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

萨米·卡拉梅拉 王金岳

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.

“If you borrow money， make sure you know not only how much you borrowed but also the interest you owe，” Brigham said. “Calculating these costs puts a floor6 on the revenues needed to keep the business viable7 and provides a good picture of the cash necessary to start it up.”

This is an essential step in maintaining your business’s financial health. Without being realistic about your cash flow and debt， you won’t be able to get your business off the ground8， especially as other costs begin to build.

5. Figure out your financing methods.

Once you’ve determined your costs and projected your cash flow， you’ll need to consider how to pursue financing. How you obtain funds will affect the future of your business for years to come. Personal savings， loans from family and friends， bank and government loans， and grants are just a few potential funding sources. Many companies use a combination of different sources.

According to Herndon Davis， mortgage loan officer and real estate agent at Mortgage Real Estate Services， most startups are self-funded. However， there are other options.

“Additional funding can come through establishing business credit and different lines of credit9 through piggybacking10 scenarios，” Davis said. “There’s also small business loans and angel investors willing to step in at certain stages. At this point， your startup should show established client/customers， growth since inception11， a unique positioning in the marketplace， and a clear business plan on how to grow with the additional funding.”

創业或许是个令人兴奋的过程，但是要花钱。在确定创业成本时，重要的是要务实。这里介绍如何弄清创业所需费用以及几种筹措资金的最佳方法。

1. 从小规模做起。

你很可能对自己的公司抱有很高的期望。然而，盲目乐观会让你过快投入过多资金。在刚起步时，保持思维开放并且对日后可能出现的种种问题做好准备是聪明的做法。

辛西娅·麦卡洪是商业计划软件公司Enloop的创办人及首席执行官。她说创业之初企业主应当抱着一点儿适当的怀疑态度。

“一个期待成为企业主的人规划创立一家小公司时，应该从弄清其商业创意的潜力着手。”她说，“这意味着不要假定你的创意会成功。”

麦卡洪说，最好的途径是以某种小规模、低成本的方法测试你的创意。这种测试可以充分说明顾客是否需要你的产品以及他们愿意花多少钱去购买。如果感觉测试是成功的，就可以根据掌握的情况开始为你的公司做出规划。

2. 估算成本。

根据美国小企业管理局（SBA）的数据，大多数微型企业创立起来约需3000美元，而大多数居家特许经销店需要投入2000至5000美元。

虽然每种企业都有各自的资金需求，但专家们还是提供了几条建议帮你弄清楚需要多少启动资金。连续创业家德鲁·格伯已经创办了一家科技公司、一家金融策划公司和一家名为“芥末宣传”的公关公司。他估计，在公司成立之初，创业者手头上要准备够6个月花销的固定费用。

“要订个计划以支付你第一个月的费用。”他说，“先明确你的顾客再开门营业，这样你才能有办法支付费用。”

格伯说，做成本计划时，不要低估开支，并且要牢记随着业务增长，开销也会增加。他补充道，虽然思考公司大局的时候很容易忽略成本，但制订固定支出计划时，一定要更严谨。

3. 弄清成本类型。

小企业管理局指出，创办企业时有各种成本需要考虑。现金流管理公司Fundbox首席执行官埃亚勒·希纳尔说，要区分这些成本以妥善管理企业短期和长期现金流。这里有几种类型的成本供新企业主考虑。

一次性成本和持续成本

一次性成本主要跟创业起始过程有关，比如组建公司的费用。希纳尔说，倘若有个月你必须一次性采购设备，那支出的资金可能要超过流入的资金。这意味着那个月的现金流會受影响，而你要在随后的一个月里把亏空补上。

相比较而言，持续成本是定期支付的费用，包括水电费在内的各种开支。这些费用在不同月份通常不会出现大的波动。

基本成本和可选成本

基本成本是公司成长和发展绝对必需的开支。只有在预算允许的情况下，才可以进行选择性采购。希纳尔说：“如果你有一项可选且非紧急开支，或许最好等有了充足的现金储备再进行采购。”

固定成本和可变成本

固定成本，比如租金，是按月持续支出的费用，而可变成本取决于产品或服务直接销售的情况。这一原因使得对信用卡处理服务供应商加以比较至关重要。业务手续费是可变成本，要定期审核以确保得到最划算的价格。希纳尔指出，固定成本可能会消耗创业初期很高比例的收入，但是随着企业规模扩大，固定成本的相对负担可以忽略不计。

最常见的启动成本

作为新企业，重要的是要了解将要负担的不同类型的费用。从理论上讲，注意哪些成本是固定的、哪些是可变的、哪些是基本的或是可选的，这是件好事。但我们还得把具体成本弄清楚。这里有个简短的清单，其中有新企业可能会承担的费用：

➢网站托管及其他网站费用

➢租赁办公场地费

➢办公用具费用

➢人工费

➢基本用品费用

➢基础技术费用

➢保险、执照或许可证费用

➢广告或促销费用

➢商业规划费用

➢初创企业一般费用

4. 规划现金流。

初创公司财务规划的另一个重要方面是规划企业现金流。比尔·布里格姆是纽约州小企业发展中心的主任，该中心位于奥尔巴尼。他建议新企业主至少要为企业最初三个月的现金流做出规划。他说不但要合计固定成本而且要合计货物估算成本以及最佳和最差情况下的收入。

“如果你借款，要确保自己不仅知道借款额而且还知道所欠利息额。”布里格姆说，“计算这些费用给维持企业运转所需收入设定了最低限额，并且清楚地反映出启动企业所需资金的情况。”

这是维持企业财务健康的关键步骤。如果不对现金流和债务采取务实态度，你将无法让公司起步，特别是在其他费用开始增加的情况下。

5. 弄清融资方法。

一旦确定了成本并且对现金流做出了规划，你就要考虑如何寻求融资。如何获得资金将影响未来几年公司的发展前景。个人储蓄、向亲朋好友借的钱、银行贷款和政府贷款以及补助只是几种潜在的资金来源。许多公司结合不同来源筹措资金。

赫恩登·戴维斯是“房地产按揭贷款服务公司”的按揭贷款高级职员和房地产经纪人。据他讲，大多数初创企业都是自筹资金。然而，还有其他的融资备选方案。

“额外资金能够通过树立商业信誉获得，而不同信用额度能够借助各种设想方案获得。”戴维斯说，“还有小企业贷款和在某些阶段乐意参与投资的天使投资人。此刻，你的新企业要展示现有的客户/顾客群、自成立以来的发展情况、在市场上的独特定位，以及一份清晰的有关如何利用额外资金发展的商业计划书。”

（译者为“《英语世界》杯”翻译大赛获奖者）

1指以住家为经营地的特许经营。这种经营模式无须特租场地，无须雇用支援性质的员工，运营成本较低。

2 eat up（大量地）耗费，花费，损耗。  3 concrete确实的，具体的（而非想象或猜测的）。  4 host为（网站）提供虚拟主机。

5 project规划，拟订方案。  6 floor（物价、工资等的）最低额，最低限度。  7 viable可实施的，切实可行的。

8 get （sth） off the ground（使）顺利开始，开始发生。  9即credit line，（借款人或信用卡持卡人的）信用额度。  10 piggyback利用，借助。  11 inception（机构、组织等的）开创，创始。

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