Startup Costs: How Much Cash Will You Need?创业成本：你需要多少资金？

Starting a business may be an exciting process， but it costs money. When determining business startup costs， it’s important to be realistic. Here’s how to figure out how much you’ll need to launch your business and the best ways to get funding.

1. Start small.

You most likely have high expectations for your company. However， blind optimism may cause you to invest too much money too quickly. At the very beginning， it’s smart to keep an open mind and prepare for issues that may arise later.

Cynthia McCahon， founder and CEO of business plan software company Enloop， said business owners should start with a bit of healthy skepticism.

“A prospective business owner should start planning a small business by simply understanding the potential of the business idea，” she said. “What this means is not assuming your idea will be successful.”

The best approach is to test your idea in a small， inexpensive way that gives you a good indication of whether customers need your product and how much they’re willing to pay for it， McCahon said. If the test seems successful， then you can start planning your business based on what you learned.

2. Estimate your costs.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration （SBA）， most microbusinesses cost around $3，000 to start， while most home-based franchises1 cost $2，000 to $5，000.

While every type of business has its own financing needs， experts have some tips to help you figure out how much cash you’ll require. Serial entrepreneur Drew Gerber—who has started a technology company， a financial planning company and PR firm Wasabi Publicity—estimates that an entrepreneur will need six months’ worth of fixed costs on hand at startup.

“Have a plan to cover your expenses in the first month，” he said. “Identify your customers before you open the door so you can have a way to start covering those expenses.”

When planning your costs， don’t underestimate the expenses， and remember that they can rise as the business grows， Gerber said. It’s easy to overlook costs when you’re thinking about the big picture， but you should be more precise when planning for your fixed expenses， he added.

3. Understand what types of costs you’ll have.

The SBA states that there are various types of expenses to consider when starting your business. You need to differentiate between these costs to properly manage your business’s cash flow for the short and long term， said Eyal Shinar， CEO of cash flow management company Fundbox. Here are a few types of costs for new business owners to consider.

One-time vs. ongoing costs

One-time expenses will be relevant mostly in the startup process， such as the expenses for incorporating a company. If there’s a month when you must make a one-time equipment purchase， your money going out will likely be greater than the money coming in， Shinar said. This means your cash flow will be disrupted that month， and you will need to make up for it the following month.

Ongoing costs， by contrast， are paid on a regular basis and include expenses such as utilities. These generally do not fluctuate as much from month to month.

Essential vs. optional costs

Essential costs are expenses that are absolutely necessary for the company’s growth and development. Optional purchases should be made only if the budget allows. “If you have an optional and nonurgent cost， it may be best to wait until you have enough cash reserves for that purchase，” Shinar said.

Fixed vs. variable costs

Fixed expenses， such as rent， are consistent from month to month， whereas variable expenses depend on the direct sale of products or services. This is a reason that comparing credit card processing providers is so important. Processing rates are a variable cost that you’ll want to regularly review to ensure you’re getting the best deal. Shinar noted that fixed costs may eat up2 a high percentage of revenue in the early days， but as you scale up， their relative burden becomes negligible.

Most common startup expenses

It’s important to understand the different types of costs you’ll have as a new business. Theoretically， it’s good to take note of what costs are fixed， variable， essential or optional. But let’s get concrete3. Here’s a short list of costs you’ll likely have as a new business：

➢ Web hosting4 and other website costs

➢ Rental space for an office

➢ Office furniture

➢ Labor

➢ Basic supplies

➢ Basic technology

➢ Insurance， license or permit fees

➢ Advertising or promotions

➢ Business plan costs

➢ Typical costs for startups

4. Project5 your cash flow.

Another important aspect of a startup’s financial planning is to project the business’s cash flow. Bill Brigham， director of the New York Small Business Development Center in Albany， advises new business owners to project their cash flows for at least the first three months of the business’s life. He said to add up not only fixed costs but also the estimated costs of goods and best-and-worst-case revenues.