The first half of 2023 just flew by; how did your results compare with your financial goals for business?
If you haven’t already done it, now is the perfect time to perform a mid-year “health check.” Reflect on your progress, identify bottlenecks, and assess if you’ve seized the right new growth opportunities. Setting financial goals alone isn’t enough –you must review them periodically to ensure you are on the right track.
Now, how exactly should you go about a mid-year health check? Worry not – this article will highlight the significance of setting and reviewing goals alongside the importance of mid-year health checks.
Review Your Current Financial Performance
Reviewing your current financial performance involves assessing various aspects of your business. Here are a few things to get started with:
- Assess revenue and sales performance: Have you met your ambitious targets? What is the outlook for the rest of the year? Address the biggest deviations from your expectations and identify trends in your business to know what is working and what you should improve.
- Analyze profitability and margins: Profitability is critical for cash flow. Does your pricing structure enable you to achieve profitability targets? If not, consider optimizing your cost structure or raising prices.
- Evaluate cash flow and liquidity: Cash flow is the backbone of your business. Are you generating enough of it? Assess your cash flow statement to determine if your cash at hand will enable you to meet your operational costs and finance your growth. Additionally, evaluate your liquidity to ensure you can navigate emergencies.
- Identify areas of strength and weakness: By reviewing your financial performance, you will know where your business excels and areas that need work. Knowing your strengths enables you to capitalize on them while working on your weakness helps overcome challenges.
Revisit Your Annual Financial Goals
Revisiting your annual financial goals during the mid-year health check helps you know where to improve.
Begin by reviewing the initial financial goals set for the year. Have you made progress towards achieving them? Remember to celebrate the results of your hard work!
But don’t forget about areas where you haven’t performed. Continuous improvement requires constant assessment and adjustments. Do your best to eliminate external factors that block your team.
After assessing your progress from the first half, set realistic goals for the remainder of the year. Identify your current pace and the resources available to you. Are you on track to reach your targets?
Cash Flow Management
Cash flow management is crucial for a company that lasts. Better financial management will enable you to invest in growth and weather storms.
Begin by analyzing your cash flow patterns and industry trends up to this point. It will let you know if you are on the right track and even help you know if there are any bottlenecks in your cash flow.
Address any weak points and try to improve your flow. Remember, the aim is to have a consistent, predictable cash flow.
Finally, revise cash flow projections for the rest of the year and define your path forward.
Expense Review and Optimization
A comprehensive expense analysis is crucial when conducting a mid-year health check. Do you know where your money goes? It’s normal for subscriptions, services, and other expenses to add up over time. But there’s no sense in paying for things you don’t need or use and aren’t critical to business success or employee satisfaction.
Once you have identified areas that need improvement, act quickly to maximize savings and cash flow. Consider alternative vendors or suppliers who provide quality products at competitive prices.
Remember that finding ways to reduce energy consumption can be a powerful lever for cutting expenses. You’ll manage to adjust budget allocations based on current priorities and enhance your business’s financial efficiency.
Assess Debt and Financial Obligations
Business debt can be crucial for financing growth. But regularly reviewing outstanding debts and loans should be part of your mid-year and annual business health checks.
Check outstanding amounts, interest rates, and the repayment terms for each debt. Are high-interest rates eating up your profits? Are you using those funds to grow, or are they idling in a checking account?
If yes, explore opportunities to consolidate your debts. You might be able to lower your interest rates, simplify repayment terms, and improve your cash flow.
Review Investment and Saving Strategies
Evaluating investment performance and returns is another tool that can provide valuable insights into how effectively the company utilizes its capital and whether the current investment strategy is yielding the expected returns.
This assessment also helps ensure the investments align with the company’s risk tolerance and financial goals. It’s a great time to identify opportunities for diversification or rebalancing, which can help mitigate risks and optimize returns.
A mid-year review is ideal for reviewing retirement savings and employee benefit plans. These can give you a competitive edge in talent acquisition and retention and ensure that these plans are adequately funded and managed. Ultimately, your mid-year review of investment and savings strategies can significantly contribute to an organization’s financial stability and success.
Tax Planning and Compliance
Taxes can be some of your most significant expenses, and compliance is essential for any business. Overpaying on taxes can eat into your profits and cash flow. Anything you can do to legally reduce your tax liabilities while ensuring compliance is a win for your cash flow.
As a founder, you ensure the business fulfills its tax obligations and liabilities.
This is one part of the business where professional advice on tax dos and don’ts is invaluable.
Adjust Financial Projections and Forecasts
One vital thing you should do during the mid-year health check is review revenue and sales forecasts. Your business doesn’t operate in a vacuum; you are subject to current industry and market trends. Asses and modify your expense projections based on the latest forecasts and market insights.
Create Actionable Steps for the Remaining Year
Looking backward helps you assess performance. But what you do in the future will define your success. Creating actionable steps for the remainder of the year is crucial to propelling your business toward financial success. Start by identifying and prioritizing key economic initiatives with the most significant impacts.
Break down these initiatives into short-term milestones and establish clear deadlines and objectives. Allocate the necessary resources and responsibilities to team members to ensure smooth execution. Further, regularly monitor progress, adjusting to maintain momentum and drive financial growth.
Reach Your Financial Goals for Business
A mid-year financial health check and actions you identify through the review can be one of your most critical activities. It allows you to take charge of your financial future and position yourself for success through sustainable growth and profitability.
If your mid-year health check could benefit from professional guidance, contact the startup experts at Founders CPA. Contact us today for personalized advice and support for your business journey.
