Startups fail because of many reasons, however, when we consider how young companies manage finances, we can see that there is a clear pattern. We have analyzed financial documents of 150 startups and talked to 20 founders and finance managers regarding their daily accounting practices in this study. The outcome was straight forward, the startups which remained were those that maintained financial habits straight and steady. They kept records, counted numbers at a frequent rate, and were conscious of the cash flow. Those founders who pursued this strategy claimed that the habits assisted them in identifying minor issues before they escalated. Another common observation was that being familiar with their numbers helped them to conduct discussions with investors in a more straightforward manner since they were capable of articulating the decision. Such results indicate that financial discipline at the early stages has a larger contribution to the stability of a startup than commonly appreciated. Basic accounting practices provide new ventures with a stronger foundation in the face of uncertainty as they grow instead of being a minor task.