Payroll

The system that pays employees and handles the tax and contributions withheld on their behalf.

Example

Monthly salary with income tax and social contributions deducted at source.

Payroll taxes are money you hold on someone else's behalf. Spending it is one of the fastest ways to turn a cash problem into a legal one.

Contractor vs employee — Two legally distinct ways of engaging someone, with different tax, control and IP implications.
Cash flow — The actual movement of money in and out of your bank account, as distinct from revenue you have earned but not been paid.
Operating expenses (OpEx) — The costs of running the business that do not scale directly with each sale — salaries, rent, software, marketing, legal.

Business banking and payments — Bank accounts, payment processors, invoicing and reconciliation. Unglamorous, and it decides whether you can actually collect money. (12 min)
Bookkeeping, accounting and when you need a person — Software handles bookkeeping. A human is worth it for tax, equity and anything with a filing deadline. (12 min)
Contractor or employee? — Two legally distinct arrangements with different tax, control and IP consequences. Getting it wrong is a real risk. (12 min)
Hiring across borders — Contractors, employers of record and local entities. Three ways to employ someone abroad, with different costs and risks. (12 min)