Business finance
Most small businesses that close were busy right up to the end. The problem was rarely effort; it was cash, pricing or costs nobody was watching. Start here to learn the numbers that keep a business alive, explained with real examples and calculators you can use on your own figures.
Guides
12 guides
- Business financeHow to Improve Cash Flow in a Small BusinessPractical ways to improve cash flow in a small business, from getting paid faster to controlling payments and forecasting ahead, with a worked example.
- Business financeHow to Calculate Your Business Profit MarginLearn how to calculate gross and net profit margin for your business, with clear formulas and a step-by-step example using round numbers you can check.
- Business financeHow to Price Your Products for ProfitLearn how to price your products for profit using full costs, overheads and a target margin, with step-by-step examples you can adapt to your own business.
- Business financeHow Much Should a Freelancer Set Aside for Taxes Each Year?Learn how much a freelancer should set aside for taxes, using the 2026 self-employment rate, quarterly due dates and the prior-year safe harbor.
- Business financeHow to Calculate a Freelance Hourly Rate That Covers CostsUse one formula to set a freelance hourly rate that covers your living costs, business expenses, tax and a buffer, with a worked example you can copy.
- Business financeHow to Calculate Your Break-Even PointLearn the break-even point formula in units and sales value, sort fixed and variable costs, and work through bakery, salon and freelancer examples.
- Business financeHow to Create a Simple Cash-Flow ForecastLearn how to build a simple cash-flow forecast for your business, month by month, with a worked example and a checklist you can use this week.
- Business financeHow to Manage a Field Sales Team Without Losing MoneyLearn what a field sales team really costs, how to measure visits and orders per rep, and how to set sales targets that protect your profit margin.
- Business financeHow to Separate Business and Personal FinancesKeep business and personal money apart with a separate account, a fixed pay rule and simple records. Follow the steps and see a worked example.
- Business financeProfit vs Cash Flow: Why Profitable Businesses Still FailProfit and cash flow are not the same thing. Learn why profitable businesses can still run out of money, and how to spot the gap early enough to act.
- Business financeWhat to Do When a Client Pays Late: Steps That WorkWhat to do when a client pays late, with a dated reminder timeline, rules for pausing work, deposit ideas and a worked $2,000 invoice example you can copy.
- Business financeWorking Capital Explained for Small Business OwnersLearn what working capital means, how to calculate it from your balance sheet, and why it can differ from your cash, with a simple worked example.
Tools for this topic
- Profit margin calculatorSee your gross and net margin from revenue and costs.
- Break-even calculatorFind how much you must sell each month before you make a profit.
- Pricing and markup calculatorTurn a cost and a target margin into a selling price.
- 12-month cash-flow forecastProject your bank balance a year ahead and spot the tight months.
- Loan repayment calculatorWork out the monthly payment and total interest on a loan.