Financial planning for business owners isn’t just personal financial planning for someone who happens to own a business.
Done right, this holistic solution integrates both personal and business financial planning topics. The integrated planning process aligns all of your resources – personal and business – so they work together to maximize your money toward achieving your personal life goals.
Effective financial planning for business owners requires a business-integrated strategic wealth plan.
As a business owner, you have unique needs, challenges, and opportunities.
I understand. I’ve been there.
I wish I had this type of solution available to me when I was running my last business.
Sure, I was successful. We had several dozen staff, millions in revenue, and after 18 years of growth, I negotiated a sale, providing my family with a comfortable exit.
But… looking back, I definitely didn’t maximize my money. I missed out on hundreds of thousands – perhaps even a million dollars or more – because I was on my own and learning “in real-time” while going through the process.
That’s why I now specialize as a financial planner for business owners and entrepreneurs. My passion is helping business owners like you make the most of what you have – through strategic planning.
Your business creates a special situation.
As a business owner, you’re busier than the average person. You likely also have a higher level of risk-related stress than “normal” people. Your family, employees, customers, and others depend on the success of your business.
You also have a tremendous opportunity for impact. Your position allows you to create, guide, nurture, and grow something larger than yourself. The business you’ve built can have an incredibly powerful effect on your household, your community and perhaps even the world!
Business and personal financial planning – separate AND together.
A quick word of advice…
If you haven’t already separated your personal and small business finances, make that a priority.
I’ve been through IRS audits before (thankfully without a single issue) and poorly managed financial data can really cause a ton of issues. Even if your finances are fine “in general”, co-mingling personal and business financials will cost you in both time and money.
Now, beyond systems to separate financials…
Both your business and personal financial situations have a tremendous impact on each other. You need to make sure they’re taken care of individually. But also make sure they coordinate toward achieving the same goals.
When speaking with business owners, I find that many are too busy to pay attention to their personal finances. Can you relate? I sure can!
Unfortunately, this often creates a situation where the business is doing well but isn’t contributing toward the achievement of your personal goals.
Having a business plan is important for the health and success of your business.
When you also have a personal financial plan that integrates the business’s plans – that’s when you really start to see traction and results.
Business-integrated strategic wealth planning
Most financial advisors who claim to specialize in business owners really don’t. They want to help you set up a retirement plan then extract as much money from the business as possible. Of course, then they want you to pay them to manage those investments.
That’s a huge red flag!
True holistic financial planning for business owners doesn’t just treat the business as a job.
Because it isn’t.
Your business is an asset and an investment. It needs to be considered as part of your overall investment portfolio – understanding and balancing risk and return across all of your assets.
While studies show that your business may be a high-risk investment, it is likely your investment with the highest return potential. To maximize the money generated by your business – both through compensation and profits but also from a future sale – requires thoughtful business management and financial planning.
As a fee-only CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ (CFP®) professional and small business owner, I have a special passion for this solution.
Are you ready to integrate your business into your overall financial plan? 