Stephanie leaped at the opportunity to become a spa owner. In her excitement, in getting up and running, she never opened a business checking account and used her personal checking account to operate her massage spa.

It wasn’t intentional, she was going to do it, but one day lend into weeks, which lend into months, which lend into the end of the year.

When tax time approached, Stephanie needed to get financial statements and financial documents to her tax accountant, she couldn’t remember who the purchases belonged to. Were these purchases and deposits personal or were they for the spa?

We can’t be afraid of numbers. They’re all around us and the key to staying and growing iyour organization. Data equals facts, and knowing the truth about our business’ performance is the only way to get ahead.

We are a goal-oriented society, but I want to spend time talking about the part that is often skipped over: the unglamorous details of how you actually hit your financial goals.

Investing in your business is smart. But so is leaving something in your bank account for a rainy day. Here are just a few of the many reasons why:

Too many people don’t understand the sacrifices, responsibilities, and risks they’re making when they take on a side hustle. It could be a financial disaster very, very fast. Just because it’s a side gig doesn’t mean that you don’t still have to do a lot of the same structure as a real business.

Extra income very literally comes at a cost. That’s not to say that you’re doing anything wrong, but there are tax considerations that you should know about sooner rather than later.

We live in an age of online gurus telling us at every turn how simple it is to make six or seven figures. I’m here to tell you that if you’re looking for easy, then business ownership is not for you. That said, having a good grasp of your numbers will help you immensely.

It’s not glamorous, but you need to create a budget. There is a difference between setting a target and creating a plan to achieve it.

You’re in luck, my friend: Here are three steps to get you there.