Whether your new business is a service business or a manufacturing concern, you may come to find that the easiest part of running the business is getting your product out the door. After all, you started your enterprise based on a new product or proven skill. You have a good handle on that portion of the business. It's all the other stuff involved in keeping the doors open that will prove to be your biggest challenge.

I've said it here before -- and you've read it a million times -- but it can't be said enough -- cash flow is the most critical thing you need. Unless you're an infinite bank -- at some point you must generate positive cash flow. If things are tight, which they always seem to be, you need to be skilled at juggling the available cash flow in order to keep everyone happy and the product moving out the back door.

I recently received a trial issue of yet another new magazine. The one is actually called Cash Flow. The issue I have has a good article on which bills to pay when you can't pay them all. I think I could have written it. It's an interesting article in what seems to be an interesting magazine.

As your company grows, another headache you can expect is the one generated by employees. Every employee is unique, important -- and a potential pain-in-the-butt. You will need to be mom, dad, baby-sitter, psychologist, referee and more to deal with all the potential people problems you are likely to encounter. We love out workers. After all, they build and ship our product. We make every effort to treat them right. But like my own kids, some days I wish they'd disappear.

There is an even greater potential for serious migraines when dealing with the government. Dealing with government agencies -- especially the IRS -- can require a Zen-like resolution. Just get it done. I'm sure many entrepreneurs have their own horror stories.