Everything You Need to Know About Finance and Investing

To start a business, you'll need to choose a legal structure. One common option is incorporation. This means that you create a separate legal entity for your business. As Bill Ackman explains in our lemonade stand example, you'll need to file paperwork with your state and come up with a name for your business. Incorporation can offer several benefits, including limited liability and easier access to funding.

A balance sheet is a financial statement that shows a company's assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time. It's important to understand the balance sheet to see how your business is doing financially. In our lemonade stand example, Ackman explains that the balance sheet shows that the business has $500 in cash from selling stock, owes $250 in debt, and has $1,000 in shareholder equity.

Fixed assets are long-term assets that a business uses to generate revenue, such as buildings or equipment. Inventory refers to the products a business has on hand to sell to customers. In our lemonade stand example, Ackman explains that the business will need to buy a lemonade stand for $300 (a fixed asset) and inventory such as lemons, sugar, and cups for $200.

An income statement is a financial statement that shows a company's revenue, expenses, and net income over a specific period of time. It can help you understand how much money your business is making and where that money is going. In our lemonade stand example, Ackman explains that the income statement shows that the business will sell 800 cups of lemonade for $1 each, but will need to spend $530 on staffing costs.

Return on investment (ROI) is a measure of how much money you've earned on your initial investment. It can help you understand your profit margin and make informed decisions about future investments. In our lemonade stand example, Ackman calculates that the business will have an ROI of 17% ($170 in net income / $1,000 initial investment).