you to trade within your chosen neighborhood
- Sales tax licenses or certificates of authenticity
- Health department permits if you run a business that deals with food and drink
Taxes
Taxes are one of the most frustrating parts of running your own business. When you were an employee of another company, the chances are that you probably didn’t spend too much time thinking about your taxes. While you likely paid your fair share, most of the hard work will have been automated by your payroll department. This means that you barely noticed the money going out of your bank account.
Unfortunately, when you become a self-employed business owner, things get a lot more complicated. Self-employment tax can cost a lot more than you might think, and it can also lead to other expenses that are associated with managing your cash flow. For instance, if you want to make sure you don’t make any mistakes on your returns, you might want to invest in a professional accountant.
Administrative Costs
Administrative costs are sneaky. A lot of companies assume that they only have to pay out once for things like phones, computers, printers, and office supplies, and then they’re done until something breaks. Unfortunately, administrative costs can become an ongoing expense when you think about the costs of software licenses, paper, ink, and even paperclips.
Individually, the everyday items you buy like office cleaning supplies and healthy snacksmight not cost very much. However, as your business grows, you may find that your administrative costs quickly add up to a significant price tag. Buying in bulk early can help to keep your expenses down in some cases.
Shrinkage
Finally, shrinkage is a common expense often overlooked by retailers who sell physical products. If you run your own brick and mortar business, or even when you’re selling physical items online, there’s always a chance that shrinkage can occur. In fact, some numbers suggest that shrinkage can cost retailers up to $45 billion each year!
Shrinkage can happen for a number of reasons, from packages that get lost during shipping, to issues with shoplifting and employee theft. Even something as simple as a paperwork error can cause you some serious problems with your cashflow. The good news is that if you catch the signs of shrinkage early, you can sometimes reduce your risk. However, most companies will find that’s impossible to eliminate shrinkage entirely.
Ultimately, there are plenty of expenses involved with running a company that are easy to overlook – particularly when it’s your first time as an entrepreneur. Making a list like the one above and making sure that you’re prepared for every expense can prevent you from facing a nasty shock when you launch your company.
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Guest post: About the Author
Raj Jana launched his own business when he realized that there weren’t enough sustainable solutions out there for those in search of their daily caffeine fix. When he’s not busy running JavaPresse, he shares his stories and experiences with the world through blogs and articles.