Small Business Owners: Partner with a Trusted Advisor

By iA Private Wealth, September 30, 2021

While operating a small business is challenging, it can also be highly rewarding and provide business owners with autonomy as they pursue their passion. That’s why they invest so much time, effort and money into running their businesses.

However, without a comprehensive wealth plan, your small business may not reach its potential – even if it’s generating significant revenue.

Benefit from professional advice

Fortunately, an Investment Advisor can help build and maintain a sound plan that considers the complexities of your business and how it fits into your overall financial circumstances. An advisor can help your business be more efficient and profitable by assessing all your income sources and expenses. Equipped with that information, an advisor may uncover strategies for earning more and spending less, paving the way for growth.

Professional advice can help you address day-to-day business finances. For instance, business owners need steady cash flow to meet operating costs, cover wages, ensure adequate inventory and pay product/service providers. An advisor can also offer guidance concerning tax obligations and help you manage your business finances in a tax-efficient manner.

Invest wisely

While it’s satisfying to generate healthy business income and profit, it’s equally important to invest for the future, including retirement. That’s another area where Investment Advisors deliver meaningful value. Advisors consider your professional and personal financial situation, including short- and long-term needs and goals, and then evaluate whether you’re on track. Your advisor will help you invest according to your financial objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. A concrete wealth plan keeps you focused and disciplined, empowering you to invest regularly and stay invested – even when markets experience occasional periods of volatility.

Plan for the future

While Investment Advisors encourage saving and investing for retirement, another key aspect of wealth planning is creating a viable succession plan. Eventually you’ll need to transfer ownership of your business. With a strong succession plan – ideally as part of an estate plan that your advisor may help create – you can maintain business continuity while gaining the peace of mind that comes with establishing your future financial well-being. A good succession plan provides clarity to your heirs regarding how (and to whom) you intend to transfer your business.

Choosing an advisor

There are many benefits of working with an advisor, but it’s crucial to select one who’s right for you. During your search, find out if a candidate has experience with small business owners, since this background will be useful when addressing your financial needs.

The advisor-client partnership is built on trust and a long-term commitment to the process. To determine if your personalities mesh well, interview each candidate and request references, preferably from other business owners. Also inquire about an advisor’s employment history, such as where they’ve worked, years in the financial industry and field of practice. You’ll want to know about their professional and academic designations as well (e.g., CFA®, MBA, CFP®, CIM®).

Another important question pertains to compensation. Some Investment Advisors earn commission for each transaction – like a stock or mutual fund trade – while many are compensated based on a percentage of the assets under administration. There are other ways to be compensated, so find an advisor whose compensation model suits your service requirements.

It’s also useful to ask about their professional network. While Investment Advisors offer a range of capabilities, your circumstances as a small business owner may call for specific knowledge in other areas. For instance, your advisor may engage the services of external collaborators* such as accountants, lawyers and insurance professionals. Consider your Investment Advisor as the “quarterback” of the team, overseeing your comprehensive wealth plan and bringing in others when needed.

You can’t be an expert at everything. Just as you understand your business and industry, an Investment Advisor has deep knowledge of finances. By delegating complicated financial matters to your trusted advisory team, you can concentrate on running and growing your business.

An iA Private Wealth Investment Advisor can help your business succeed. Speak with one today.

This article is a general discussion of certain issues intended as general information only and should not be relied upon as tax or legal advice. Please obtain independent professional advice, in the context of your particular circumstances. *Products and services offered by external collaborators and/or professionals are provided independently and separately from iA Private Wealth Inc. Only products and services offered through iA Private Wealth Inc. are covered by the Canadian Investor Protection Fund. iA Private Wealth Inc. is a member of the Canadian Investor Protection Fund and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada. iA Private Wealth is a trademark and business name under which iA Private Wealth Inc. operates.