As a starting entrepreneur, you may find yourself confused about where to pour your energy—and your money. While it’s tempting to start investing ASAP, knowing where to invest should be part of your business plan. Making impulsive decisions is a no-no in business and is only going to make your target ROI unachievable.

Businessmen always look for ways to increase their assets—and to do that, you need to focus on what has the greatest value in business.

Let’s take a look at these five important areas you need to work on:

1. Right People

A great team is where it all begins. Being a businessman is not only being good at selling, but also having good leadership and management skills.

Products sell because customers need them. But not all products sell themselves. At the end of the day, your employees—your team—and their service will keep the business running and will establish a lasting relationship with your customers.

So what should you take into consideration?

More than anything, they should be passionate and service-oriented. Smart people are easy to find, but those who have the enthusiasm to help your business grow are rare—like finding a gem.

To attract these kinds of people, you should show them not just what you can offer, but also your mission for the company. What are you trying to solve in your business? Sell your vision to them and make sure that they capture your mission. Make them feel that your vision is concrete and attainable.

2. Strong Branding

Your brand’s name, logo, and other visual elements are very important aspects to consider before launching your business. Your visual branding is essential to making your product appealing. Strong branding is also easier to recall in the minds of your customers.

If your business is a franchise of a well-known brand, this might be less of a concern. That said, you should still be distinguishable from competitors or similar brands. Branding is not just visual; having better services, availability, and customer approach can set you apart.

Make sure to do market research in order to know what your customers are looking for. Never rely on a single insight. Don’t know where to start? Hearing suggestions from your team is often a good jump-off point.

3. Business Loans

You might have raised your eyebrows upon reading this, but yes, it is advisable to take out a loan for your business growth. Why? Because it will help you secure running cash flow, especially in times of emergency or unexpected situations like a delayed payment from your clients.

It’s best to have cash available in case you need to buy additional supplies or hire extra human resources in order to accomplish a task bigger than what your business normally handles. This will also prevent you from lending from loan sharks who could give you cash at the snap of a finger but that comes with very high-interest rates.

Read also: Scared to debt: Here’s why debt isn’t always a bad thing

4. Effective Processes

We all hate it when we’re told to come back days after we requested a document. Or when something we ordered was shipped later than the date we expected it. Naturally, your customers hate delayed service, too.

You might have an overachieving team, a memorable brand, and a secured source of cash, but if your internal processes aren’t efficient, then your services still won’t be in tip-top shape.

Designing your operational flow, organizational structure, and company policies in a logical, coherent manner helps you avoid redundant processes, as well as minimize overlapping tasks.

Invest in project management and monitoring tools to guide your employees. It’s also advisable to have a shared folder online, so you and your workers can work remotely when outside of the office.

5. Technology

Your business must be digital, period.

In this day and age, entrepreneurs thrive by becoming innovative.

Technology is always an advantage in business. Automated processes and paperless transactions are what customers look for because these make their day-to-day lives easier and more convenient.

Investing in systems that can provide easy access to information about your brand, release the salaries of your employees smoothly, or track orders efficiently can minimize losses and keep your business organized.

Read also: 6 mistakes every entrepreneur should avoid when growing their business

Those who are bold enough to take risks are the ones who will succeed—but taking calculated risks and investing in the right places will guarantee more favorable results.

Your experiences as a customer can attest that these things are what should be delivered in business. Now, it’s time for you to let your customers experience the best your business can be!