Running a business is fantastic- it’s a chance to do things your own way, let your creativity loose and not have to be constrained by a job that fulfils someone else’s vision. It’s incredibly rewarding, but it can also be stressful. Getting through that first year especially tends to get all entrepreneurs worried, many about the same kinds of things. Here are five of them!

Slow Business

As a business owner it’s useful to remember that there will be busier and quieter times throughout the year, things can fluctuate based on influences like Christmas (and other public holidays) as well as tax season (where people have less to spend). However if profits are plummeting and not recovering then it could be a cause for concern. You might need to improve your shipping or the quality of your products. You may need to run a new marketing campaign, or read your reviews to check if there are other issues that can be resolved. Ongoing slow business will eventually lead to failure, so it’s something that needs to be sorted out.

Fraud and Theft

To keep your business safe your company needs a multidimensional approach to security. As well as keeping the premises safe physically such as with good windows and doors, locks, alarms and CCTV, you also need to protect it online. Use strong passwords, backup to the cloud where data is encrypted and run background checks on all of your employees to prevent fraud taking place from inside of the business.

Accident or Injury

Customers or staff getting hurt as a result of your business can be really difficult to recover from. Lawsuits can leave you completely bankrupt, so make sure you’re following health and safety laws to the letter and get the right insurance. Sometimes accidents just happen regardless, but following the law with safety and using common sense should help to prevent them in most cases.

Business Becoming Obsolete

Generations ago, starting a successful business would likely last you many years. However, as things change so quickly these days, mainly due to changing technology and attitudes, it’s very easy for a successful business to quickly go obsolete. It’s important to stay on top of the news and also know what your competitors since these things can affect you. Knowledge is power, and you may be able to make changes that will keep you relevant rather than continuing with a business that eventually dwindles and fails where it’s no longer useful.

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy and failing business is the ultimate worry for business owners, there’s nothing worse than knowing you’ve given it your all and things simply haven’t worked out. Staying on top of things and making changes where possible can help to prevent this, but if it does then there are some powerful lessons to be learned. Many entrepreneurs that are now successful have had ventures in the past that didn’t work out, it’s all about learning from mistakes. If this happens to you, aim to sell off as many of your assets as you can to recoup some of your costs and help you to recover more quickly financially. If you have investors, they might want to use companies like class action recovery to protect themselves and regain some of their assets. Later down the line when you’re ready to get involved in business again you can build upon this what you’ve learned and be more successful next time.