Financial Literacy plays a vital role in shaping the success of your ventures. It has become an essential life skill for this modern society.
Therefore, the Fiji Development Bank has collaborated with Visa to educate our people on financial management in order to help them learn the basics of starting a business, managing it efficiently and eventually taking it to the next level.
We hope that this digital program will assist you in learning the fundamentals of financial management so that you can make informed financial decisions that will ensure your business runs efficiently and sustainably in the long run.
Having a clear understanding of the steps involved in opening, financing, running and marketing a company could help you determine if you’re ready to be a business owner, and whether your idea could be a success.
For a more detailed financial literacy program, click on the following link to view more information: https://visa.practicalbusinessskills.com/en/getting-started.html
IS STARTING A BUSINESS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Small business owners sell a wide variety of products and services. Perhaps you’ve developed a new jewelry collection that you want to sell online and in local shops. You might have a valuable skill that you can offer. Or, you may want to buy and run an established business rather than start from scratch.
CREATING A BUSINESS PLAN
Before you think about starting a new company, you need to develop a business plan. An effective business plan helps guide you through every stage of your business, from starting up to managing and growing.
CREATING A BUSINESS
During the process of setting up your business, you can choose one of many different legal structures for your business. Some give you the option to have little to no legal or financial separation between your personal and business finances. Others create a legal organization (generally called an entity) that is, in most cases, legally and financially separate from you, the business owner.
Important decisions to make include:
- Going through the right and legal process of creating a business. (https://www.justice.gov.fj/companies/)
- Carefully choosing one of many different legal structures that suits your business needs as shown below.
FINANCIAL BASICS
Mastering financial basics like budgeting, saving, financing and credit can help you grow your business and reach your short- and long-term business goals successfully. It’s easier to plan how you will grow your business if you can carefully manage your finances.
GOING DIGITAL WITH YOUR BUSINESS
Digital commerce technologies can make it possible to work from anywhere. They expand the potential customer base for your business, help you manage your business more effectively, make your customer interactions more meaningful and convenient, and make work more pleasant for your employees.
New or even experienced business owners can benefit from learning more about business management. Whether you want to inspire your staff, promote your business or increase your income, there’s always more to learn.
For a more detailed financial literacy program, click on the following link to view more information: https://visa.practicalbusinessskills.com/en/managing-a-business.html
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
It’s up to you to decide how to accept money from customers, know where and how to borrow money, time your revenue (incoming money) and expenses and make sure your business is making money. While you may prefer some types of work over others, everything from customer service to financial management is important if you want to start, run and grow a successful company.
Click on the link to learn more on FDB’s Loan Repayment Options: https://www.fdb.com.fj/customer-payment-options/
PROMOTING A BUSINESS
Whatever your budget and no matter how in-demand your product may be, you’ll still need to reach new customers and generate interest in your offerings.
MANAGING EMPLOYEES
The more effectively you lead, the more value, loyalty and effort you are likely to get in return. You can get off to a strong start by deciding up front how you’ll hire, inspire, support, train and lead your team.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
Your company’s financial statements are important records that can give you insight into the financial well-being of your business and help you plan your company’s future.
PLANNING FOR EMERGENCIES
An emergency fund keeps you prepared for unplanned expenses, whether they are the result of a slow sales period or an unplanned event.
RECORD KEEPING
Keeping clear records of income, expenses, employees, tax documents and accounts isn’t just good business. It can bring you peace of mind, help you monitor progress toward goals and save you time and money.
In the small business world, growth can be essential to long-term survival — and to your financial picture. While breaking even or making a small profit in the early days might be expected, you’ll soon want to explore tactics for growth and build your business into a more profitable success.
For a more detailed financial literacy program, click on the following link to view more information: https://visa.practicalbusinessskills.com/en/building-and-growing.html
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Going green can help your business save or make money by reducing your utility bills, claiming tax benefits and attracting new customers who want to support green businesses.
RISK MANAGEMENT
Risk management is evaluating what could go wrong with different parts of your business and implementing plans to lessen the possibility of a negative outcome. Your ultimate goal as a business owner is to reduce potential risks by knowing those most likely to happen and planning ahead to prevent or prepare for them.
STAGES OF THE BUSINESS LIFE CYCLE
Whether you are a new business owner or have run your small business for years, it is wise to familiarize yourself with the five cycles of change: startup, growth, maturity, transition and succession. This applies to small retail shops and online business alike, as every type of business may go through several or all of these stages.
MEASURING SUCCESS
Regardless of the size of your business, there are always opportunities to be more productive, successful, and profitable. With careful planning and decision making, you can start achieving your goals.
These resources will help you manage and grow your business, including financial calculators, business templates, key business terms and more.
For a more detailed financial literacy program, click on the following link to view more information: https://visa.practicalbusinessskills.com/en/resources.html