If you want to be a successful entrepreneur, one thing you’ll quickly realize is that your goal is to maximize the value of your company. And you’ll want to figure out how to do that before you spend a dime.
One of the best ways to do that is to value your company, both in terms of dollars and cents as well as in terms of the non-financial value you provide to others.
Use the Net Present Value Model to value a company?
Net present value is a useful tool to help entrepreneurs determine how to value their own startup. Let’s say you’re working on a business idea. You’re looking for funding to get the project off the ground. So how do you value the business? If you value each dollar equally, your valuation will be very low. You’ll be comparing it to a cheap car or a $5 widget.
But if you value dollars differently—that is, you value a dollar today more than a dollar next week—your valuation will be higher. This model will allow you to compare the value of your current business to that of other businesses.