Strategic finance overview
Many small business owners follow their instincts when making decisions. A working knowledge of financial strategies means you don’t need to leave your business’s future to chance. When money’s involved, the most successful businesses are able to check their gut feeling with informed insights.
Our quick self-assessment will shed light on your strengths and the areas you should focus on. By the end, you will have practical steps and expert advice to help you master money matters.
Check out the topics and the interactive tools available in this section. Use the links or the navigation pane to browse through the pages and tools.
Mastering business finances
Strategic finance is more than shares or interest rates. It means you can be more deliberate in your business’s approach to spending, saving, borrowing, and raising money from investors. It helps you spot opportunities, and decide which to take.
Being strategic about finances sets you up to steer your business with certainty, and apply advice from an accountant or advisor in the best way.
Our strategic finance section delves into key concepts and outlines how and when to use business finance tools to achieve your goals.
Back to basics
Our self-assessment is a good way to test your knowledge of the concepts and terms you’ll find throughout this section.
If you’re new to balance sheets and tracking the way cash flows in and out of your business, check out our tax and accounting section for tips and advice on business finance basics.
To use your money well, it helps to speak the language of business finance — and confidently read and interpret your financial figures. Whether you’re experienced or just learning the ropes, take this assessment to find out where you need to focus.
At the end of this assessment, you will get:
- a better idea of your financial strengths and weaknesses
- practical tips and tools
- links to expert advice.
5-10 minutes
Self assessment: Business finance
How to read financial statements
Your balance sheet, income statement and cash flow statement are vital tools to check the health of your business.
Master these documents, line item by line item so you know your assets from your elbow. Check out definitions and examples for each part of these three key statements.
There are three key financial statements – the balance sheet, the cash flow statement, and the income statement.
These statements provide you with the numbers to back up your decisions about whether you want to enter a new market or sell a new product or may be just sell your business and move on.
The first step to understanding the financial position of you business, is looking at the balance sheet and the cash flow statement.
You’ll be able to spot opportunities and risks. You’ll be able to identify what you have and what you owe. And you’ll be able to communicate this information to lenders and investors.
The profit and loss statement, also known as the income statement, tracks the financial performance of a business over a given period of time.
Learn how each dollar entering your business makes its way all the way down to the bottom line.
Use numbers to analyse your business
Financial statements can do more than snapshot the health of your business. Financial figures help you spot risks and opportunities for your business. Plus you can compare its performance to other New Zealand businesses.
Financial models: Step-by-step guide
Forecasting and modelling are ways to use your financial figures to make decisions. Weighing up these numbers means your decision is based on more than gut feeling.
Advanced finance: 7 key concepts
If you want to dig into the technical terms and concepts behind modelling results this is the page for you.
Find the right type of funding for your business
To reach goals or turn a business idea into a reality, your business might need a funding injection. Each type of funding type has its pros and cons. Here’s how to pick the best option for you.
