Provided by the International Finance Corporation
Amira had been designing pieces of furniture for friends and family for several years. Recently, she began to work with a local carpenter who was able to turn her designs into reality. She paid the carpenter and charged her customers only what she had paid the carpenter. She was ready to take the next step and make it a business.
The article describes the beginning of her business. You will see the initial transactions and how they translate into accounting reports such as the Balance Sheet. Finally, you can see what her Net Worth was at the end of her first month in business.
Years 2 and 3 – Budgeting and Cash Flow
Amira’s business continued growing after a slow but successful first year. We pick it up again in her third year of business and see how she learned about budgeting and cash flow. She now has her own production facility and an expanding market.
We can see how Amira’s business has grown. The tools she is using indicate that she understands that herself and the business are different entities. Neither the budget nor her cash flow forecast contains personal income or expenses. At this point she truly feels like she is in business, instead of someone who has a hobby and makes a little money from it. The only way is up for Amira, or is it…?
But Amira’s story didn’t end there. She was determined to prove everyone wrong. She wasn’t going to give up her dream without a fight.
She asked for help from her friends and family. Not financial help, but ideas. How can she turn things around? It couldn’t get any worse.
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