You’ve made it through the exciting phase of entrepreneurship—that is, the beginning. You had a stroke of inspiration and you jumped on it—to launch your brick-and-mortar jewelry shop, your tech consultancy, or your bakery. Business has been cranking along steadily for a few years, and you’ve been tracking your numbers meticulously. You know your way around QuickBooks, and you’re not afraid of acronyms like “KPI.”
The tricky part, however, comes long after your launch. For any business to grow, it is crucial that you don’t rest on your laurels. Had good numbers last quarter? Great. Aim for higher ones this quarter. Sometimes it is difficult to know how to proceed—how to grow your company—even if you’ve been doing everything by the books so far. Luckily, there are tools to help even seasoned business owners push their companies to greater heights.
LivePlan is a new software platform that I have recently discovered. Its consumer base is pretty wide: there are features to accommodate the new entrepreneur drafting his or her first business plan, but there are also features—valuable features—for those wishing to push their companies into the six-figure realm.
First, LivePlan makes it easy to integrate your existing QuickBooks account with their software. This allows you to quickly import those numbers you have been tracking: expenditures, income, and deductions, for example. Using these metrics, LivePlan lets you see how actual performance compares with your expectations. This, in turn, will help you plan accordingly for the future. You can also compare your company’s progress with your competitors’ by inputting your industry and geographic location. Curious about that scenario I described above? Want to improve on last quarter’s gains? LivePlan offers a variety of KPIs to help you do just that.
LivePlan is not only fantastic for helping you get a better handle on your numbers; it is indispensable for allowing you to communicate them to others. Perhaps you require more investor backing in order to fulfill a new purchase order. LivePlan’s variety of KPIs will help you demonstrate profitability and potential for growth. Even if your design skills end at applying Instagram filters, you’ll find it easy to construct engaging infographics to include with your pitch and business plan.
I think LivePlan is a great option for anyone looking to push their company to the next level. I’m certainly finding it useful for my own business!