Woman In Business6 min read
Taking over a business: the first ninety days of the numbers
For women who have inherited, bought or stepped into a running business: what to look at first, in what order, and what can wait.
- Updated
- 18 Oct 2026
In short
If you read nothing else.
- 01
Start with cash: twelve months of bank statements and who owes the business money.
- 02
Then compliance: what is due, what is overdue, and who has the passwords.
- 03
Leave the big decisions until you have seen one full month go through.
In this guide3 sections +
Nobody hands you a pricing model. When you take over a business, whether you inherited it, bought it or stepped in because someone had to, you also inherit how it was run. Often that was out of one person's head. These are the first ninety days, in the order that matters.
Days 1 to 30: cash and access
- Get access to every business bank account, the accounting software, SARS eFiling and CIPC. Write down where each login lives.
- Read the last twelve months of bank statements. Mark the regular payments in and out.
- List who owes the business money and how old each debt is.
- List who the business owes, and when each payment is due.
- Find out what is due to SARS, CIPC and the Compensation Fund in the next three months.
Days 31 to 60: what makes money
- Group last year's invoices by the type of work and see which type brings in the most.
- Ask the people doing the work how long each type really takes.
- Look at the price list and when it was last changed.
- Find the three customers or job types that matter most, and talk to them.
Days 61 to 90: systems
- Write down how a job goes from enquiry to final payment today.
- Pick the one step that only the previous owner could do, and write it down first.
- Set a monthly hour with your numbers and keep it.
General information, not advice. This guide explains the general position for South African businesses. It is not tax, legal or accounting advice. For your specific situation, speak to your accountant, registered tax practitioner or attorney.