Do You Need a Financial Advisor for Your Business?

Ah, the age-old question for small business owners: Should small business hire financial advisor? Or is that just another fancy title for someone who charges you a fortune to tell you what you already know - like “spend less than you make”?

Let’s break it down, with a side of laughs and a solid plan for your business.

🤔 What Does a Financial Advisor Actually Do?

Think of a financial advisor as your business money BFF. They can:
✅ Help you plan for the future (because winging it is not a strategy)
✅ Create budgets that actually make sense
✅ Forecast cash flow (so you don’t run out of money mid-December)
✅ Advise on taxes, retirement plans, and investments
✅ Help you decide if you really need that second office espresso machine

Basically, they help you see the big picture and make smart decisions for your business - not just next week, but next year and beyond.

💸 The Case For Hiring a Financial Advisor

Let’s be honest: if you’re reading this blog because your business finances are starting to look like a tangled mess of receipts, mystery expenses, and that one time you bought a “team-building” VR headset, maybe it’s time for help.

Reasons to hire a financial advisor include:
✅ You’re making a profit, but don’t know what to do with it
✅ You want to grow but aren’t sure how to plan for it
✅ Your taxes are a nightmare, and your CPA is starting to ghost you
✅ You want to set up a retirement plan (because, yes, business owners need one too!)
✅ You’re losing sleep over money (and not because you were binge-watching Netflix until 2 a.m.)

A good financial advisor can save you way more than they cost….especially when you’re making big decisions like taking out a loan, investing, or preparing to sell the business.

😬 The Case Against Hiring a Financial Advisor

Look, not every business needs a financial advisor right away. If you’re just starting out, cash is tight, and you’re still figuring out your services or pricing, you may not need a pro just yet.

You might hold off on hiring if:

• You’re pre-revenue or just getting started

• Your business is super simple with low expenses

• You feel confident in your DIY money management skills (but make sure you’re not just thinking you’re confident while winging it)

Still, it’s worth asking: Could a financial advisor help me get there faster and smarter?

🧐 How to Choose the Right Financial Advisor

Not all advisors are created equal. Here’s what to look for:
✅ Experience with small businesses, bonus points if they’ve worked with businesses in your industry
✅ Fee structure transparency, avoid the ones who talk in circles about how they get paid
✅ Good vibes - yes, this is important. You need someone you can actually talk to without feeling judged for your “strategic” 4 p.m. Starbucks runs.
✅ Credentials - look for MBA (Master of Business Administration), CGMA (Chartered Global Management Accountant), CFP (Certified Financial Planner) or CPA (Certified Public Accountant) designations

🌟 The Bottom Line: Should Small Business Hire Financial Advisor?

Here’s the tea: If you’re making money, have plans to grow, or want to avoid tax-time panic attacks, hiring a financial advisor is one of the best investments you can make in your business. They can help you save on taxes, plan for the future, and make your money work harder for you - because hustling alone is so last season.

But if you’re just getting started or keeping it super simple, you might be fine without one for now, just promise me you’ll at least keep your books in order (and yes, we can help with that too).

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How to Automate Your Business Finances in 1 Weekend

Let’s be real - running a small business is hard enough without chasing invoices, tracking expenses, or remembering to pay yourself.

The solution? Automating small business finances.

It sounds fancy, but it’s totally doable. And here’s the best part: you can set it up in just one weekend, even if you’re not a tech wizard or finance pro.

Ready to simplify your money life, save hours every month, and avoid financial stress? Let’s dive in!

🌟 Why Automate Your Business Finances?

Here’s the thing:

✅ Less stress: No more missed invoices or late payments.
✅ Save time: Free up hours to focus on growing your business.
✅ Better decisions: See your cash flow in real time, without spreadsheets.
✅ Stay tax-ready: No more scrambling during tax season.

When it comes to automating small business finances, you’re building a system that works for you, not the other way around.

🏗️ Step 1: Choose Your Financial Tools

First, pick your tools. Here’s a quick-start list:

✅ Accounting Software (for tracking income, expenses, and taxes):

• QuickBooks Online

• Wave (free!)

• Xero

✅ Payment Processors (for client payments):

• Stripe

• PayPal

• Square

✅ Banking (for seamless integration):

• Relay (great for small businesses)

• Novo

• Mercury

✅ Expense Management Apps (for receipts & expenses):

• Dext

• Expensify

• QuickBooks

✅ Payroll (if needed):

• Gusto

• QuickBooks Payroll

Pick what fits your business size and budget - don’t overthink it!

🔁 Step 2: Set Up Automated Invoicing & Payments

Tired of chasing clients for payments? Automate it.

✅ Set up recurring invoices for retainer clients.
✅ Enable auto-reminders for overdue invoices.
✅ Offer multiple payment methods to make it easy for clients to pay.

Pro tip: Add payment links directly to invoices to get paid faster.

💳 Step 3: Automate Expense Tracking

No more piles of receipts or guessing at tax time.

✅ Connect your business bank account and credit card to your accounting software.
✅ Use a receipt scanner app (like Dext or QuickBooks) to snap photos on the go.
✅ Set up categories in your accounting tool so every expense is auto-tagged (e.g., software, travel, marketing).

🏦 Step 4: Automate Transfers & Savings

Pay yourself and your savings accounts automatically:

✅ Set up automatic transfers for:

• Your owner’s pay (weekly or biweekly)

• Taxes (25–30% of income)

• Profit savings (try 5–10% of income)

✅ Use multiple accounts:

• One for operations

• One for taxes

• One for profit

This is basically a Profit First approach, made simple.

📅 Step 5: Create a Monthly Money Review Routine

Even with automation, you still need to check in. But guess what? It’ll only take 30 minutes a month when you’ve automated the hard stuff.

✅ Set a calendar reminder for the first Monday of every month.
✅ Review:

• Cash flow

• Invoices sent/paid

• Upcoming bills
  ✅ Adjust if needed (like pausing subscriptions or sending payment reminders).

🚀 The Weekend Plan: Automating Small Business Finances

Here’s how you can tackle this in one weekend:

Final Thoughts

Automating small business finances isn’t just a time-saver - it’s a game-changer.

With a little weekend hustle, you’ll set up a system that saves you hours every month, keeps your books clean, and helps you make smarter money moves.

What Investors Really Want to See in Your Finances

So you're ready to pitch your business to investors? Great. But before you talk valuations and big visions, there’s one thing investors will ask to see first: your numbers.

That’s where business finance preparation for investors comes in. Your ability to present clear, accurate, and compelling financials can be the difference between a quick “yes” and a polite “pass.”

Here’s what investors are really looking for, and how you can prepare your finances to impress them.

💡 Why Financial Preparation Matters

Investors aren’t just buying into your idea—they’re betting on your ability to manage money and generate returns. Your financial statements tell a story: not just where your business is today, but where it's going.

Solid financial preparation helps you:

• Build investor trust

• Demonstrate financial maturity

• Justify your valuation

• Speed up the due diligence process

The better prepared you are, the more professional and fundable your business appears.

📊 The Key Financial Documents Investors Expect

Let’s start with the essentials. These are the financial reports every investor will want to see, no matter your industry or stage.

✅ 1. Profit & Loss Statement (P&L)

Shows your revenue, expenses, and net income over time. Investors want to see:

• Growing revenues

• Healthy margins

• Expense discipline

✅ 2. Balance Sheet

Details your assets, liabilities, and equity. It answers questions like:

• What does the business own?

• What debts or obligations exist?

• How is the company funded so far?

✅ 3. Cash Flow Statement

Arguably more important than profitability - investors want to know:

• Are you generating positive cash flow?

• How fast are you burning cash?

• Can you sustain operations without constant funding?

✅ 4. Financial Forecasts (12–36 months)

Show investors where you’re headed. These should include:

• Revenue projections

• Expense forecasts

• Break-even analysis

• Key assumptions clearly explained

📁 Bonus Materials That Add Credibility

Go beyond the basics and impress with well-prepared supplementary documents:

• Cap Table: Breakdown of equity ownership

• Use of Funds Summary: How you’ll spend investor money

• Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) & Lifetime Value (LTV): Unit economics show your growth model

• KPI Dashboards: Real-time visibility into performance (great if you already track metrics like churn, retention, or MRR)

🚫 Common Mistakes That Turn Investors Off

Avoid these pitfalls when preparing your financials:

• Inconsistencies or errors: Double-check all numbers

• Overly optimistic projections: Investors can smell fluff

• Missing data: Don’t make them dig, give a full picture

• No clear path to profitability: Even startups need a plan

Remember: clarity > complexity. You’re not trying to impress with jargon—you’re building trust.

🧠 What Investors Want to Understand (Not Just See)

Beyond the spreadsheets, investors want to understand your financial thinking.

Ask yourself:

• Can I explain how I arrived at my forecasts?

• Do I know my gross margin and why it matters?

• What’s my plan if revenue falls short next quarter?

Being fluent in your own financials shows leadership and preparation - traits investors love.

📌 Tips for Investor-Ready Financials

✔️ Be transparent
Highlight challenges honestly. Investors appreciate realism.

✔️ Update regularly
Use recent data - ideally within the last 30–60 days.

✔️ Use visuals
Charts and dashboards make data digestible and memorable.

✔️ Get a second set of eyes
Have a CPA or financial advisor review everything before pitching.

🛠 Tools to Help You Prepare

You don’t need to build everything from scratch. These tools can streamline your process:

• QuickBooks / Xero: Generate P&L, balance sheet, and cash flow reports

• LivePlan: Create investor-ready forecasts and pitch decks

• Fathom / Dryrun / Float: Turn financials into visuals

• Google Sheets: Great for custom models and collaborative forecasting

🎯 Final Thoughts: Financial Clarity = Investor Confidence

If you want investors to write checks, you need to show them more than potential, you need to show a plan backed by numbers.

Business finance preparation for investors is about telling a story they can believe in. One that says:

• “We know what we’re doing.”

• “We know where we’re going.”

• “And we’ll use your money wisely.”

Take the time to prepare your financials right. When the questions come, and they will: you’ll be ready with answers that impress.

📌 Want to Know If Your Business Is Really Healthy?

At Breakspears Bookkeeping Services LLC, we help you:
✅ Track profit and cash flow side by side
✅ Get paid faster
✅ Build financial systems that support growth

👉 Explore our flat-rate bookkeeping packages
👉 Book a free discovery call to take control of your numbers - without the overwhelm.

Top Financial Tools Entrepreneurs Swear By in 2025

Running a small business in 2025 means wearing a lot of hats, and if you’re like most entrepreneurs, the finance hat often feels the heaviest.

From tracking expenses to getting paid faster to staying tax-ready year-round, the right tools can save you hours of stress and thousands of dollars. But with so many apps and platforms out there, how do you know which ones are actually worth your time?

We’ve done the digging for you. Here are the best financial software tools for small businesses in 2025 the ones real entrepreneurs (and bookkeepers like us) swear by to keep their money under control and their sanity intact.

💻 1. QuickBooks Online (Best All-In-One Accounting Software)

QuickBooks continues to lead the pack, and for good reason. It’s robust, reliable, and built for businesses of all sizes.

✅ Why entrepreneurs love it:

• Automatic bank feeds and transaction categorization

• Customizable invoicing

• Real-time profit & loss and cash flow reports

• Seamless integration with tools like Stripe, PayPal, and Gusto

💡 At Breakspears Bookkeeping Services, LLC, we specialize in QuickBooks Online and help our clients understand their numbers without the jargon.

📲 2. Relay (Best Banking Platform for Cash Flow Control)

Relay isn’t just a business bank, it’s a cash flow management tool in disguise.

✅ Why entrepreneurs swear by it:

• Multiple checking accounts for budgeting and expense tracking

• Easy-to-use dashboard for cash flow visibility

• Works beautifully with QuickBooks Online

💡 Relay makes it easy to follow Profit First or bucket-style budgeting: ideal for solopreneurs and creative business owners.

💳 3. Melio (Best for Paying Vendors & Bills for Free)

Melio lets you pay bills using a credit card, even if your vendors only take checks or ACH.

✅ Why it stands out:

• Schedule payments in advance (great for cash flow planning)

• No subscription fee

• Easily syncs with QBO

💡 Perfect for side hustlers and service-based businesses looking to extend cash availability.

📈 4. Xero (Great Alternative to QuickBooks)

If you’re not into QBO’s pricing model or interface, Xero is a powerful, clean alternative.

✅ Loved for:

• Beautiful UX

• Robust integrations

• Strong mobile features

• Affordable monthly pricing

💡 Used more commonly outside the U.S., but gaining traction among startups and consultants.

💼 5. Wave (Best Free Accounting Software for Solo Entrepreneurs)

If you’re just starting out or running a side hustle, Wave is a fantastic, no-cost option.

✅ Why it’s great:

• Completely free for accounting, invoicing, and receipt scanning

• Simple and intuitive

• Ideal for businesses with basic needs

💡 Keep in mind: it lacks some advanced features like robust reporting and scalability.

📊 6. Float (Best for Cash Flow Forecasting)

Float is a forecasting tool that syncs with your accounting software and gives visual insights into your future cash flow.

✅ What makes it stand out:

• Projects income and expenses over time

• Helps you see how decisions will impact your financial future

• Customizable scenario planning

💡 Perfect for seasonal businesses or anyone looking to plan ahead confidently.

👥 7. Gusto (Best for Payroll & Contractor Payments)

Hiring help? Gusto makes paying team members and contractors easy and compliant.

✅ Why it’s a must-have:

• Automated payroll and tax filings

• Onboarding and benefits integration

• Contractor payment tracking and 1099 generation

💡 Combines seamlessly with QBO and Xero for a smooth payroll-to-bookkeeping workflow.

🧾 8. Dext (Best for Receipt Management and Bookkeeping Support)

Tired of stuffing receipts in a shoebox? Dext lets you upload, scan, and auto-categorize receipts and bills—effortlessly.

✅ Why business owners use it:

• Snap receipts on your phone, upload to your books

• OCR reads and fills in data

• Saves hours of manual entry

💡 Especially helpful for businesses with lots of transactions or reimbursements.

⚡ 9. FreshBooks (Best for Service-Based Invoicing)

Freelancers and consultants love FreshBooks for its simple, clean interface and invoice-first design.

✅ Key features:

• Easy time tracking + billing

• Recurring invoices + client portals

• Insightful dashboard with expense reports

💡 Not quite as comprehensive as QBO, but a solid option for solo service providers.

🧠 How to Choose the Best Financial Software for Your Business in 2025

Ask yourself:

• Do I need basic bookkeeping or robust reporting?

• Do I want to do it all myself or hire a bookkeeper?

• Am I focused on saving money, saving time, or both?

Start small. Scale up. The beauty of financial software in 2025 is that you can mix and match based on your needs, budget, and goals.

💬 Final Thoughts: Make Your Money Tools Work for You

Choosing the best financial software for small businesses in 2025 is about more than just features: it’s about finding a tool (or toolkit) that makes your finances feel less overwhelming.

Whether you're a solo entrepreneur, creative professional, or growing small business, tools like QuickBooks Online, Relay, and Float can give you the clarity and control you need to grow with confidence.

And if all of this still feels a bit much? That’s what we’re here for.

📌 Need Help Setting Up Your Financial Software?

At Breakspears Bookkeeping Services, LLC, we help small business owners get started with the right tools, set them up properly, and actually understand the numbers behind their success.
👉 Explore our remote bookkeeping packages or book a free call today.

The #1 Tool Every Small Business Needs to Control Cash Flow

Let’s talk about the thing that can make or break your business - cash flow.

You might be making great sales. Clients might love you. But if the money coming in doesn’t match the timing of the money going out? That’s when even the best businesses can hit a wall.

Cash flow problems are one of the biggest reasons small businesses struggle, especially in the first few years. But what if managing your cash flow didn’t have to be stressful or complicated?

The secret? Using the right tool.
And we’re not talking about a spreadsheet that collects digital dust.

So, what’s the number one tool we recommend at Breakspears Bookkeeping Services, LLC for managing cash flow?

Let’s break it down.

Why Cash Flow Is the Lifeline of Your Business

Cash flow is all about timing. It’s the money flowing in from clients or customers, and the money flowing out for expenses like rent, subscriptions, software, contractors, and supplies.

You need enough cash on hand at the right time to pay bills, reinvest, and grow. Without visibility into your cash flow, you’re essentially flying blind.

💡 Even profitable businesses can go under due to poor cash flow management.

That’s why choosing the right cash flow management tool for small businesses is essential.

The #1 Tool: QuickBooks Online (QBO)

There are plenty of cash flow management tools on the market, but none combine real-time accuracy, ease of use, and scalability like QuickBooks Online.

Here’s why we consider QBO the best cash flow management tool for small businesses:

✅ 1. Real-Time Bank Feeds

QBO syncs directly with your business bank account. That means:

• You see your income and expenses in real time

• Your bank balance is always up-to-date

• No manual data entry or guesswork

💡 This visibility is critical for understanding your available cash at any moment - not just your bank balance, but what’s owed, what’s coming in, and what’s going out.

✅ 2. Automated Cash Flow Projections

QuickBooks Online includes built-in tools to project your cash flow 30 or 90 days ahead. This gives you insight into:

• Whether you’ll have enough to cover payroll or rent

• When to follow up on overdue invoices

• If you can afford to invest in growth

It’s like having a financial crystal ball, without the guesswork.

✅ 3. Invoicing + Payment Tracking in One Place

Waiting too long to get paid? That’s a cash flow killer.

With QBO, you can:

• Create branded invoices in minutes

• Accept payments online (via ACH or card)

• Track who’s paid…..and who hasn’t

• Set automatic reminders to follow up on late payments

💡 The faster you get paid, the healthier your cash flow.

✅ 4. Expense Tracking & Categorization

Keeping track of your spending is key to managing cash flow. QBO helps you:

• Automatically categorize recurring expenses

• Tag and track tax-deductible purchases

• Get alerts when spending spikes in a category

No more wondering where your money went.

✅ 5. Customizable Reports for Smarter Decisions

You can’t manage what you don’t measure.

QuickBooks offers real-time financial reports including:

• Cash flow statements

• Profit & Loss

• Accounts receivable aging

• Expense trends

At Breakspears Bookkeeping Services, LLC, we help clients review these reports monthly to spot red flags, cash flow issues, and growth opportunities early.

Other Tools That Pair Well With QBO

While QuickBooks Online is our top choice, there are a few add-ons and integrations that take your cash flow management to the next level:

• Relay (for cash flow-focused banking)

• Melio (for scheduling payments to vendors)

• Fathom or Float (for deeper forecasting if needed)

But for most freelancers and small businesses, QBO alone is powerful enough to get you organized and ahead of the game.

How to Get Started with Cash Flow Management

Ready to take control of your cash?

Here’s what we suggest:

1. Open a separate business bank account (if you haven’t already)

2. Subscribe to QuickBooks Online and connect your bank

3. Set up your chart of accounts to track income & expenses

4. Create your first invoice and track payments

5. Run a monthly cash flow report to review your financial health

💡 Bonus tip: Work with a QuickBooks ProAdvisor (like us!) to get it set up right the first time.

Final Thoughts: Take the Stress Out of Cash Flow

Cash flow doesn’t have to be scary.
With the right cash flow management tools for small businesses, you can stop reacting to money problems - and start making empowered, confident decisions.

At Breakspears Bookkeeping Services LLC, we help small business owners, creatives, and side hustlers gain control of their finances with simple, flat-fee remote bookkeeping support. Whether you're just starting out or scaling up, we can help you:

• Set up QuickBooks Online correctly

• Understand your cash flow

• Stay tax-ready every single month

💡 Need Help Managing Your Business Finances?

Let’s get your books in order and your cash flow under control.
👉 Check out our affordable bookkeeping packages or book a free intro call today.