Week 7

Sales Projections, Cash Flow & Accounting


CO.STARTERS Resources/Forms

Sales Projections Spreadsheet (Excel)

Financial Literacy for Startups

The Art of Startup Finance
Financial literacy is essential for every entrepreneur. Bill Reichert, a seasoned venture capitalist, provides critical knowledge that will help you go beyond the numbers and use finance as a tool to help you manage your company.

Sales Predictions

Sales Forecasting Success
The Startup Garage highlights some of the most common and simple methods for projecting sales.

4 Practical Ways to Forecast a New Product
According to this SBA article, sales forecasting is not about guessing the future correctly, but about laying out some assumptions so you can track results and make useful business decisions.

The Phantom Sales Forecast – Failing at Customer Validation
Steve Blank tells the story of a company that failed to accurately project sales by failing to talk with customers.

Cash Flow

10 Critical Cash Flow Rules
Protect your business from a common cause of failure by following these cash management tips.

The Ins and Outs of Cash Flow Statements
Understanding your cash flow statement is key to tracking your business’s financial health.

Cash Flow Template (xls)
This template from SCORE provides an easy, downloadable way to track your business’s cash flow for 12 months. For a three year spreadsheet, click here.

Accounting

QuickBooks
One of the most popular accounting software options out there, QuickBooks provides seamless accounting solutions for your business.

NetSuite
NetSuite provides accounting / ERP, CRM and Ecommerce in a single, fully integrated solution that connects your business across finance, sales, service and fulfillment.

Sage 50
This company provides a variety of options and a helpful tool to aid you in choosing the one that is best for your business needs.

Outright
Tailored for small businesses, Outright makes bookkeeping simple and understandable through its online solution.

Xero
Accounting software with all the time-saving tools you need to grow your business.

Scams Targeting Small Business

Common Small-Business Scams
Protect your business by getting familiar with some of the more creative scams entrepreneurs are falling prey to these days.

BBB Warns Small Business Owners to Beware of Telephone Relay Fraud
Better Business Bureau warns small business owners that reports of scammers plying their trade through telephone relay services — typically used by the hearing impaired to make phone calls — are cropping up all across the country. BBB has received reports from many types of businesses that received suspicious orders through TTY or telephone relay services.

Fraudulent E- Mails Claiming to Be From the FDIC
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous reports of fraudulent e-mails that have the appearance of being from the FDIC.