FOUNDERVILLE BUSINESS CENTER
Money & Finance
Most small businesses that fail don't run out of ideas — they run out of cash. This section covers everything you need to understand and manage your business's finances: from setting up your accounts on day one to reading a financial statement years in.
Why physical businesses are different from the start
When you open a business with a physical presence, every decision has a higher upfront cost and a longer time horizon than an online business. You're choosing a location before you have a single customer. You're signing a lease before you know if the neighborhood is right. You're buying inventory or equipment before you know your busiest hours. Getting the foundations right matters more — and the cost of getting them wrong is higher.
82%
of small business failures caused by cash flow problems
1 in 3
small businesses are genuinely profitable; the rest break even or lose money
40%
of owners not confident managing their finances
30%
set aside for taxes — the rule of thumb that prevents crises
Module 01
Setting up your finances
Business bank accounts, the tax reserve habit, and the four pillars every business needs before the first dollar moves.
Module 05
Pricing your products and services
Cost-plus, value-based, and market-rate pricing — with a live margin calculator.
Module 08
Funding options
Bootstrapping, SBA loans, microloans, equipment financing, and how lenders decide whether to say yes.
Module 04
Small business taxes
Self-employment tax, quarterly estimates, deductions, and what your business structure changes at tax time.
Module 07
Job costing
How to know whether each job or project actually made money — not just the business overall.
Module 02
Bookkeeping basics
What to track, how often, and how to reconcile — without becoming an accountant.
Module 03
Understanding cash flow
Why profitable businesses run out of cash — and how to see problems coming before they arrive.
Module 06
Invoicing & getting paid
What goes on a professional invoice, how to set payment terms, and how to collect when clients don't pay.
Module 09
Reading financial statements
The P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow statement — in plain language, with annotated examples you can actually follow.
Suggested Learning Paths
Getting your finances right from day one
The essential sequence for any new business — set up your accounts, understand your tax obligations, and build the bookkeeping habit before anything else.
Modules 01 → 02 → 04 → 03
Understanding whether your business is profitable
For owners who are busy but unsure if the numbers actually work. Covers pricing, cash flow, and how to read the reports your bookkeeping software generates.
Modules 05 → 03 → 06 → 09
Financial fundamentals for trades businesses
The sequence that matters most for landscaping, contracting, cleaning, and other project-based work — where knowing the cost of each job is the difference between growing and grinding.
Modules 05 → 07 → 06 → 08
Already set up in Starting a Physical Business?
If you completed Module 06 in the Starting a Physical Business section, you've covered the basics of opening accounts and separating your finances. This section picks up from there — Module 01 goes deeper on bank selection and the tax reserve habit, and the rest of the section builds the financial skills you'll use every week.