3 Things Holding Back Your Cashflow (and How to Fix Them)

Having enough money to pay for everything in business can feel like a never-ending nightmare.?There’s the team to pay, suppliers breathing down your neck, office expenses piling up, and overheads draining your account like water pouring through a hole in a bucket.?I’ve been there. Staring at the numbers, wondering how I’m going to make payroll, and feeling like the harder I worked, the faster the money disappeared. It’s exhausting.?

Here’s the hard truth: until you plug the holes, it doesn’t matter how much water you pour in.?That’s why the?very first step?I take with clients is to stop the bleeding. Once we fix the leaks and refill the bucket, you’ll finally have the headspace to think strategically and grow your business.?

Here are the three moves we start with:

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1. Review Your Expenses (Without the Eye Roll)

I know, no one loves this step. But stick with me.

Unnecessary expenses are the?biggest?part of that hole in the bucket.

Here’s the quick filter:?

Does this expense help me gain a client or keep a client?

If the answer is no, it’s time to have a hard look at whether it’s necessary.

Every dollar you save here is one less dollar you have to stress about earning.

Pro Tip:?You’d be shocked at how much money businesses waste on “that’s how we’ve always done it” expenses.

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2. Bring Back the Things That Used to Work

This one’s my favourite because it feels like magic.

Almost every business I’ve worked with has something they used to do that worked well but stopped doing. Why?

They got busy. They got distracted. They moved on to “the next big thing.”

It could be:

• A marketing strategy that used to crush it.

• A top-performing salesperson who isn’t focusing on sales anymore.

• A process step you quietly dropped that made a big difference.

Finding that?one thing?and bringing it back often delivers faster results than starting something new.

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3. (Brace Yourself) Raise Your PricesNo one likes this one, but it’s the fastest, most effective way to increase your cash flow and?net profit. Here's the thing: it works every time. Every. Single. Time. Raising prices isn’t about gouging your customers—it’s about creating more value and communicating that clearly. Show them what’s in it for them, and they’ll pay more without hesitation. One client raised prices by just 15% and saw a?300% increase in net profit. Think about that: same business, same customers, three times the take-home profit. That’s a game-changer.?

Why This Works

These three steps aren’t sexy, but they’re transformational. Plugging the leaks isn’t just about survival—it’s about reclaiming your time, energy, and focus so you can finally build the business you’ve been dreaming of. Every month you avoid fixing this, you’re losing money you could be keeping in your business—and making it harder to grow.

What do you think? Have a tip to add, or a question you need answered? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear it.?

Mend that bucket,

Michael

P.S. You don’t need to fix everything today, but you do need to start. The biggest wins come from the smallest, smartest moves. So… where’s your biggest hole??