As a business owner, you need to carefully select how you do business, which you do business with, and the people and systems that you use for long-term protection. The people that you surround your business with will have a significant impact on your future success - and how likely you are to survive troubled times. 

Some smaller businesses never encounter any issues; some never grow bigger than they start - while others run into trouble all the time. 

So, as a business owner, who are the best people to surround yourself with? 

Accountant 

Find an accountant early on, and they will stay with you for the duration. A good accountant doesn't just do the maths on your business's finances. Accountants are always up to speed about tax changes and how they will impact your company - that should be a given. But the right accountant for you will also offer business advice based on their experiences too. 

And, if you do happen to get audited, you will have nothing to worry about because your accountant will make sure that everything is in order. 

Legal Help

You never know when you might make a mistake that will need legal help - or when one of your clients will decide not to pay or use your work in a way that wasn't agreed upon. If you hire a lawyer just for those purposes, it doesn't really give them time to get to know you or your business. In order to get the very best legal representation, it is worth considering a retainer. Choosing the Best Law firm will offer protection long term, as well as have a vast network that might be useful to you.

IT 

In the early days of your business, you might not have much in the way of IT. Cybersecurity is a good idea, and having a set of protections in place is smart. As your business grows, you will need to consider how you can best protect the work your team is doing. A lot of data is transferred digitally, and without the right support, you might find yourself at the sticky end of a cyberattack. 

Insurances 

Many small businesses forgo having insurance because they feel it is an expensive thing for a 'what if.' But it is exactly a single 'what if' that could knock your business off its feet in seconds. 

Getting sued is no small thing, and it's not just about the loss of money to fight it, but when a negative action is taken against you, your reputation is left in tatters in many cases too. Once a single negative news story hits the shelves, internet sleuths and other media outlets like to jump on the bandwagon - and what once was a small issue can become a really big one. 

PR

Your brand and reputation are going to be with you for years, and one of the most powerful ways to make sure that you run the narrative and protect your business is by having a public relations freelancer or company on call. They will work tirelessly to make sure that you get press and features and keep the conversation positive. 

With these professionals and some of these tips, you'll be set up for a great year: 9 Powerful Tips Guaranteed To Help You Grow Your Business In 2022.