March 24, 2025

Mastering Cash Flow: Turning Your Business from Cash-Starved to Cash-Rich

In this essential episode, Michael Barbarita reveals powerful strategies to transform your business's cash flow position. While profit looks good on paper, cash is what keeps your business alive. Discover how to identify and fix the hidden cash drains...

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In this essential episode, Michael Barbarita reveals powerful strategies to transform your business's cash flow position. While profit looks good on paper, cash is what keeps your business alive. Discover how to identify and fix the hidden cash drains that plague most businesses, implement proven cash acceleration techniques, and create systems that ensure consistent cash flow even during challenging times.

Powerful Business Strategies is broadcast live Mondays at 12 Noon ET Music on W4CY Radio (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com). Powerful Business Strategies is viewed on Talk 4 TV (www.talk4tv.com).

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WEBVTT

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The topics and opinions expressed in the following show are

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solely those of the hosts and their guests and not

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those of W FOURCY Radio. It's employees are affiliates. We

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make no recommendations or endorsements for radio show programs, services,

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or products mentioned on air or on our web. No

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liability explicit or implies shall be extended to W FOURCY

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Radio or its employees are affiliates. Any questions or comments

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should be directed to those show hosts. Thank you for

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choosing W FOURCY Radio.

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Welcome to Powerful Business Strategies, where you will find out

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that everything you have ever learned about growing your business

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is wrong. Finally, a show where you'll learn the right

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way to grow your business by learning business and financial

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strategies that your competition isn't doing. And now here is

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your host resident of NeXTSTEP CFO Michael Barbarita, and joining

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Michael for today's show as an executive moderator is Chooky Obia.

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Welcome to Powerful Business Strategies and the reason why you

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don't hear the more invigorating voice of Chicky o Bo

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welcoming you to the show is because Chucky's wife and

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Chikey recently welcome their daughter, Chelsea to the world. So

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congratulations to Chucky and his wife and Chuky should be

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back on the show next week. So in the meantime,

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my name is Michael Barberina. I'm president of NeXTSTEP CFO

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and Next Step CFO is a fractional CFO and strategic

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immitation firm. Business owners hire us to double and triple

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that profit using business and financial strategies that their competition

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isn't doing. Our vision is to ensure that overwhelmed business

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owners achieve the time, freedom, and consistent profits to build

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a legacy and the life they desire. Our mission is

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dedicated to guiding small business owners to leveraging their time,

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exploding their profits, and building a meaningful legacy. The show

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Powerful Business Strategies and their book of the same name

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as a step toward accomplishing that vision and mission, and

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Chooky and I are both affiliated with a number of

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different organizations and Chokey currently serves as the managing director

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of business development for Better Price, which is a global

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business focused law firm, and in addition to that, Chucky

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and I collaborate to monitorate business roundtables around the country

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and around the world and document those insights as part

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of our book Powerful Business Strategies. But please not that

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the views expressed on this show are our personal views

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based on our own successful experiences. And here's something that

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i'd like to share that I've announced previously. If you

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have a business problem that you would like us to answer,

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a business question or a strategy that you like to

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ask about, please email us ask at NEXTSTEPCFO dot net.

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That is asked at NEXTSTEPCFO dot net. Doesn't matter what

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the business problem is or the question, and we will

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answer it for you. And here's but here's a couple

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of things that we do. Ask one, please state whether

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it is something we can answer on the air or

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if it's confidential, And of course if it's confidential, we

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won't put it on the air, but we'll respond to you,

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but we won't put it on the air. And number two,

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please provide your phone number because business problems can be

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complex and we might need some additional context or clarity.

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That email address again is ask at NEXTSTEPCFO dot net.

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And I also want to point out that we've had

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a couple of questions but they have requested confidentiality, which

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of course we'll always always honor. You know, every successful

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business faces moments that test not just its model, but

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its leaders resolve. Whether it's watching a key employee walk

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out the door with critical knowledge, navigating changing government regulations,

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shouldering tax burns that seem to grow heavier each year,

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or weathering those inevitable seasons when customers simply start buying.

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These moments are not the exception of business. They're the rule.

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They're the crucible that separates temporary success from enduring achievement.

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What distinguishes extraordinary business owners isn't the absence of these challenges,

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but their response when confronted with them. While others see

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the parting talent is devastating, they see an opportunity to

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strengthen their systems. Where others see regulations as obstacles, they

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find ways to turn compliance into competitive advantage. When others

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panic during slowdowns, they use the time to innovate and

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prepare for the inevitable upturn. Remember this, every significant business

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challenge contains within it the seed of an even greater opportunity.

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So young job isn't to avoid these challenges, it's to

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develop the wisdom to extract the opportunity that they can

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the most valuable skill you can develop isn't avoiding problems.

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It's becoming the kind of leader who adapts and converts

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problems into platforms for unprecedented growth. That transformation begins with

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the decision that you won't merely survive these challenges, but

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you'll use them to thrive. You know, every day across America, talented,

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hard working business owners wake up with a not in

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their stomach because they don't have customers. It's not because

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they're not delivering value. It's not even because they're not

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making a profit on paper. It's because they're worried about

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cash flow. They wonder if they'll make payroll this Friday.

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They hope that that a big client payment comes in

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before the rent is do they juggle which vendor gets

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paid this week and which one will have to wait.

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But there's a fundamental truth that can transform this daily anxiety.

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Cash Flow problems are only sometimes about how much money

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your business makes, then mostly about systems, or in some cases,

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to lack thereof the most successful business owners I've worked

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with weren't necessarily the ones with the highest revenue even

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highest profit margins. They were the ones who mastered the

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mechanics of cash flow. Today, I want to inspire you

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with this powerful reality that, no matter how challenging your

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cash position is, right now, with the business systems and strategies,

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or with i should say, with the right business systems

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and strategies, you can move your business from cash starved

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to cash rich. And when you do, you'll not only

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eliminate that not in your stomach, but you'll gain the

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freedom to make decisions based on opportunity rather than necessity.

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That movement from cash starved take cash rich begins today.

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So today we're tackling perhaps the most critical aspect of

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running a successful business, mastering your cash flow. And let

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me start with the stock reality. According to a US

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bank a study, they did eighty two percent of business

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failures due to poor cash flow management, not lack of profit,

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lack of cash. You can be profitable on paper and

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still go out of business if you're run out of cash.

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And as a fractional CFO and strategic implementer who has

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worked with hundreds of businesses across dozens of industries, I've

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seen firsthand how cash flow problems can cripple otherwise successful companies.

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But I've also seen how the right cash flow strategies

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can change struggling businesses if the thriving enterprises with substantial

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cash reserves. So today we're going to explore proven strategies

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to master your cash flow strategies that work regardless of

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your industry, regardless of business size, or regardless of current

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financial position. In our first segment, will identify the twelve

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most common cash flow killers that plaque small and medium

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sized businesses, from inventory management issues to pricing problems too, accounts,

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receivable challenges, and more pointantly, we'll show you how to

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diagnose each of these issues and how they might be

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impacting your business right now. In the second segment will

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dive deep into practical cash acceleration strategies. We'll talk about

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specific techniques to get your get cash into your business faster,

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also manage outflows more effectively, and create a consistent, predictable

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cash flow pattern even in seasonal or project based businesses.

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And finally, in our third segment, we'll explore how to

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create robust cash flow systems that not only solve immediate

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cash challenges, but build long term cash reserves that provide

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both security and strategic advantages. So I just want to

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point out something else too, because I said a little

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just a second ago about even if you're in a

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seasonal business. Well, if you recall, I was in the

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ski business, and what could be more seasonal. And as

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a matter of fact, we closed in the off season.

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We shut the doors because we were a specialty ski

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store and skis was our game, and we didn't sell

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aqua lungs in the summertime. But at any rate, we

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never needed to use our line of credit. We had one,

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it was Foune grant, but we never needed it. We

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never needed to use it in the off season. We

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had enough cash reserves built up to finance our summer

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and so, and those strategies that we're going to talk

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about today are the strategies that I used in order

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to not even touch the line of credit that I

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had in a seasonal business. And what makes this show

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particularly valuable is that most business owners only focus on

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cash flow when they're already in crisis mode. But the

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business that the businesses that truly excel are those that

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implement proactive cash flow management systems before problems arise. And

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these businesses have the flexibility to these opportunities, to weather

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unexpected challenges and to make decisions based on strategic goals

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rather than immediate cash pressures. Big difference, and whether you're

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currently struggling with cashblow challenges or simply want to optimize

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your already stated position, the strategies will share today can

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help you build a stronger, more resilient business because remember,

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it's not just about surviving, it's about creating that financial

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foundation for exceptional growth. So grab that pen and paper

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because the insights you'll gain today could be worth tens

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or even hundreds of thousands of dollars to your bottom

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line and more importantly, today your cash position. And if

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you're driving, certainly don't grab that pended paper, but listen

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to our replay at Powerful Business Strategies dot com. So

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let's dive into the first critical component of mastering your

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cash flow, and that is identifying and addressing the common

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cash flow killers that might be draining your business. Cashflow

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problems are caused by specific issues that can be systematically

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identified in things. So let me walk you through some

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of those cash flow killers that we see across businesses

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of all types and sizes. The way in the first

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major cash flow killer is too much inventory. You know,

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a great retailer in Massachusetts his name was Roger, Butchika

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once said, the less inventory you buy, the more money

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you make. And what Roger meant was is that too

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much inventory can put you out of business quickly. And

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this is the biggest mistake retailers make. It's overbuying, and

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over buying not only kills retailers, by the way, it

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kills distributors who overbuy product and manufacturers who overproduce. You know,

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I once had a client in the distribution business well,

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because of a promotion that didn't meet sales expectations, was

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sitting on a seven year supply of a particular product.

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Now we've got an offer of fifteen thousand dollars to

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move this inventory. But it did and it cost my client.

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That remaining inventory did cost my clients thousand dollars. So

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sixty thousand dollars that cost was sitting there and we

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got a fifteen thousand dollar offer. My suggestion was to

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take the fifteen thousand dollars and reinvest it in fresh,

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fast moving inventory that was turning over eight times per

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year at a forty percent profit. Monitule by doing this

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instead of tying up sixty thousand an inventory that would

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take seven years to move, they generated an additional two

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hundred thousand cash flows that year through the reinvestment of

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that fifteen thousand in the fast moving product. This is

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really really important, by the way, because there are several

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factors why we business owners don't pull the trigger on

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situations like this. Now, they would have never generated that

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much cash waiting for that slow moving stuff to sell,

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not a million years. And this illustrates a fundamental principle

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because of the inventory turnover of more productive inventory, it

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pays to cut your losses and get rid of that

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slower moving inventory. So getting a question from a listener,

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so the question is how can business owners determine the

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right inventory levels for their specific business to avoid this

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problem in the first place. Well, that's a great question.

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The key is implementing what I call an inventory intelligence system,

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and that's a systematic approach to the management of inventory

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and is start by categorizing your inventory into A, B

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and C items based on sales velocity and profit contribution.

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So your A items, typically the top twenty percent that

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generated eighty percent of your profit, should never be out

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of stock and require type management for these items. Calculate

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your optimal reorder point by multiplying your average daily sales

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by your supplier lead, then add a safety stock factor

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based on sales buriability. For B and C items, you

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can be more conservative with stocking levels. Review these calculations

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quarterly as sales patterns change from time to time, but

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most importantly, implement a regular, slow moving inventory review to

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identify and liquid date items before they become seventy year supplies.

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Excuse the reference to the last example. So here's the

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other thing. We need to check our egos at the door.

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All of us, we business owners, never want to admit

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that we made a buying mistake. It's probably one of

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the biggest reasons why we hold on inventory, and as

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a result, we keep the inventory way too long. My

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client would have kept that inventory. We all have purchased dogs,

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no matter how great our buying skills are. We all

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have purchased dogs. Let's let's admit that they're dogs as

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soon as we possibly can, instead of hoping and praying

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that our dogs are really great anyway. The second major

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cash flow killer, I hate to say it. It bothers

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me to say it, but it's the owner's taking too

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much salary or making too many withdrawals. This one hits

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home hardest. The business is doing well, and as a result,

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the owner increases their personal lifestyle, not necessarily too extravagantly,

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but by the way, but more than the business can

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afford if there is a downturn, and so while the

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business is doing well, it's not really feeling the effects

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of the additional salary that the owner is taking. And furthermore,

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the owner feels entitled to it. I don't blame them

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to a larger salaries. They probably took a smaller salary

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while building up the business. The problem comes when the

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business has a downturn and the owner can't adjust their

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salary to look to a lower level, primarily due to

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an increased personal lifestyle. So, unfortunately, there's only one way

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to manage this kind of situation. It takes discipline, and

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you determine a conservative salary, one that can be handled

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during a down you know, a ten fifteen to twenty

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percent downturn, and then when good years occur, you take bonuses.

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That way, when bad years occur, the business isn't stringed

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due to the owner's salary. Another major cash killer is

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doing business with customers who are slow paying or don't

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pay at all. Oh god. I've had clients continue doing

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business with customers who are just slow paying because they

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know them personally, or they've been they've been customers for

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one hundred years, or because you know, business is bad

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and they need to keep people working, so they take

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on these these clients who just don't These customers are

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clients that just don't pay. This is a very bad

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business practice. You know, had client when one hundred and

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fifty thousand and over ninety day receivables from slow moving

265
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customers out of a two hundred and fifty thousand total

266
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receivable balance. We immediately put all these customers in collection

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and refuse to do business with them in the future. Now,

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some of these customers still came back to us, but

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we required them to pay cod and overall collections improved

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dramatically afterwards. You just got to put your foot down

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at some point. So establishing a system of collecting accounts

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receivable so that your strategy is consistent and timely is

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really important. This is when we go back to systems.

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For example, for an invoice with terms of thirty days,

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contact the customer between the thirty fifth and fortieth day.

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The customer doesn't return your call. You're not satisfying with

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their answer, send them a ten day demand letter. This

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is from you now. Now I have a template for

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00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.000
this letter and I can give it to you if

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you send an email to ask at NEXTSTEPCFO dot Nexlet's

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00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:04.079
ask at NeXTSTEP CFO dot net and I'll send your

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reply with that template. But the past two isn't paid

283
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within that ten days, you have to put them in collection.

284
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And I know this is a big deal for a

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lot of business owners, but this system works. It just

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plain works. You have to get tough with some of

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these people. The next major cash killer is having overhead

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that's too high. Now in most businesses, the largest expenses

289
00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:32.200
are rent, payroll, advertising, and insurance, and focusing on managing

290
00:19:32.240 --> 00:19:35.079
these expenses will give you the biggest bang for the buck.

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00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:37.720
And for rent, even if you have a lease that

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you're committed to, you can often renegotiate the terms. Not

293
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all the time, I get that, but you can. Most

294
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landlords understand cash flow problems that don't want to lose tenants.

295
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I've done this before. Show them your financial statements. This

296
00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:57.720
is before you're in default. Okay, you're still making You

297
00:19:57.799 --> 00:20:00.680
made that last payment that you've think that that's the

298
00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:03.519
last payment you're going to be able to make in

299
00:20:03.559 --> 00:20:07.839
the next several months, show them your financial statements, demonstrate

300
00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:10.799
what concessions you need, and explain how you're going to

301
00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:14.440
pull through the difficult times. But here's the thing you

302
00:20:14.559 --> 00:20:17.640
have to I'll say it again, renegotiate with the landlord

303
00:20:17.640 --> 00:20:21.960
when it's clouding, not when it's raining. In other words,

304
00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:26.240
be proactive. And how can you be proactive? You have

305
00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:32.000
a business and cash flow forecast. So for payroll, there's

306
00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:35.359
usually always a way to cut, whether by laying off

307
00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:39.400
under performing employees or reducing hours. You know a retail

308
00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:43.039
changing store opening and closing hours can sometimes allow for

309
00:20:43.079 --> 00:20:45.839
a single eight hour, eight to nine hour shift instead

310
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of multiple ships. When I was in the ski retail business,

311
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you know our operation, our hours of operation were new

312
00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:55.079
to nine. Let's says a ton of payroll. Customers never complained.

313
00:20:56.119 --> 00:21:00.400
And for advertising, while I don't like cutting it, there

314
00:21:00.400 --> 00:21:05.880
are ways to reduce costs dramatically impacting sales by reducing

315
00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:09.279
ad sizes, changing from four color to two color printing,

316
00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:13.319
or focusing more on digital strategies with better ROI and

317
00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:17.440
better metrics tracking, and by using small budgets to test

318
00:21:17.480 --> 00:21:20.640
different messaging. You can test for as little as five

319
00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:24.359
dollars a day on Facebook, by the way, and for insurance,

320
00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:28.000
get multiple quotes from multiple providers, or get quotes from

321
00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:33.079
multiple providers. Your commercial insurance carriers get very competitive. They

322
00:21:33.079 --> 00:21:36.240
can usually shop in their pencils on general liability policies,

323
00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:39.680
but usually they don't shop at your pencils their pencils

324
00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:42.839
unless you ask. So if you and the other thing

325
00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:44.920
is is if you have an umbrella policy, you have

326
00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:47.640
to reassess whether you truly need it. I had a

327
00:21:47.680 --> 00:21:50.319
client who had an umbrella policy that was costing him

328
00:21:50.400 --> 00:21:53.960
seventeen grade a year, and the only reason why he

329
00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:57.359
had that umbrella policy was so we can make bids

330
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on government jobs that required the umbrella coverage. In the

331
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:04.359
three years leading up to the time he hired me,

332
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he was never ever successful on any government bid, so

333
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we dropped the umbrella. The next major cash killer is

334
00:22:16.319 --> 00:22:18.119
too much debt. You know, debt will kill you if

335
00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:20.440
it's successive. And if that is killing you, it's time

336
00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:23.440
to renegotiate terms. And I don't care if it's with

337
00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:25.880
a bank, if it's with the SBA, If I don't

338
00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:27.599
know if it's with a private let, I don't care

339
00:22:27.640 --> 00:22:30.880
who's with. The key is, though, is to have good

340
00:22:30.880 --> 00:22:34.680
relationships with them all the time. I call it feeding

341
00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:40.160
your banker, both literally by taking them to lunch and

342
00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:44.319
figuratively by constantly communicating with them about your business. Because

343
00:22:44.359 --> 00:22:47.240
if you do that, over time, they get a better

344
00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:50.559
understanding of your business, so that when you come to

345
00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:54.880
them with all with problems due to a bad economy

346
00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:57.079
and so forth, they understand how you're going to get

347
00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:59.759
out of it, instead of you having to stop from

348
00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:02.599
score and explaining your business over and over again to

349
00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.880
these people. So be having good communication with a banker.

350
00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:09.440
And if your banker leads, you have to you know,

351
00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:12.400
you have to reignite the relationship with the new banker,

352
00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:16.680
because bankers leave all the time, I get it. Areas

353
00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:20.319
to negotiate, by the way, include interest rate reductions, extending terms,

354
00:23:20.359 --> 00:23:23.920
switching into interest only payments, turning out lines of credit,

355
00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:28.839
so there's a number of ways to renegotiate. The next

356
00:23:28.839 --> 00:23:33.480
major cash killer is under capitalization. From the beginning, I've

357
00:23:33.519 --> 00:23:37.759
never seen an entrepreneur, including myself, by the way, accurately

358
00:23:37.960 --> 00:23:42.039
estimate cash required for a brand new venture. Once the

359
00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:46.319
vention's going, we're really good at that. Before the fact,

360
00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:50.640
we're a little we're a little tough. The inherent optimism

361
00:23:50.759 --> 00:23:54.400
of we entrepreneurs automatically seems to dictate that cash needs

362
00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:58.799
will be underestimated. So, because entrepreneur is always under estimate

363
00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:02.039
cash needs, the search for money needs to be consistent

364
00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:04.359
and continuous, and it's wise to take the money you

365
00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:07.119
think you need and double it. I need to say it,

366
00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:11.799
but that's the truth. So here's a question. Yeah, here's

367
00:24:11.799 --> 00:24:16.279
a question from a listener. You've covered six major cash killers.

368
00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:19.359
Which of these you find is the most overlooked by

369
00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:23.559
business owners and why? Well, the most overlooked cash killer

370
00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:27.279
is definitely slow paying customers. And most business owners they

371
00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:33.720
understand inventory issues, they're cautious about debt, but they're surprisingly

372
00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:38.400
surprisingly tolerant of customers who pay slowly or inconsistently, and

373
00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:42.720
there's often an emotional component. They feel uncomfortable in forcing

374
00:24:42.799 --> 00:24:46.279
payment terms with long standing relationships or or either they're

375
00:24:46.279 --> 00:24:49.480
going to lose the customer if they're too strict. You know,

376
00:24:49.640 --> 00:24:52.960
the customer agreed to terms, so you know, not being

377
00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:56.559
too strict. But what business owners don't realize is that

378
00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:59.720
every day of payment is late essentially means they're extending

379
00:24:59.839 --> 00:25:06.480
and interest free loan to that customer. What manufacturing client

380
00:25:06.519 --> 00:25:09.599
we worked with had over four hundred grand and receivables

381
00:25:09.680 --> 00:25:13.160
beyond sixty days. That's four hundred grand they couldn't use

382
00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:16.119
for growth, For under grand they couldn't use for debt

383
00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:20.599
reduction or other strategic purposes. When we implemented a strategic

384
00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:24.480
collection process, they recovered over eighty five percent of those

385
00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:28.720
funds within ninety days, dramatically improving their cash position without

386
00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:33.480
losing a single valuable customer. The lesson here is professional

387
00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:39.880
payment enforcement actually improves customer relations by setting clear expectations

388
00:25:40.039 --> 00:25:42.920
and putting you at the top of the list instead

389
00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:46.119
of the bottom of the list with some of the

390
00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:53.759
Lacklusser other vendors. Here's another question coming in for a

391
00:25:53.839 --> 00:25:56.680
business owner who identified several of these cash killers in

392
00:25:56.720 --> 00:26:01.720
their operation. How would you recommend how you prioritize them,

393
00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:05.200
which ones to address first? Well? I recommend using what

394
00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:08.240
I call the cash flow impact matrix. This involves assessing

395
00:26:08.319 --> 00:26:12.240
each issue, each issue based on two factors, how quickly

396
00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:16.160
can be addressed and how significant the cash impact will be.

397
00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:21.640
For example, negotiating with slow paying customers can often generate

398
00:26:21.680 --> 00:26:25.680
substantial cash within thirty to sixty days, while renegotiating a

399
00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:29.960
lease might take longer but provide ongoing monthly savings. So

400
00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:33.160
start with the quick wins, the issues that can be

401
00:26:33.160 --> 00:26:38.240
addressed rapidly and with significant cash impact. Typically this means

402
00:26:38.240 --> 00:26:42.960
focusing on accounts, receivable and inventory issues which can offer

403
00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:46.240
free up substantial cash within thirty to ninety days when

404
00:26:46.279 --> 00:26:49.720
you address them as we discussed. Then move to expense

405
00:26:49.799 --> 00:26:54.559
reductions that don't require complex negotiations, are restructuring, and finally

406
00:26:55.319 --> 00:26:59.480
tackle the longer term structural issues like debt restructure. The

407
00:26:59.559 --> 00:27:03.000
key is since to build momentum with early successes that

408
00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:06.400
generate cash, which gives you more flexibility to address the

409
00:27:06.480 --> 00:27:11.920
more complex issues. Remember this is about implementing perfect solutions.

410
00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:18.759
It's about systematic improvement that compounds over time. So before

411
00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:21.359
I continue this discussion, we're going to take a ninety

412
00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:25.599
second break. Hey there, business owners, let me ask you something.

413
00:27:25.920 --> 00:27:29.519
Are you tied of blending in with your competitors? Frustrated

414
00:27:29.559 --> 00:27:32.920
with slow growth and slim margins? Well, I've got news

415
00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:36.400
for you. Everything you've ever learned about growing your business

416
00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:40.319
is wrong, don't worry. I'm here to let you in

417
00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:44.400
on a secret weapon, your position of market dominance. It's

418
00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:48.160
what sets you apart, makes you irreplaceable, and has customers

419
00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:51.599
lining up at your door. My name is Michael Barberrita

420
00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:56.440
from NeXTSTEP CFO. I know what you're thinking. Sounds great, Michael,

421
00:27:56.759 --> 00:28:00.240
How do I find my position of market dominance? Well,

422
00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.880
that's exactly why we've created our game changing implementation program

423
00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:07.759
called Next Step to Market Dominance. In just ninety days,

424
00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:09.839
we'll guide you step by step to a position of

425
00:28:09.880 --> 00:28:14.240
market dominance by uncovering your unique strengths that competitors can't touch,

426
00:28:14.559 --> 00:28:18.039
by crafting a message that resonates deeply with your ideal customer,

427
00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:21.000
by building a strategy that turns you into the go

428
00:28:21.079 --> 00:28:24.039
to expert in your field. Now this is in theory.

429
00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:27.640
These are battle tested strategies that have held businesses like

430
00:28:27.680 --> 00:28:32.519
yours double triple and quadruple their revenue. Don't let another

431
00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:35.920
quarter go by struggling to standout. It's time to dominate

432
00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:41.640
your market. Period. Go to NEXTSTEPCFO dot net, forward slash contact,

433
00:28:42.079 --> 00:28:44.920
fill out the form and in the message section put

434
00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:49.000
the word dominate or call us at seven eight one

435
00:28:49.039 --> 00:28:52.920
three two six three A two two. That's next STEPCFO

436
00:28:53.039 --> 00:28:56.400
dot net forward slash contact or call us at seven

437
00:28:56.480 --> 00:29:02.720
eight one three two six three A two two. Welcome back. Now,

438
00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:06.079
let's explore the second critical component of mastering your cash flow,

439
00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:11.640
and that's practical strategies to accelerate cash into your business

440
00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:15.319
and then manage the outflows more effectively. So cash acceleration

441
00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:19.559
is about more than just collecting payments faster. It's about

442
00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:23.599
redesigning your entire business model to optimize the cash in

443
00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:26.559
and out of your business. So let's explore some proven

444
00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:30.599
strategies that can transform your cash position within thirty to

445
00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:33.880
ninety days. But first let's focus on strategies to get

446
00:29:33.920 --> 00:29:37.279
money into your business faster. So number one is optimize

447
00:29:37.279 --> 00:29:41.119
your payment terms. The traditional model of doing work and

448
00:29:41.160 --> 00:29:45.880
then invoicing with thirty day terms can create significant cash

449
00:29:45.960 --> 00:29:51.279
flow gaps, so consider these alternatives. Upfront deposits or retainers

450
00:29:52.119 --> 00:29:56.960
for service businesses that require Some service businesses require twenty

451
00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:59.599
five to fifty ten payment for a start before starting

452
00:29:59.599 --> 00:30:02.720
the work. I think you have to consider some type

453
00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:08.079
of deposit or retainer before doing the work. Progress billing

454
00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:14.079
for longer projects at specific milestones rather than waiting until completion.

455
00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:20.440
For subscription models, convert one time purchases into reoccurring revenue streams. Also,

456
00:30:20.599 --> 00:30:25.240
you can have discounts upfront. For example, if you have

457
00:30:25.279 --> 00:30:28.480
a monthly subscription, if they pay it a year, you

458
00:30:28.519 --> 00:30:31.079
could take a couple of percent off to the summation

459
00:30:31.160 --> 00:30:36.599
of the twelve month subscription. Payments shortened payment terms, so

460
00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:40.400
consider fifteen day terms instead of thirty. You know consulting

461
00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:44.160
firm was struggling with cash flow despite being profitable, but

462
00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:48.440
by simply changing from one hundred percent payment after project

463
00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:51.720
completion to a model of fifty percent up front and

464
00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:55.039
fifty percent on completion, they eliminated their cash flow problems

465
00:30:55.039 --> 00:30:58.160
within sixty days. The second thing you should do is

466
00:30:58.160 --> 00:31:03.240
streamline your billing process. So many businesses create unnecessary delays

467
00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:07.720
in their own cash cycle through inefficient billing, So you

468
00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:12.680
have to invoice immediately upon delivery or service completion, not

469
00:31:13.039 --> 00:31:19.480
wait month in Second, use electronic invoicing rather than paper bills. Third,

470
00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:25.000
implement clear detailed invoices that prevent payment delays due to questions.

471
00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:30.640
Offer multiple payment methods, particularly electronic options, and set up

472
00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:34.920
automatic payment reminders. You know a manufacturing company reduce their

473
00:31:34.960 --> 00:31:39.119
average collection time from forty seven days to thirty one

474
00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:44.839
days by implementing automated same day invoicing and electronic payment options.

475
00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:49.440
This sixteen day improvement released over four and grand cash

476
00:31:49.720 --> 00:31:53.799
that have been tied up in receivables. Oh, we got

477
00:31:53.799 --> 00:31:58.920
a question already, a question from a listener. These strategies

478
00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:01.559
make sense for services is but what about retail or

479
00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:04.240
other businesses where payment is typically received at the time

480
00:32:04.240 --> 00:32:07.640
of purchase? How can they accelerate cash flow? Good question,

481
00:32:08.599 --> 00:32:14.079
So retail and point of sale businesses, they need to

482
00:32:14.119 --> 00:32:18.720
focus on different acceleration strategies. So first, optimize your inventory

483
00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:21.839
turn rates. The faster the inventory turns, the better your

484
00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:26.119
cash flow. So implement just in time inventory systems where

485
00:32:26.839 --> 00:32:31.000
wherever possible, and use data analytics to predict seasonal needs

486
00:32:31.039 --> 00:32:36.119
more accurately, and then negotiate better supplier terms. Even extending

487
00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:40.319
from NET thirty to NET forty five can significantly improve

488
00:32:40.359 --> 00:32:45.920
cash position. Third, consider deposit systems for customer orders rather

489
00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:51.680
than ordering products without a customer commitment another way. Fourth,

490
00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:55.839
review your payment processor arrangements. Even a half percent reduction

491
00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:59.960
and processing feeds, adds up substantially, and finally, especially if

492
00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:03.920
retail by the way, and finally, create opportunities for prepaid

493
00:33:03.960 --> 00:33:09.160
packages or gift cards, which provide immediate cash for services

494
00:33:09.160 --> 00:33:14.359
delivered later. One retailer increase their cash position by one

495
00:33:14.440 --> 00:33:17.160
hundred and twenty grand in ninety days through these models

496
00:33:17.200 --> 00:33:20.839
without changing their core business model. So the first cash

497
00:33:20.880 --> 00:33:25.079
acceleration strategy was optimizing your payment terms. A second was

498
00:33:25.160 --> 00:33:30.519
streamlining your billing. The third is implement strategic collection processes.

499
00:33:30.640 --> 00:33:36.880
Don't leave collections to chance or or inconsistent effort. Develop

500
00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:41.240
a systematic, multi touch collection process that starts before the

501
00:33:41.359 --> 00:33:45.519
invoice is due. So segment your customers based on payment

502
00:33:45.599 --> 00:33:49.640
history and tailor your approach accordingly. A signed specific team

503
00:33:49.720 --> 00:33:55.599
members responsibility for collections. Consider early payment discounts. So if

504
00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:57.960
you have a thirty day invoice, if somebody pays in

505
00:33:58.039 --> 00:34:01.799
ten days, give two percent but they don't let them cheat.

506
00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:06.319
Don't let them cheat. I've seen a thousand times where

507
00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:14.159
customers will pay they'll take the discount after paying in

508
00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:18.440
fifteen days. Don't let them do that. Use technology to

509
00:34:18.480 --> 00:34:22.480
automate much of the process. A distribution company implemented a

510
00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:27.320
graduated collection system that included automatic email reminders that seven

511
00:34:27.360 --> 00:34:30.480
days before the due date, then again on the due date,

512
00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:33.119
and then seven days pass the due date, followed by

513
00:34:33.239 --> 00:34:35.880
personal calls and then demand letters for anything beyond that.

514
00:34:36.599 --> 00:34:39.639
Their pass receivables drop from thirty two to eight percent

515
00:34:39.639 --> 00:34:42.880
within ninety days. I mean, it's just, it's just you've

516
00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:47.599
got to do the work here and then leverage your

517
00:34:47.639 --> 00:34:53.679
financial products strategically. Various financial products can help bridge temporary

518
00:34:53.760 --> 00:34:58.320
gap temporary cash flow gaps. So like business lines and

519
00:34:58.400 --> 00:35:03.000
credit secure these when cass blow is good, not when

520
00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:05.079
you're already in trouble, You'll never get it. If you're

521
00:35:05.119 --> 00:35:07.480
in trouble, you've got to build up your lines of

522
00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:11.519
credit and always manage that. You know, if today you

523
00:35:11.559 --> 00:35:14.079
have one hundred thousand dollars line of credit and you

524
00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:17.199
still have it gone into it, you know, apply for

525
00:35:17.199 --> 00:35:21.960
one hundred and fifty or two hundred. It'll help when

526
00:35:22.199 --> 00:35:26.719
times get tougher. It's really important to do that. When

527
00:35:26.719 --> 00:35:28.840
I was at Ski Town, we started with one hundred

528
00:35:28.880 --> 00:35:31.000
thousand dollars line of credit. We ended up with four hundred.

529
00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:33.440
We never used it. But that doesn't mean I don't

530
00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:39.159
keep from trying to increase it. Invoice factoring, sell your

531
00:35:39.159 --> 00:35:41.800
receivables at a discount for immediate cass. This is if

532
00:35:41.840 --> 00:35:45.760
you have to inventory financing, use inventory as collateral for

533
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:51.000
short term funding banks. We'll loan on inventory supply chain financing.

534
00:35:51.119 --> 00:35:54.039
Arrange for your customer banks to pay you immediately while

535
00:35:54.039 --> 00:35:57.320
extending credit to them. One am my clients secured a

536
00:35:57.320 --> 00:35:59.280
tw hundred and fifty thousand dollars line of credit when

537
00:35:59.320 --> 00:36:03.440
their business was strong. A year later, when a major

538
00:36:03.719 --> 00:36:06.559
customer delayed substantial payment, they were able to draw in

539
00:36:06.599 --> 00:36:11.000
the line. Rather than missing payroll or delaying vendor payments,

540
00:36:11.239 --> 00:36:13.960
or ending up with that not in their stomach. That's

541
00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:16.960
prevented as short term cash fronts before becoming a crisis.

542
00:36:18.039 --> 00:36:23.840
Now let's turn to strategies for managing outflows. Optimize your

543
00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:28.079
vendor payment strategies, so how and when you pay significantly

544
00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:32.280
impacts your cash position. So negotiate extended terms with key

545
00:36:32.320 --> 00:36:36.760
suppliers forty five to sixty days instead of thirty. When

546
00:36:36.760 --> 00:36:39.440
I was in the ski business, sometimes I got six

547
00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:44.079
month terms. I've taken the inventory in February and I

548
00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:46.000
don't have to pay it till October. I don't even

549
00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:48.280
know how many months that is, but I think it's

550
00:36:48.280 --> 00:36:52.159
more than six months. Consul and they'll do that if

551
00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:54.360
you're a good customer and if you pay on time,

552
00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:59.039
whatever the terms are. Consolidate vendors to gain better terms

553
00:36:59.039 --> 00:37:03.559
to higher volume. Set up that's buying group stuff, you know.

554
00:37:03.719 --> 00:37:08.320
Consider joining buying groups. Set up a systematic payment system,

555
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:12.079
a schedule rather than paying bills as they arrived. Consider

556
00:37:12.119 --> 00:37:15.800
the strategic use of credit cards for certain expenses to

557
00:37:15.920 --> 00:37:21.039
extend payment timing. I mean you can. You can take

558
00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:23.480
thirty day terms and make them fifty if you're paying

559
00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:28.000
a credit card. Think about that. Implement approval processes for

560
00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:32.320
all expenditures above a certain threshold. A service business negotiated

561
00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:36.280
extended payment terms with their top five vendors, resulting in

562
00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:41.239
immediate seventy five grand improvement in their cast position without

563
00:37:41.360 --> 00:37:44.760
any change in their operation or any revenue shift or anything.

564
00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:52.199
Implement zero based expense reviews, so rather than incrementally adjusting

565
00:37:52.320 --> 00:37:57.119
last year's budget, stop from zero. Require every expense to

566
00:37:57.159 --> 00:38:01.000
be justified based on current business needs. Remember what I

567
00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:04.400
said last week. You cut the expense if the expense

568
00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:07.760
doesn't help you acquire a customer, if the expense doesn't

569
00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:10.760
help you retain a customer, if the expense doesn't help

570
00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:13.800
increase the long term valuable customer, and if the expense

571
00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:17.880
doesn't help deliver your product or service to a customer.

572
00:38:19.239 --> 00:38:24.679
Evaluate subscriptions and recurring expenses that this is a huge area.

573
00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:28.039
Watch your credit card bill and look at these subscriptions

574
00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:31.039
you're not using. Implement the rule of three get three

575
00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:33.760
quotes for any significant expense. We already talked about that

576
00:38:33.800 --> 00:38:38.199
for insurance. This thing was between essential and non essential spending,

577
00:38:38.559 --> 00:38:44.239
and create formal approval processes for any new recurring expenses.

578
00:38:46.840 --> 00:38:51.840
Then you can manage capital expenditures strategically. That's another area.

579
00:38:52.400 --> 00:38:57.360
So major purchases can significantly drain cash if not managed properly.

580
00:38:57.440 --> 00:39:01.679
So consider leasing versus buying for equipment that appreciates quickly.

581
00:39:02.119 --> 00:39:05.519
We have formulists to show you which is better. Implement

582
00:39:05.679 --> 00:39:10.000
a formal ROI return on investment analysis for our capital expenditures.

583
00:39:10.519 --> 00:39:14.360
What's the payback of your capital expenditure? That's another metric

584
00:39:14.400 --> 00:39:20.239
that's really important when looking at capital expenditures. Explore vendor

585
00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:25.320
financing options. Create a capital expenditure reserve fund during strong

586
00:39:25.400 --> 00:39:28.840
months manufacturing company was planning to purchase three and a

587
00:39:28.840 --> 00:39:33.159
grand in equipment. By renegotiating a lease to own arrangement instead,

588
00:39:33.280 --> 00:39:36.360
they reduced their initial cash outlay by eighty five percent

589
00:39:37.119 --> 00:39:44.880
while preserving their working capital for operational needs. Here's a

590
00:39:44.960 --> 00:39:51.639
question from a listener. Yeah, you shared many strategies for

591
00:39:51.679 --> 00:39:55.519
accelerating cash flow, and for business owners who are already

592
00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:59.480
feeling overwhelmed, what would be the one cash flow acceleration

593
00:39:59.599 --> 00:40:03.679
strategy with the highest impact to effic ratio? Well, byat

594
00:40:03.679 --> 00:40:06.960
to identified the highest level leverage strategy, it would be

595
00:40:07.039 --> 00:40:14.079
implementing a systematic technology enabled invoicing and collection process. Period

596
00:40:14.840 --> 00:40:18.280
Most businesses have leakage in their collections and they send

597
00:40:18.280 --> 00:40:21.719
out invoices late. Their follow up is a consistent there's

598
00:40:21.760 --> 00:40:24.800
no clear path when pay and you know when payments

599
00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:28.000
are delayed. And by setting up automations for these things,

600
00:40:28.320 --> 00:40:34.400
you will see incredible efficiency. Another question it is many

601
00:40:34.440 --> 00:40:38.480
business owners worry about implementing stricter cash blow management by

602
00:40:38.559 --> 00:40:42.880
damage relationships with customers or vendors. How do you recommend

603
00:40:42.920 --> 00:40:46.960
balancing cash flow optimization with maintaining good business relationships. Well,

604
00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:50.920
that's a crucial concern, but you stop by being transparent

605
00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:54.920
and proactive in businesslike when changing payment terms, give advanced

606
00:40:54.920 --> 00:40:58.920
notice and explain to the business of reasons. Frame collections

607
00:40:58.920 --> 00:41:02.480
as a customer service function. For example, we're reaching out

608
00:41:02.519 --> 00:41:05.400
to ensure everything was satisfactory with your order and to

609
00:41:05.480 --> 00:41:09.239
confirm your invoice was received. I'm sorry to confirm our

610
00:41:09.280 --> 00:41:14.760
invoice was received. For vendor relationships, don't just demand better terms.

611
00:41:14.760 --> 00:41:18.280
Look for mutual benefits, perhaps offering faster payment on a

612
00:41:18.280 --> 00:41:22.480
portion of invoices in exchange for extended terms. On the balance,

613
00:41:23.159 --> 00:41:29.360
the most important principle is consistency. When your policies are clear, consistent,

614
00:41:29.400 --> 00:41:36.800
and professionally communicated, they actually strengthen relationships by setting proper expectations.

615
00:41:38.000 --> 00:41:40.079
So before I continue this discussion, we're going to take

616
00:41:40.079 --> 00:41:43.079
a ninety second break. Hey, dear business owners, let me

617
00:41:43.119 --> 00:41:45.920
ask you something. Are you tied of blending in with

618
00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:50.280
your competitors? Frustrated with slow growth and slim margins? Well,

619
00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:53.599
I've gotten news for you. Anything you've ever learned about

620
00:41:53.639 --> 00:41:58.119
growing your business is wrong. Don't worry. I'm here to

621
00:41:58.199 --> 00:42:01.039
let you in on a secret weapon. Your position of

622
00:42:01.159 --> 00:42:05.039
market dominance. It's what sets you apart, makes you irreplaceable

623
00:42:05.440 --> 00:42:08.880
and has customers lining up at your door. My name

624
00:42:08.920 --> 00:42:12.480
is Michael Babarrita from Next Step CFO. I know what

625
00:42:12.519 --> 00:42:15.920
you're thinking. Sounds great, Michael, How do I find my

626
00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:19.880
position of market dominance? Well, that's exactly why we've created

627
00:42:19.920 --> 00:42:24.360
our game changing impleentation program called Next Step to Market Dominance.

628
00:42:24.920 --> 00:42:27.360
In just ninety days, we'll guide you step by step

629
00:42:27.400 --> 00:42:30.639
to a position of market dominance by uncovering your unique

630
00:42:30.679 --> 00:42:34.039
strengths that competitors can't touch. By crafting a message that

631
00:42:34.239 --> 00:42:37.880
resonates deeply with your ideal customer, by building a strategy

632
00:42:37.920 --> 00:42:40.559
that turns you into the go to expert in your field.

633
00:42:41.239 --> 00:42:44.159
Now this is in theory. These are battle tests and

634
00:42:44.199 --> 00:42:47.360
strategies that have helped businesses like yours double, triple, and

635
00:42:47.519 --> 00:42:52.159
quadruple their revenue. Don't let another quarter go by struggling

636
00:42:52.159 --> 00:42:56.679
to standout. It's time to dominate your market. Period. Go

637
00:42:56.719 --> 00:43:00.880
to NEXTSTEPCFO dot net forward slash contact. Fill out the

638
00:43:00.960 --> 00:43:04.679
form and in the message section, put the word dominating

639
00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:08.199
or call us at seven eight one three two six

640
00:43:08.480 --> 00:43:11.840
three A two two. That's next Step CFO dot net

641
00:43:11.920 --> 00:43:15.519
forward slash contact or call us at seven eight one

642
00:43:15.559 --> 00:43:19.719
three two six three A two two. Welcome back. So

643
00:43:19.800 --> 00:43:22.840
let's focus down on the third critical component of mastering

644
00:43:22.880 --> 00:43:26.159
your cash flow, and that's building robust systems that create

645
00:43:26.320 --> 00:43:31.320
long term cash flow predictability and security. While addressing of

646
00:43:31.400 --> 00:43:36.280
media cash flow issues is important, creating sustainable cash management

647
00:43:36.440 --> 00:43:39.840
systems is what really moves the need from perpetually being

648
00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:44.519
cash stressed to consistently being cash rich. So let's explore

649
00:43:44.559 --> 00:43:48.599
the key systems that create this improvement. First, let's talk

650
00:43:48.599 --> 00:43:52.719
about implementing a thirteen week rolling cash flow forecast. This

651
00:43:52.760 --> 00:43:56.280
is perhaps the most single most powerful tool for proactive

652
00:43:56.639 --> 00:44:01.719
short term cash management, and unlike annual budgets or even

653
00:44:01.800 --> 00:44:05.599
monthly forecasts, a thirteen week cash flow forecast gives you

654
00:44:05.719 --> 00:44:09.000
detailed week by week. That's why I said short term

655
00:44:09.000 --> 00:44:13.400
earlier projections, week by week of exactly what cash will

656
00:44:13.400 --> 00:44:16.079
be coming in and going out of your business. And

657
00:44:16.119 --> 00:44:19.239
here's why this timeframe is so powerful that thirteen weeks

658
00:44:19.599 --> 00:44:23.159
it's long enough to identify potential cash crunches before they occur,

659
00:44:23.639 --> 00:44:27.840
it's short enough to forecast with reasonable accuracy. It captures

660
00:44:27.840 --> 00:44:31.840
both immediate operational realities and longer term trends and it

661
00:44:31.960 --> 00:44:35.599
enables you to test the cash impact of decisions before

662
00:44:36.119 --> 00:44:39.440
you make them. The key elements of a thirteen week

663
00:44:39.519 --> 00:44:44.280
cash will include beginning balance of projected cash receipts based

664
00:44:44.280 --> 00:44:49.280
on receivables and sales forecasts, projected cash disbursements categorized by

665
00:44:49.320 --> 00:44:53.880
tight your anti cash balances, available credit facilities, and total

666
00:44:53.880 --> 00:44:57.920
liquidity position. But what makes this tool particularly powerful is

667
00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:01.039
that it's updated weekly on a rolling basis. This means

668
00:45:01.039 --> 00:45:06.320
you're always looking forward thirteen weeks, continuously refining your projections

669
00:45:06.320 --> 00:45:10.000
based on actual results. I worked with a construction company

670
00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:15.000
that was perpetually in cash crisis despite having profitable projects,

671
00:45:15.440 --> 00:45:19.360
and by implementing a thirteen week cash rolling cash flow forecast,

672
00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:25.039
they identified that they had a reoccurring cash crunch every

673
00:45:25.119 --> 00:45:30.599
quarter when certain income tax payments came due, and this

674
00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:34.639
insight allowed them to set aside cash in anticipation of

675
00:45:34.679 --> 00:45:39.679
these predictable obligations, rather than being caught by surprise each time.

676
00:45:40.760 --> 00:45:44.960
Quick question here from a listener that would take this

677
00:45:45.079 --> 00:45:49.639
thirteen week cash flow forecast sounds good, but it also

678
00:45:49.800 --> 00:45:53.360
seems like it might require significant time and expertise to maintain.

679
00:45:53.880 --> 00:45:56.320
How can a busy business owner implement this without it

680
00:45:56.400 --> 00:46:00.440
becoming overwhelming. Well, that's an important practical consideration. Key is

681
00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:04.800
starting simple and leveraging technology. So begin with a basic

682
00:46:04.840 --> 00:46:09.239
template that captures your major cash inflows and outflows without

683
00:46:09.239 --> 00:46:14.079
getting lost in minor details. And many accounting software platforms

684
00:46:14.119 --> 00:46:17.639
now offer cash flow projection features that can automate much

685
00:46:17.639 --> 00:46:21.639
of the process, and for businesses without this capability, even

686
00:46:21.639 --> 00:46:25.960
a straightforward Excel spreadsheet can work effectively. The critical part

687
00:46:26.239 --> 00:46:30.960
is establishing a weekly rhythm. Perhaps every Monday morning, you know,

688
00:46:31.000 --> 00:46:35.159
we update actuals from previous weeks and adjust projections for

689
00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:39.519
the coming week. You know. This typically takes thirty to

690
00:46:39.599 --> 00:46:43.519
sixty minutes. Once the system is established, the time investment

691
00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:47.199
is minimal compared to the return, quite frankly, and we

692
00:46:47.239 --> 00:46:50.000
do this as well by the way we prepare. I

693
00:46:50.119 --> 00:46:54.880
prepare cash flow forecasts for two or three clients right now,

694
00:46:55.440 --> 00:47:00.119
I think, I think it's two. I prepare this and

695
00:47:00.159 --> 00:47:02.039
I meet with her every week on it, every Monday.

696
00:47:03.760 --> 00:47:07.199
The second critical system is implementing cash flow KPI. So

697
00:47:07.199 --> 00:47:10.679
ito's a key performance indicators that give you early warning

698
00:47:11.159 --> 00:47:15.239
of potential issues. And while thirteen week cashflow thirteen week

699
00:47:15.280 --> 00:47:20.039
forecast looks forward. These KPIs help you understand your current

700
00:47:20.159 --> 00:47:27.880
cash position with greater clarity, and the key KPIs will

701
00:47:27.920 --> 00:47:31.000
be the cash conversion cycle, which is how long it

702
00:47:31.039 --> 00:47:36.440
takes to confer investments in inventory and other resources into

703
00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:41.039
cash from sales. The second one is the day's sales outstanding,

704
00:47:41.039 --> 00:47:43.880
which is the average number of days it takes to

705
00:47:43.920 --> 00:47:49.039
collect a payment after a sale. Days payable of standing

706
00:47:49.159 --> 00:47:51.760
is the average number of days you take to pay

707
00:47:51.760 --> 00:47:55.440
your vendors. And inventory days is the average number of

708
00:47:55.519 --> 00:47:59.760
days inventory sits before being sold. So think about this.

709
00:48:00.119 --> 00:48:02.519
You know the average number of days it takes to collect,

710
00:48:02.719 --> 00:48:07.079
you know the average number of days your inventory sits

711
00:48:07.119 --> 00:48:09.480
before being sold, and if you know the average number

712
00:48:09.480 --> 00:48:11.960
of days it takes to pay your vendors, add up

713
00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:16.719
those three averages. That's essentially your cash conversion cycle that

714
00:48:16.840 --> 00:48:22.199
I mentioned at the first step. And by tracking these

715
00:48:22.239 --> 00:48:28.159
metrics consistently, you can identify trends before they become problems.

716
00:48:28.199 --> 00:48:32.400
For example, if your day sales outstanding is steadily increasing,

717
00:48:32.679 --> 00:48:36.159
you know your collection process needs attention before it creates

718
00:48:36.159 --> 00:48:45.280
a serious cash shortage. Okay, so let me recap what

719
00:48:45.320 --> 00:48:48.599
we talked about today, because I am running out of time,

720
00:48:49.119 --> 00:48:52.159
so as we wrap up today's discussion on mastering your

721
00:48:52.199 --> 00:48:55.159
cash flow, let's summarize some of the key strategies we've

722
00:48:55.199 --> 00:48:58.960
come for transforming your business from cash stock to cash reds. First,

723
00:48:59.400 --> 00:49:02.800
we explained to common cash blow killers that drain businesses

724
00:49:02.800 --> 00:49:08.519
of their lifeblock from excess inventory and inappropriate owner compensation

725
00:49:09.159 --> 00:49:12.880
to slow paying customers at high overhead. We emphasize that

726
00:49:13.079 --> 00:49:18.039
identifying these issues isn't about assigning blame, but about diagnosing

727
00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:21.360
the specific causes of cash res trade so they can

728
00:49:21.400 --> 00:49:25.760
be systematically addressed. Remember, cash flow problems are really about

729
00:49:25.760 --> 00:49:28.760
how much money a business makes, They're about systems a

730
00:49:28.920 --> 00:49:34.159
lock thereof. Second, we come with practical cash acceleration strategies

731
00:49:34.159 --> 00:49:38.280
that can transform your cash position from thirty to ninety days.

732
00:49:39.400 --> 00:49:43.159
I'm sorry, transform your cash position within thirty to ninety days.

733
00:49:43.360 --> 00:49:47.719
We discussed optimizing payment terms, streamlining your billing process, implementing

734
00:49:47.719 --> 00:49:53.199
strategic collection systems, and leveraging financial products effectively. We also

735
00:49:53.239 --> 00:49:57.119
exploit strategies for managing cash flows more intelligently from vendor

736
00:49:57.159 --> 00:50:02.800
payment optimizations, zero based expense reviews, strategic capital expenditure management,

737
00:50:04.119 --> 00:50:07.199
and the key insight here is that small improvements across

738
00:50:07.239 --> 00:50:11.239
these multiple areas they compound on each other. Third, we

739
00:50:11.360 --> 00:50:15.719
examine the robot systems that create long term cash predictability

740
00:50:15.719 --> 00:50:18.400
and security. We've discussed the power of the thirteen week

741
00:50:18.760 --> 00:50:23.960
rolling cashblow forecast and the importance of tracking key cashblow KPIs,

742
00:50:24.519 --> 00:50:29.559
establishing a consistent management cash blow management rhythm, and creating

743
00:50:29.840 --> 00:50:36.199
cash flow buffers. So as we leave the show today,

744
00:50:36.239 --> 00:50:39.039
I encourage you to take these three specific actions. Number One,

745
00:50:39.039 --> 00:50:42.119
conducted honest assessment of which cash blow killers are president

746
00:50:42.119 --> 00:50:46.000
in your business. Implement at least one cash flow acceleration

747
00:50:46.159 --> 00:50:50.000
strategy in the next seven days, and begin building your

748
00:50:50.119 --> 00:50:55.639
thirteen week cash blow forecast immediately. Remember, cash flow mastering

749
00:50:55.719 --> 00:50:58.639
isn't about luck or even about how much revenue your

750
00:50:58.639 --> 00:51:04.079
business generates. It's creating intentional systems that optimize the cash

751
00:51:04.119 --> 00:51:07.119
the flow of cash in and out of your business.

752
00:51:07.159 --> 00:51:10.119
And when you do this consistently, that not in your

753
00:51:10.159 --> 00:51:12.239
stomach that I mentioned at the beginning of our show

754
00:51:12.760 --> 00:51:16.880
begins to dissolve and replace by confidence that comes from

755
00:51:17.000 --> 00:51:22.239
true financial clarity and control. To get a copy of

756
00:51:22.280 --> 00:51:25.199
the book Powerful Business Strategy, simply go to our website

757
00:51:25.239 --> 00:51:30.679
www dot NEXTSTEPCFO dot net. It's totally complimentary and until

758
00:51:30.719 --> 00:51:33.920
next Monday at New Easton time for Chucky Obio. My

759
00:51:34.000 --> 00:51:38.280
name is Michael Barberita, and remember, don't keep doing what

760
00:51:38.320 --> 00:51:40.480
your competition is doing.

761
00:51:42.719 --> 00:51:45.760
You have been listening to powerful business strategies finding out

762
00:51:45.800 --> 00:51:49.480
that everything you ever learned about growing your business is wrong.

763
00:51:49.800 --> 00:51:52.960
Tune in next week and every week at noon Eastern

764
00:51:53.039 --> 00:51:56.480
time on W four CY Radio with your host, Michael

765
00:51:56.519 --> 00:52:01.159
Barberita of Next Step CFO and moderate or Chugi Obio