Yet countless business owners still manage their finances by themselves—not because they like punishment, but because they believe they’re saving money by doing so. Particularly for early-stage companies, an accountant or accounting department seems like a luxury that’s difficult to justify.
This belief frequently has little basis in reality. For a growing business, outsourced accounting can absolutely be worth the cost. By outsourcing your company’s books, you can save money on taxes, make better use of your and your team’s time, and gain the perspective you need to more effectively communicate about your organization and your vision.
Here are a few reasons outsourced accounting is worth the cost:
Burn rate is a matter of life and death—startup life and death. It’s the difference between companies that survive for years and those that shutter within months. It’s a critical metric for any investor considering supporting your business. And it’s frequently misunderstood and underestimated by the people who should be paying attention to it most.
Here’s what you need to know about burn rates, including what they are, why they matter, and how to calculate yours—and determine if it’s where it should be.
Congrats! You’ve begun exciting process of launching a new startup. So, what's next? Well, it's time to prepare yourself for a lot of decision making, decisions that can directly impact how successful your company is in the future. If you’re looking to grow your business in the coming months—and let’s be real, who isn’t looking for that—this is the time to be intentional, to get laser-focus on building a strong foundation that empowers you to handle any uncertainties that inevitably will arise.
This is easier said than done, especially for a new business that might be dealing with limited funds and even less time. To help you get started, we’ve got some basic strategies to creating an organized, structured approach for future expansion and growth.
GAAP. It may seem like accounting jargon, but if your business is entering a Series A round and you’ve begun to have serious discussions with potential sources of capital, those four letters can be the difference between securing and losing out on funding. That’s because investors, banks, and other outside parties expect your business to comply with GAAP.
Let’s back up. What is GAAP accounting, and why is it important? What are the benefits of GAAP? When is GAAP necessary? Which businesses must use GAAP?
So many questions, so few clear answers out there for business owners who aren’t already CPAs. Here’s everything you need to know about GAAP—what it means, why it matters to your startup, its pros and cons, and when you should start thinking about making the switch to GAAP accounting.
The invention of smartphones forever changed the way we work with each other. Information is available anywhere we want it, whenever we need it. Whether it's finding a decent cup of coffee within walking distance or filing your taxes, everything can be done on the move. And when you’re a busy startup founder, having your business operations available at your fingertips means less time doing menial tasks and more time finding that secret sauce to success.
Of course, there are just some things that can’t easily be done on a tiny, 3 inch screen—building a financial presentation for your next board of directors could be tricky when your thumbs are bigger than that microscopic keyboard. Yet, when it comes to resolving basic accounting tasks or asking a question about your business taxes, accounting apps just make sense.
As the state of technology continues to evolve, inDinero looks ahead, ensuring businesses have what they need to succeed, from mobile apps to CFOs available to guide you through your next funding round.
They’re the two words that can make or break a deal with an investor—the two words that cause even the most seasoned entrepreneurs to grimace:
Due diligence.
Make no mistake: due diligence can be stressful. But amidst all the fun and exciting parts of attracting investors to your business—innovating, creating a brand, traveling, pitching ideas, forging new connections—due diligence is always a necessary step. It’s how you build trust with investors. It’s where you show your work.
It’s that time of year again. Tax season. This time, you’re sure you’ve got things under control. Yes, you’re stressed, you have eight different spreadsheets open on your screen, and you’re waiting for yet another government website to load, but you’re almost at the finish line. And after spending hours filling out multiple forms—triple-checking that you’ve made the right estimated payments, tracked the right expenses, and applied the right deductions—you finally file your taxes.
If there is one statement that holds true for all startup founders regardless of industry, it's this—there just aren't enough hours in the day. Between developing and promoting your product managing finances and fundraising, and overseeing vendors, clients, and employees (not to mention living your personal life), you can’t get it all done in a day. Thankfully, technology can alleviate some of that burden and help you work more efficiently. Here are five ways technology can help you add hours to your day..
Let me put that number into perspective. In 2016, the SaaS public market was worth $38.5 billion. We’re talking about an already-booming industry with the power to nearly double in size in just four years.
Which leads me to my other piece of good news: SaaS companies present enormous opportunities for investors. But you probably knew that. Maybe you have a few investors on board and engaged in a funding round right now.
In any case, I’m here to help you attract investors and consistently exceed their expectations. The key, much like that $76 billion figure above, lies in the numbers. Take a look at a few essential metrics investors pay close attention to when evaluating your company’s performance:
What is a 409A valuation? Why is it important, and when do you need one?
Countless startup founders have asked these questions, and yet the answers remain frustratingly long and tedious. Like so many tax-related topics, 409A valuations are in desperate need of a rebrand. The term derives not from a jumble of numbers and letters picked from a hat, but from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, which regulates nonqualified deferred compensation paid to plan participants.
Bored yet? Let’s break down the essential things you need to know about this complicated topic.
Portland
Is Outsourced Accounting Worth the Cost?
September 10, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to Taxes, Accounting
Hate using your time to keep track of your business’s finances? You’re in good company. Many business owners consider bookkeeping, accounting, and tax filing the least enjoyable aspects of running their companies.
Yet countless business owners still manage their finances by themselves—not because they like punishment, but because they believe they’re saving money by doing so. Particularly for early-stage companies, an accountant or accounting department seems like a luxury that’s difficult to justify.
This belief frequently has little basis in reality. For a growing business, outsourced accounting can absolutely be worth the cost. By outsourcing your company’s books, you can save money on taxes, make better use of your and your team’s time, and gain the perspective you need to more effectively communicate about your organization and your vision.
Here are a few reasons outsourced accounting is worth the cost:
What Is the Ideal Burn Rate for a Growing Company?
September 04, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to inDinero Academy, Accounting, Business Advice, Business
Burn rate is a matter of life and death—startup life and death. It’s the difference between companies that survive for years and those that shutter within months. It’s a critical metric for any investor considering supporting your business. And it’s frequently misunderstood and underestimated by the people who should be paying attention to it most.
Here’s what you need to know about burn rates, including what they are, why they matter, and how to calculate yours—and determine if it’s where it should be.
6 Strategies To Help Any Startup Stay Organized
August 26, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to Business Advice, Startup Tips
Congrats! You’ve begun exciting process of launching a new startup. So, what's next? Well, it's time to prepare yourself for a lot of decision making, decisions that can directly impact how successful your company is in the future. If you’re looking to grow your business in the coming months—and let’s be real, who isn’t looking for that—this is the time to be intentional, to get laser-focus on building a strong foundation that empowers you to handle any uncertainties that inevitably will arise.
This is easier said than done, especially for a new business that might be dealing with limited funds and even less time. To help you get started, we’ve got some basic strategies to creating an organized, structured approach for future expansion and growth.
GAAP: What It Is and Why Your Investors Expect It
June 25, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to Investment, Business Advice, Funding
GAAP. It may seem like accounting jargon, but if your business is entering a Series A round and you’ve begun to have serious discussions with potential sources of capital, those four letters can be the difference between securing and losing out on funding. That’s because investors, banks, and other outside parties expect your business to comply with GAAP.
Let’s back up. What is GAAP accounting, and why is it important? What are the benefits of GAAP? When is GAAP necessary? Which businesses must use GAAP?
So many questions, so few clear answers out there for business owners who aren’t already CPAs. Here’s everything you need to know about GAAP—what it means, why it matters to your startup, its pros and cons, and when you should start thinking about making the switch to GAAP accounting.
Never Miss A Beat with the inDinero App: Introducing the Mobile To-Do List
April 25, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to Accounting, Business Advice, inDinero Product Updates, Startup Tips
The invention of smartphones forever changed the way we work with each other. Information is available anywhere we want it, whenever we need it. Whether it's finding a decent cup of coffee within walking distance or filing your taxes, everything can be done on the move. And when you’re a busy startup founder, having your business operations available at your fingertips means less time doing menial tasks and more time finding that secret sauce to success.
Of course, there are just some things that can’t easily be done on a tiny, 3 inch screen—building a financial presentation for your next board of directors could be tricky when your thumbs are bigger than that microscopic keyboard. Yet, when it comes to resolving basic accounting tasks or asking a question about your business taxes, accounting apps just make sense.
As the state of technology continues to evolve, inDinero looks ahead, ensuring businesses have what they need to succeed, from mobile apps to CFOs available to guide you through your next funding round.
Due Diligence: What It Is, What to Expect, and How to Make It Out Alive
February 15, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to Investment, Funding, Startup Tips
They’re the two words that can make or break a deal with an investor—the two words that cause even the most seasoned entrepreneurs to grimace:
Due diligence.
Make no mistake: due diligence can be stressful. But amidst all the fun and exciting parts of attracting investors to your business—innovating, creating a brand, traveling, pitching ideas, forging new connections—due diligence is always a necessary step. It’s how you build trust with investors. It’s where you show your work.
5 Common Ways Small Businesses Screw Up When Filing Their Taxes
January 30, 2019 Posted by Celene Robert to Taxes
It’s that time of year again. Tax season. This time, you’re sure you’ve got things under control. Yes, you’re stressed, you have eight different spreadsheets open on your screen, and you’re waiting for yet another government website to load, but you’re almost at the finish line. And after spending hours filling out multiple forms—triple-checking that you’ve made the right estimated payments, tracked the right expenses, and applied the right deductions—you finally file your taxes.
5 Tech Tips to Add Hours to Your Day
January 04, 2019 Posted by Patrick Hearn to Accounting, Business, Startup Tips
If there is one statement that holds true for all startup founders regardless of industry, it's this—there just aren't enough hours in the day. Between developing and promoting your product managing finances and fundraising, and overseeing vendors, clients, and employees (not to mention living your personal life), you can’t get it all done in a day. Thankfully, technology can alleviate some of that burden and help you work more efficiently. Here are five ways technology can help you add hours to your day..
3 Essential SaaS Metrics to Exceed Investor Expectations
December 21, 2018 Posted by Celene Robert to Accounting, Business, Funding, Startup Tips
If you run a Software as a Service (SaaS) company—that is, if you provide licensed software via the cloud—I have some good news for you. SaaS is on track to reach a public market value of $76 billion in 2020.
Let me put that number into perspective. In 2016, the SaaS public market was worth $38.5 billion. We’re talking about an already-booming industry with the power to nearly double in size in just four years.
Which leads me to my other piece of good news: SaaS companies present enormous opportunities for investors. But you probably knew that. Maybe you have a few investors on board and engaged in a funding round right now.
In any case, I’m here to help you attract investors and consistently exceed their expectations. The key, much like that $76 billion figure above, lies in the numbers. Take a look at a few essential metrics investors pay close attention to when evaluating your company’s performance:
The 8 Essentials of 409A Valuations
December 17, 2018 Posted by Celene Robert to Business Advice, Startup Tips
What is a 409A valuation? Why is it important, and when do you need one?
Countless startup founders have asked these questions, and yet the answers remain frustratingly long and tedious. Like so many tax-related topics, 409A valuations are in desperate need of a rebrand. The term derives not from a jumble of numbers and letters picked from a hat, but from Section 409A of the Internal Revenue Code, which regulates nonqualified deferred compensation paid to plan participants.
Bored yet? Let’s break down the essential things you need to know about this complicated topic.