You took a chance, bet on yourself, and started your very own business. It was time for a change, to let go of the 9-to-5, and take control of your life by sharing your best ideas with the world. You were ready for the crazy-long hours, and for constantly failing forward, so long as you could do it on your own terms.

Now—after years of struggle, including a few emergency payday loans—you’ve finally made it. Revenue has been coming in steady and your employees seem pleased with their work-life balance. Given how smoothly the recent past has gone, every aspect of your operation may as well be on auto-pilot.

What you need to be asking yourself as an owner-operator is how can you be sure that your business’ success will continue into the future? Are there measures you can take to preserve capital and double-down on employee satisfaction so that longevity is all but guaranteed?

While management is as much an art as it is a science, you’ll be relieved to hear that there are time-tested methods to shore up your bottom line and strengthen the moat around your business. Here are the major three:

Short Term Investments

Investing your profits in a money market fund, short-term bond fund, or high-interest savings account will preserve your buying power by keeping up with inflation until worthwhile opportunities arise. You can currently find savings accounts online with around a 2.5% annual return. That means that you leave 25$ on the table for every 1000$ you don’t invest. As your profits rise, these savings will turn into a sizeable safety net.

Neglecting to make your money work for you can lead to being strapped for cash when important mergers and acquisitions are at play. The opportunity costs can be tremendous here. You could always take out another payday loan, but it’s only recommended once you’ve exhausted all other options.

Variable Work Weeks

A proven way to make your employees more productive is by letting them customize their schedules into variable work weeks. When everyone can work at their own speed, they won’t feel rushed to clock out at 5:00pm. That means they’re incentivized to put in more hours and produce higher-quality work, both of which support your bottom line. Without a full house at the office every day, you’ll also save on:

• Water
• Electricity
• Hourly wages

Furthermore, working remotely encourages free thought. If your business deals in intellectual property, an office can be too cramped to lead to creative breakthroughs. Let employees work from home or a favorite café for a few days a week and your next money-making idea is more likely to follow.

Hire Young People

You may have to put in some serious mentorship hours at the start, but hiring young people is a guaranteed way to save your business money.

For one, entry-level salaries are lower and easier to cover for a new business. It makes for a smoother conversation to talk about raises from $30,000 than anywhere in six-figure territory. As your fresh-faced employees gain confidence and start to plant roots, you’ll also save yourself the costs of high turnover. Contrary to common sense, hiring for inexperience can be the optimal decision.

With a little creative management, you’ll be able to find untapped value in your business and use it to beef up cash reserves for an exciting but uncertain future.