How to Build Wealth as a Small Business Owner

This blog post on how to build wealth as a small business owner was originally published on Venturize, a blog powered by our content partner Small Business Majority. This national organization and CDC content partner advocates for small business owners. (Post was written by Julia Jamieson.)

If you’re a new entrepreneur, it’s important to establish your small business finances. Once you have a bank account, a credit card, an accounting system and your finances are running smoothly, what’s next?

While it might take you several years to feel like you’re making a comfortable profit, it’s never too early to think about how you can use your business to build long-term wealth.

Achieving financial security as a small business requires intentional planning. At the most basic level, wealth building involves taking your sustainable business revenue and turning it into income that you invest (both back into your business and into your personal account) and save, leading to long-term wealth.

But wealth is not just income. It also includes financial assets such as stocks, bank accounts and receivables and non-financial assets, such as cars, property, real estate or inventory. You’ll want to have a strategy for building up your assets. Below are some key tactics to follow to build your wealth and secure your future.

1) Build your business’ cash reserves

Using part of your business income as a cash reserve can help you maintain positive cash flow and make sure you’re prepared for an emergency such as needing to repair a piece of equipment or covering a missed payment from a vendor.

2) Consider using a formula to distribute your business income

There are several suggestions out there that can guide what percentage of your revenue you reinvest into your business vs. what you take as salary. One suggestion is the 40-30-30 model — put 40% back into your business, 30% as salary and 30% for savings (including cash reserves and retirement investments.) But these guidelines might not make sense for your business.

For example, compare within your industry and age of business to help you determine what amount of salary you should draw. A small business counselor at a Small Business Development Center, or SBDC, or other support organization can help you make these calculations. 

3) Think about future capital needs before you actually need the funds

Part of maintaining positive cash flow and building assets is making sure you have the funds you need to expand or grow. Applying for a business loan or seeking other sources of capital while your business is doing well can help you ensure you’re able to capitalize on opportunities to grow as soon as they arise.

Related: What Do I Need for a Business Loan?

Don’t wait until you desperately need the money — if you have positive business revenue, it might be the right time to talk with your bank about establishing a line of credit or even taking out a loan. (Learn more by reading our article, “When you might need a loan.”)

4) Adopt a workplace-based retirement plan

Offering a retirement plan helps both you and your employees save for your future. Many small business owners don’t offer a plan because they are concerned about the cost, but there are many options available to small business owners, many of which include tax benefits for offering a plan or for contributing to it. (To learn more about your options, visit our Retirement Portal.)

Related: Introducing a New Way for Small Business Owners to Save for Retirement

5) Start thinking about what will happen to your business when you retire

Do you plan to pass your business off to a family member, sell it or dissolve it? A business succession plan can help you avoid costly financial or tax issues as you retire, saving you from expensive headaches. The SBA’s guide for “Selling a Small Business and Succession Planning for a Small Business” is a great place to start.

6) Seek out affordable support to help you plan for your future.

In addition to our own resources, there’s a number of free or low-cost resources out there to help you find help and business advising. Resources include:

• SBDCs, one of the largest networks of business advising services nationwide.
• Other SBA-affiliated resource centers like Women’s Business Centers, Minority Business Development Centers or Veteran’s Business Outreach Centers.
• Local mentors, particularly business owners who have already navigated these challenges. You can use resources like SCORE Mentors to find someone in your area.

As your business grows, you may eventually need to consult a financial advisor, accountant and/or lawyer to make sure your plans for the future are secure. But it’s never too early to start thinking and planning ahead for those days. Some careful planning now can help you leverage your small business to achieve economic freedom and independence.

For more on helpful articles on small business, visit Venturize’s website.

Looking for a business loan? CDC Small Business Finance is one of the nation’s leading small business lenders, with more than $18 billion provided in loans to entrepreneurs. We finance small business owners who typically would not qualify for conventional bank financing.

Tell our loan experts about your business, and they’ll work to match you with a financing plan that best suits you. Let’s talk! Reach us at loaninfo@cdcloans.com or (619) 243-8667.