If you are running a business, money is going to be at the core of what you do. Even if you are so passionate about your "why" that money isn't your motivation, you will need money coming in to have a sustainable business. When you are attracting sufficient money, it enables you to implement what you feel soul-called to do. And even if you are incorporated as a not-forprofit organisation, you won't be able to continue to exist if you can't show your supporters that you are good at managing money.
Yet there is so much reluctance to talk about money - something that I am passionate about overcoming in my work in The Joyful Frugalista podcast. Spiritual life and business coach Bec Cuzzillo notes that money isn't something we need to be afraid of.
"The more we talk about it, the more it is normalised," she says. "You can earn money doing what you love. You can earn money doing something that fills your heart with purpose. You don't have to hustle hard. And you don't have to sell your soul."
Prepare a financial buffer
Some people are great at starting a business and earning money straight away, but most aren't. And it's unrealistic to put pressure on yourself to be earning money from the beginning if you don't have to. It's good to have the drive and ambition (you'll need it), but it's far better to save up before you start. Unexpected things can happen, and it's better to be prepared.
I had almost paid off the mortgage, hubby was in a stable job, I had good superannuation and four freelance writing clients when I decided to do the almost unthinkable and quit a stable and sought-after job in Canberra in October 2019. I also had a stream of positively geared income from an Airbnb unit and hosted guests at home occasionally, and I had been sounded out about a more substantial opportunity.
This story is from the June 2022 edition of Money Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June 2022 edition of Money Magazine Australia.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
An outrageous, beautiful monopoly
Telstra's mobile business is a cash machine with few competitors, giving it the highest returns in the world.
Drop the anchor to judge value
Buying and selling decisions should be based on where a stock price is going, not where it has been.
Powering the AI boom
Beyond the software and chipmakers, where will the energy come from?
Get into life
Tucked inside super are products that can protect you from life's inevitable uncertainties.
Paths to home ownership
Taking the road less travelled can sometimes deliver unexpected benefits.
Sold! Quick ways to add value
Small, strategic changes can have a big impact on the look and feel of your home. And get you a better price on auction day.
Money lessons the kids need to know
Your children can learn a lot from your past money mishaps. Here are eight financial conversations I have had with mine.
Property-investing rules: are they likely to change?
The pressure for the government to curb the tax benefits of tax concessions, such as negative gearing and the capital gains tax discount, is unrelenting. Most recently, independent senators David Pocock and Jacqui Lambie proposed five options for paring back investment property tax concessions, with savings to the Federal budget of up to $60 billion over the next decade.
What's love got to do with it?
A rollercoaster of emotions could be driving poor crypto behaviour.
Are we ready to be cash-free?
Saying goodbye to our piggy banks too soon could leave small businesses in the dark when problems arise.