The 4 Most Important Ways for Entrepreneurs to Mitigate Personal Financial Risk

If you start a sole proprietorship or a partnership, you could be held personally liable for almost anything related to the business; that means you will be responsible for paying any business-related debts you incur and you could be sued by your clients, employees, etc.

If you start an LLC, you'll have some degree of liability protection. These business structures allow your business to be treated as if it were an individual of its own. The business itself can take out a loan, incurred debt, and be the target of costly lawsuits - reducing your personal exposure to these financial risks.

New business owners are tempted to fund the business themselves, even if they don't have the savings to cover those expenses. They take out personal loans, max out their credit cards, or incur debt in other ways to get the money they need.

A few minor expenses here and there won't hurt you, but for the most part, you should never take out personal loans. Instead, work with investors, tap into your savings, or rely on your business credit to take out loans in the business's name.