Running your own business is very different from working for someone else. For one, you need to be self-disciplined because no one is there telling you what to do every day. For another, especially if you work from home, there might be a lack of IRL colleagues that you need to impress. So, in reality, it’s really on you to establish habits that will manifest progress and positivity as the boss of a profitable business. Keep reading for 10 of our top suggestions.

What comes to mind when you hear the term financial management? Maybe it makes you feel anxious or confused. If so, please don’t! Like any other business activity, managing your company’s finances can be broken down into smaller, repeatable, and actionable steps. Taking these steps will erase worries and help ensure that this part of your business runs smoothly.

It can be tempting as a small business owner to cling to every dollar. After all, sometimes we’re strapped for cash, and even when we aren’t, it’s natural to want to put every cent back into the business so we can keep growing it. The idea of giving away our funds might feel counterintuitive to our mission. It might even seem flat-out wrong from a business standpoint, despite knowing in our hearts that it’s good to give to others in need.

When it comes to business ownership, it’s absolutely critical to have access to substantial amounts of cash. In all honesty, cash is the lifeblood of a business. This might sound obvious, but do we really understand why? To put it simply, it’s because, despite how often you hear that you should leverage credit to operate a business, you’ll ultimately need cash, not debt, to establish, expand, and grow your business.

Society teaches us that wanting lots of money is bad. Think of old Ebenezer Scrooge in Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, for example. He certainly isn’t viewed favorably as he greedily counts and hoards all of his riches, refusing to help those less fortunate than him. Indeed, being a miser at the expense of others is not at all good. But ensuring that your business is profitable so you can consistently pay your employees what they’re worth? This is what the Profit First methodology is all about – creating sustainable businesses that put their people first.

It might be tempting to count yourself out as you’re first getting your company off the ground. You might think when my business gets bigger, I’ll get some real accounting software or once my company grows, it’ll be time to automate that process. But, in fact, even a company in its nascent stage can benefit from automating many of its processes. And there are many free and low-fee automation options available – you just need to look for them.

There are lots of small business owners out there who have reached a certain level of success. We can point to them as examples and say that they are clearly operating successful businesses. And that success can be defined in many different ways. Perhaps they’re making a ton in revenue, they’re simply happy, or their team is strong and capable. The meaning of success is naturally open to interpretation.

Have you ever wondered what makes someone successful in business? In a way, it’s kind of like cooking – put in the right ingredients in the right amounts, and chances are you’ll be happy with the end result. And so is the case with a successful businesswoman too. If she lives by and structures her professional life around certain values, chances are very good that she’ll achieve the level of success she desires.