All small businesses will go through a series of ups and downs, and solving some of the problems that can arise, takes time and patience. Most owners of small businesses complain of not having enough time to do everything that is required of them, but finding time to update the books so that their bookkeeper can do their job efficiently, is one thing business owners must do if they’re to see their company thrive.

Here are 7 of the most common problems small businesses face and how a bookkeeper can help to solve them:

  1. There is no bookkeeping system in place!

Attempting to run a successful business with no bookkeeping system in place is a recipe for disaster. Without updated financial reports to analyse, you’re simply running your business blind. Keep your books up to date and employ a bookkeeper to help, is the single most significant way to ensure your businesses success.

  1. Cash flow

A qualified and professional bookkeeper will use online software tools to help them keep track of your businesses cashflow; without this, it can be hard to see exactly where your cash flow is and where it’s going.

  1. Stress

With a bookkeeper in place, you’re in a much better position to understand all the issues that concern most small business owners today, such as profitability, debt and sales. An updated bookkeeping system will answer all your questions at the touch of a button or two, minimizing your stress levels.

  1. Accountability

Holding everyone who works for you accountable, is made so much easier with the help of a bookkeeper. The system your bookkeeper uses can hold information regarding customers, vendors and employees, and enables you to review your financial reports with your sales team and other important employees. This then means that you can hold the right people responsible for the goals you set for your small business.

  1. Scalability

When you employ a bookkeeper to help you right from the outset, you’ll be in a much better position to accurately scale your business. Identifying trends is made much simpler, and you’ll find it easier to ensure that your small business meets or exceeds the goals that you’ve set for it. As your business expands, your bookkeeping needs will change, but with a bookkeeper on board already, these changes can easily be identified and acted upon.

  1. Being ready for investors

Not being able to produce updated balance sheets, and/or accurate data regarding profits and losses, will not help secure interest from any prospective investors. How can you expect others to invest in you and your business if you’re not able to show them just where your company is currently at financially, and where you expect it to be in the future? With a bookkeeper to help, this information should be readily available and can be shown to prospective investors promptly, before they lose interest and look elsewhere.

Give yourself the time to focus on what you need to, by hiring a qualified bookkeeper; making sure that you have the information ready for them so that they can do their job efficiently.