How can a small business manage its cash flow?
Cash flow problems don’t usually happen because a business isn’t profitable. They happen because money goes out faster than it comes in. Managing cash flow means controlling that timing.
Start with knowing your actual cash position. Not your bank balance from last week. Your position right now, including checks that haven’t cleared, deposits in process, and bills coming due this week. If you can’t answer “how much cash will I have in 10 days” within a few minutes, your visibility isn’t good enough.
Invoice the day the work is done or the product ships. Every day you wait to invoice is a day you wait to get paid. If your industry standard is net 30, waiting a week to send the invoice turns that into net 37. Some businesses lose a full month of cash flow just from slow invoicing.
Follow up on receivables before they become problems. A friendly reminder at day 25 works better than a collection call at day 60. Accounts receivable management is where most small businesses leave cash sitting on the table. Money owed to you isn’t money in your bank.
Negotiate payment terms with vendors. If you pay suppliers on receipt but collect from customers in 30 days, you’re financing everyone else’s cash flow. Ask for net 30 with your major vendors. Many will agree if you’ve been a good customer. That extra 30 days changes your cash position significantly.
Build a cash reserve when times are good. Two to three months of operating expenses gives you breathing room when a big customer pays late or seasonal slowdowns hit. This isn’t extra money sitting idle. It’s insurance against the unexpected.
Forecast your cash flow weekly. A simple spreadsheet showing expected inflows and outflows for the next 6 to 8 weeks reveals problems while there’s still time to react. Seeing that payroll and quarterly taxes hit the same week as a slow collection period gives you time to prepare rather than scramble.
A Phoenix area bookkeeper who understands your business can set up systems that make cash flow visible without requiring hours of your time each week. The goal isn’t just accurate books. It’s books that tell you where your cash is and where it’s going before you’re surprised by a shortfall.
Cash flow management isn’t complicated. It’s mostly discipline. Invoice fast, collect consistently, pay strategically, and look ahead far enough to see problems coming.
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