Connection One

Business ethics is the set of standards that business professionals use to determine right vs. wrong in their profession. These standards are based on morals and values, not just laws or rules. Business ethics helps businesses see where they stand compared to a neutral standard of right vs. wrong in their profession, so they can make adjustments if they need to.

After all, no one wants to be known as an unethical business professional. Implementing business ethics will have a positive impact on your company’s reputation and help you maintain your principles as you continue to grow your business and expand your services. Understanding the importance of business ethics lets you identify areas where you can improve and offers you guidance on how best to proceed from this point onward.

What Is the Difference Between Morals and Ethics?

Morals refer to a person’s values and beliefs. These are personal and subjective, and different people will have different morals. Ethics, on the other hand, are the rules or standards that guide appropriate and incorrect behaviour in general. These can be applied to people from all walks of life, regardless of profession. Business ethics are the rules that business professionals use to determine right and wrong in their profession.

Why Is Business Ethics Important?

This is something that many business owners often overlook, especially if they are new to the industry. It can be tempting to think, “My competitors are not doing this, so it must be okay.” Unfortunately, that is not always the case. In fact, it is more likely than not that you are putting your company at a disadvantage by not adhering to business ethics. People tend to favour businesses they can trust. And while trust is not always earned, it is often given. If a customer feels like you are doing the right thing, they are more likely to remain loyal to your business, regardless of price.

The Importance of Having a Code of Business Conduct

No matter what kind of business you operate, having a Code of Business Conduct will help you stay ethical. This document outlines the standards you expect from your employees and guides on how to resolve business disputes, manage conflict, and make ethical business decisions.

It is best to write this code down, rather than leave it in your head. That way, you can easily refer to it if you find yourself in a tough situation and need a reminder of your company’s standards. You should also make your code available to customers and other stakeholders, so they can see for themselves that you are adhering to a set of standards.

The Importance of Being Transparent

Transparency means you are letting your customers see behind the curtain and get a glimpse of how your business operates. This does not mean you need to share all your sensitive information with the world. But it does mean you need to provide honest and clear answers to customer questions and provide contractual terms that reflect your business practices.

You should also take the time to review your prices and make sure they reflect fair market value, without being too high. You may want to get feedback from your customers or peers to make sure you’re not over-pricing your services.

The Importance of Being Responsible

Being responsible means taking ownership of your actions and adhering to the Code of Business Conduct you have set for your business. If something goes wrong, you need to have a plan to make it right. This could mean offering a refund, fixing a faulty product, or providing a solution to a customer complaint.

If you have employees, you also need to make sure they’re following your business’s standards. This means not just punishing employees when they make a mistake, but making sure they understand why their actions were wrong and how to do things the right way next time.

Conclusion

It is important to remember that business ethics is not a concept that exists only in theory, it is a very real and proven strategy that can be used to improve the performance of businesses.

Cash flow is an extremely important metric for investors and analysts to follow. Cash flow can be broken into three main categories:

• Operating cash flow which measures the amount of money a company has left over after meeting its day-to-day expenses such as wages and raw materials.
• Cash flows from investing activities which measure how much a company spends to acquire new assets such as property, plant, and equipment.
• cash flows from financing activities which measure how much money a company raises through issuing new shares or debt or repaying existing shareholders or lenders.

Cash flow directly impacts the financial strength of a company by giving analysts insight on whether the firm will have enough cash in the future to meet obligations like debt payments and maintenance capital expenditures.

Read on to discover more about companies with high free cash flow.

1. Dropbox

Headquarters: San Francisco, California Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its extremely high free cash flow. Dropbox has grown into a cloud storage behemoth and is expected to generate $1 billion in revenue in 2019.

Dropbox is competing with some of the largest companies in the world, including Amazon and Microsoft, but its high free cash flow ($159 million in 2018) and strong balance sheet (cash and short-term investments totaling $2.2 billion) give the company an upper hand. Dropbox investors can expect to see the company make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Dropbox back is the fact that the company is unprofitable and its operating cash flow has decreased in recent years.

2. Facebook

Headquarters: Menlo Park, California Industry: Information Technology Investors in Facebook can thank the company’s strong revenue growth for its high free cash flow. Facebook has grown into one of the largest internet companies in the world, with more than 2 billion monthly users. In 2019, the company is expected to generate $46 billion in revenue, up from $41 billion in 2018.

Facebook’s strong revenue growth has, in turn, propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Facebook’s free cash flow was $19.5 billion, and the company ended the year with $42.7 billion in cash and short-term investments. Facebook investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Facebook back is the fact that the company has had to deal with privacy issues and government regulation in the past.

3. Google

Headquarters: Mountain View, California Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. Google’s core business is internet search, and the company has successfully expanded into a wide array of products, including email, cloud storage, and data analytics. Google’s revenue has steadily increased over the past decade, from $7.5 billion in 2008 to $136 billion in 2018.

Google’s strong revenue growth has also propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Google’s cash flow was $52.4 billion, and the company ended the year with $100 billion in cash and short-term investments. Google investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Google back is the fact that the company has had to deal with antitrust investigations and government regulation in the past.

4. Microsoft Corporation

Headquarters: Redmond, Washington Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. Microsoft’s core business is computer software, and the company has successfully expanded into a wide array of products, including email, cloud storage, and data analytics. Microsoft’s revenue has steadily increased over the past decade, from $33 billion in 2008 to $100 billion in 2018.

Microsoft’s strong revenue growth has also propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Microsoft’s cash flow was $16.2 billion, and the company ended the year with $116 billion in cash and short-term investments. Microsoft investors can expect to see the company continue to make acquisitions and expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Microsoft back is the fact that the company has had to deal with antitrust investigations and government regulation in the past.

5. Netflix

Headquarters: Los Gatos, California Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. Netflix has grown into one of the largest streaming television and movie companies in the world. In 2019, the company is expected to generate $15 billion in revenue, an increase from $11 billion in 2018.

Netflix’s strong revenue growth has, in turn, propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Netflix’s cash flow was $3.8 billion, and the company ended the year with $2.2 billion in cash and short-term investments. Netflix investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Netflix back is the fact that the company is unprofitable and its operating cash flow has decreased in recent years.

6. PayPal Holdings Inc.

Headquarters: San Jose, California Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. PayPal is a global online payment company that has become a go-to payment method for internet shoppers. In 2019, the company is expected to generate $26 billion in revenue, an increase from $23 billion in 2018.

PayPal’s strong revenue growth has also propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, PayPal’s cash flow was $10 billion, and the company ended the year with $19 billion in cash and short-term investments. PayPal investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold PayPal back is the fact that the company is unprofitable.

7. Pandora Media Inc.

Headquarters: Oakland, California Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. Pandora is a global internet radio company that has become a go-to source for music and podcasts. In 2019, the company is expected to generate $2.9 billion in revenue, an increase from $2.5 billion in 2018.

Pandora’s strong revenue growth has also propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Pandora’s cash flow was $226 million, and the company ended the year with $349 million in cash and short-term investments. Pandora investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Pandora back is the fact that the company is unprofitable.

8. Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

Headquarters: New York, New York Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. Sirius XM is a global satellite radio company that provides a wide array of channels and programming to its listeners. In 2019, the company is expected to generate $5 billion in revenue, an increase from $4 billion in 2018.

Sirius XM’s strong revenue growth has also propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Sirius XM’s cash flow was $1.9 billion, and the company ended the year with $3 billion in cash and short-term investments. Sirius XM investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Sirius XM back is the fact that the company is unprofitable.

9. Snap Inc.

Headquarters: Venice, California Industry: Information Technology What investors like most about this company is its strong revenue growth and high free cash flow. Snap is a global social media company that has become a go-to source for short-form video and image content. In 2019, the company is expected to generate $2.2 billion in revenue, an increase from $1.9 billion in 2018.

Snap’s strong revenue growth has also propelled its free cash flow. In 2018, Snap’s cash flow was $1 billion, and the company ended the year with $3.5 billion in cash and short-term investments. Snap investors can expect to see the company continue to make strategic acquisitions to expand its product and geographic reach. What could hold Snap back is the fact that the company is unprofitable.

The path followed by the investor was once the least traveled. The only one in which only the brave ventured and where few recognized the danger or reaped the benefits. Even though the path is often used nowadays, it presents difficulties and impediments that might trip up the unsuspecting. The most effective approach to success is to take inspiration from previous businesspeople, use their insights and errors to avoid obstacles, and seize the moment. If you desire to be a successful business person, you likely already have a solid notion of the necessary talents. Ambition, effort, marketing, organization, economics, strategies, and advertising are often discussed. These are all vital; however, they are not the conclusion of the checklist. Additionally, businesspeople will require several other surprising abilities to thrive, but you may not be considered such today.

These are the seven essential business skills for each aspiring or established entrepreneur.

1. Adaptability

Today more than ever, the capacity to shift your strategy and react to new circumstances is crucial. The industry may drastically change over a few short days when new technology and services are introduced. Consider how Google’s algorithm changes affect companies. Successful company owners may adapt quickly to developments in the market by flowing with the wave and generating sensible business choices on the fly.

2. Delegation

Nobody can be excellent at almost anything by themselves. You can’t excel in digital marketing, customer service, customer retention, client acquisition, and accounting. You can’t possibly do all you want to. Because of this, it’s crucial to learn how to get aid and assign tasks effectively. Contracting that is both cost-effective and efficient reduces the risk of swamped and boosts quality. You’ll have more time to concentrate on other matters, and your organization will benefit from having each task completed by a specialist in their industry.

3. Communication

Due to the widespread availability of the Internet, it is now possible to do the vast bulk of one’s operations from the convenience of your own home, even without leaving the house. The end of the period of the spectacular businessman has led some to believe that we should all now go home and mope in front of our desktops. Indeed, the reverse is true since efficient communication is now more vital than ever.

To cultivate the kinds of connections that used to form naturally in person, modern business owners need to put in additional work communicating successfully online.

4. Visionary Leadership

What keeps businesspeople continuing even when things don’t go as planned? Only those with an original perspective may achieve such a feat. Businesses succeed because their owners believe in what they’re doing. Even if no one else shares their optimism or can see the finish line, they must do so. Every thriving business was first an individual’s bright idea. A determined entrepreneur, though, turned the concept into something far more.

Dedication to a long-term vision is the foundation of transformation leadership. It gives company owners the inspiration they need to weather the inevitable setbacks that arise as they expand their enterprises. It takes a combination of enthusiasm and confidence in one’s abilities to make one’s dreams come true. This trait is honed by businesspeople who see the possibility in their venture to make a beneficial impact on the world or provide them with more freedom. You can persevere through any obstacle when your company’s success is related to your principles.

5. Money Management

The financial understanding of a company’s leaders is crucial to the organization’s growth. Due to this, business people must have a strong knowledge of financial management skills if their enterprises succeed in generating a profit. The amount of money coming in, how frequently it comes in, the ease with which it can be accessed, and how it is being spent are all aspects of cash flow that they must comprehend. Entrepreneurs require not just the ability to produce money but also the ability to save extra income and reinvest it in the company. To allocate resources effectively, they must also be able to spot money leaks and make appropriate cuts.

For their businesses to thrive, businesspeople must increase their knowledge of personal finance and develop sound financial decision-making skills. Individually taking online training and conducting experiments may help budding business owners advance their financial awareness.

6. The Ability to Inspire Others

An entrepreneur’s dedication to their business is undeniable. But what propels achievement is the capacity to inspire others. This is a natural progression of the ability to communicate. You should be capable of dissecting complex concepts for your staff and then proceed one level beyond to make the endeavor meaningful to them. Motivating your influencers to do great things for your brand is a fantastic example of what might give your company a real boost.

7. Stress Management

An investor isn’t only the head honcho; they’re also involved in a wide variety of other tasks to ensure the company operates appropriately and deals with inevitable failures and challenges. It’s easy to see how businesspeople could be more likely to suffer from mental concerns than the broader populace if they work in a setting like that for long periods. A high level of tension management skills is essential for every business that hopes to endure.