As a start-up, your company’s first 12 months are critical. There are several key areas you should pay attention to during this time for your business to grow and thrive.

These include: articulating your purpose, setting out a proper ownership structure and writing a clear business plan.

It’s also important to build your leadership team, regularly forecast cash flow and profit numbers, and focus on selling from day one.

Tax planning may feel like a low priority at this early stage but it can bring benefits in the short and long term. We can help you understand how your business planning fits with your personal goals.

Working together, we can help you minimise risk at this stage of your business and help maximise cash flow. This could allow you to make corporate investments to grow your assets and increase the value of your business.

This is the time to maximise growth and invest capital so your business will provide the money you need to live life to the full upon exit. Tax-efficient corporate investments can help increase the value of your company. We can help you choose investments and portfolios that are properly diversified and match your values as well as your long-term goals.

For every business owner, it’s vital to plan in advance what happens to the business after you, especially if it will play a major part in your retirement income plans.

Now is the time to optimise your business and its value. We can help you plan your retirement income so you can enjoy the lifestyle you’ve worked hard to achieve.

For most business owners, we recommend planning five years ahead. You’ll need to benchmark your business and forecast its growth potential so it’s an attractive proposition to potential buyers.

It’s very important to take financial and specialist tax advice at this stage if you’re likely to have a lump sum from selling the business.