Everyone who starts a business does so with a dream in mind; however, very few actually make that dream a reality, let alone a profitable one.

However, what happens when the seemingly unthinkable happens and the money actually starting rolling in?

Oddly enough, raking in the dough as an entrepreneur can be both a blessing and a curse. After all, there are plenty of options on the table which can be quite daunting as a business owner.

For example, is it best to conduct business as usual and pretend like your profits aren’t even there? Should you immediately invest the money back into your business? Should you buy the car of your dreams?

Although common sense certainly plays a role in what you should do when cash starts coming in, there are five things you should do immediately after business starts to boom. These tips are rooted in long-term thinking which will ultimately protect your business both legally and financially. Likewise, they’ll give you the peace of mind to actually enjoy your profits.

Save Your Money (For Yourself and From Others)

You’ve probably heard the phrase, “more money, more problems,” right? Well, for many businesses this rings true.

For starters, the more money you have on hand inherently means more customers and daily interactions with new faces. Somewhere down the line you’re likely to face some sort of legal trouble at the hands of a client.

Likewise, you’re probably going to want to talk to a lawyer about how to invest your wealth to ensure that you diversify your portfolio and make the most of your profits.

In short, if you haven’t sought legal counsel in the past, now’s most certainly the time.

Reinvest Wisely

As hinted at earlier, you should reinvest back into your business.

That doesn’t mean spending money wildly, though. Whether you decide to invest in some fresh marketing or a website makeover, establish a budget to keep yourself from going overboard on spending.

As a rule of thumb, don’t go off hiring new faces until you absolutely need to: employees are inherently expensive and represent a long-term commitment. If you need a helping hand, consider instead hiring some freelancers and contractors to help you keep up with your new workload.

Keep Doing What You’re Doing

Some entrepreneurs make the mistake of slacking off once their business starts taking off.

Big mistake.

While you should certainly acknowledge your profits, you should also continue to treat your business like a business and don’t let your ego get the best of you. For example, if a profit or marketing channel is giving you killer returns, scale it accordingly and don’t let up.

Again, it pays to have a budget set to ensure that you’re not burning through your profits.

Don’t Assume It’ll Last Forever

Newsflash: industries change and so do your customers.

Just because you’re booming today doesn’t mean competition won’t sweep in to challenge you tomorrow. For this reason, you should take your business one day at a time and try to maintain a sense of normalcy in the face of fresh profits. The more you stay grounded and level-headed, the better.

Be Careful About Bragging

There’s nothing wrong with being proud of a new client or sales milestone, but that doesn’t mean you need to go spouting off your sales numbers to the rest of the world. Sure, many businesses use their success as their own marketing tool; however, that’s not an excuse to brag.

Instead, rely on testimonials from satisfied customers as marketing firepower instead of being in-your-face about how much money you’re making.

Running a profitable business is something you should be incredibly proud of, so don’t squander your success! Take the necessary steps to protect your wealth, run your business as usual and keep the cash flowing.