Many entrepreneurs find it particularly difficult to recover from financial mistakes. Small businesses in particular often run at very tight margins, which means a slip-up can be detrimental to a young company.
Here, eight Young Entrepreneur Council members share some steps that an entrepreneur should take in case of financial error. Here’s why they believe that these activities can help an entrepreneur recover and ultimately grow their business by learning from their mistakes.
The members of the Young Entrepreneurship Council discussed how to recover from financial mistakes in business.
Image courtesy of individual members.
1. Admit the mistake
In case of financial error an entrepreneur should take a step that is to admit their mistake and then try to correct it. Admitting a mistake is the first step in solving the problem, and it will reduce the pressure on entrepreneurs as well as make them feel good about themselves. In addition, admitting a mistake will help them get back on track faster and move forward. – Christine Kimberly Marquette, Market Media, LLC
2. Loss assessment
In case of financial error, the first step an entrepreneur should take is to assess the situation and find out the amount of loss. When you do this, make sure you are working with experienced legal and accounting professionals. It will help if you are as painfully honest with the situation. I even recommend that you print out your financial statements and view them and make notes Once you have a clear understanding of the situation, you can start making a plan to deal with it. It is from this point of view that you can come up with the best solutions to recover and fix the problems that created these problems in the first place. – Syed Balkhi, WP Beginner
3. Reduce costs
An important first step is to reduce all costs that are not necessary to run your business. If that means having no tools that make things easier, then you need to move on and get rid of it. Floating and building your reserve is much more important than continuing to spend everything as usual. This kind of behavior also builds trust among your investors and stakeholders because they will see you are responsible. – Blair Williams, Member Press
4. Contact for help
If a financial error occurs, it helps to contact a financial advisor or counselor who can take you to the next steps. Especially for new entrepreneurs, it is important to learn to seek help when you need it. There is nothing wrong with reaching out for help if you are confused about what to do next or how to solve your current problem. – Jared Aitchison, WPForms
5. Close the training gap
If a financial error affects a client, fix it as soon as possible. “We don’t mess with people’s money” is one of the core values of my organization for this reason. Of course, there are mistakes. When they do, develop those processes and close the training gap to prevent future errors. But, if financial mistakes become a pattern, you may have to take a firm stand with your team. If the financial mistake is the result of my bad decision as a leader, I will try to learn from it. In the future, I’ll ask myself, “If it doesn’t, will I lose this money?” I also try to work with my money mentality, to overcome the wounds of financial error. – Trivinia barber, priority VA
6. Be honest with your team
Financial mistakes can happen, sometimes even with planning. Things can happen unexpectedly, so it’s important to be careful not to leave your bank empty. In case of financial error, be transparent about it. Investors, partners, employees and others may feel intimidated by the situation, but you owe it to your team to be honest. – Stephanie Wells, strong form
7. Continue to work without guilt and emotion
Avoid getting caught up in emotions by mistake. When you lose money on an investment or a deal goes wrong, a knee-jerk reaction can be to invest heavily in the next big idea or completely stop spending to make up for the loss. You just have to be more discriminating with the help you render toward other people. Be process-oriented and don’t let emotions affect the way you work. – Firas Kittaneh, AmeriSlip Mattress
8. Make it a learning experience
Unless you can still feed yourself and put a roof over your head, make it for a learning experience and use it up front. There were moments of failure and doubt in the story of the greatest financial success and often it is the worst mistake that defines us the most and ultimately refines our methods and strategies. You will become a much better entrepreneur by following such a mistake, even if it is difficult to see the opposite immediately. All you can do is let go of the discouragement, turning a temporary disaster into a permanent one. – Salvador Ordorica, Spanish Group LLC