A Cash Flow Survival Guide for Canadian Businesses
Stan Prokop
Canadian Business Financing | Cash Flow Financing | Asset Based Lending | Equipment Finance | Lender Financing | Purchase Order Financing | Acquisition Financing | SAAS Financing | Acquisition Financing
Cash Flow Secrets Canadian Business Owners Can't Ignore
YOUR COMPANY IS LOOKING FOR WORKING CAPITAL AND
CASH FLOW SOLUTIONS!
Solving The Working Capital Conundrum!
You've arrived at the right address! Welcome to 7 Park Avenue Financial
Financing & Cash flow are the biggest issues facing businesses today
ARE YOU UNAWARE OR DISSATISFIED WITH YOUR CURRENT? BUSINESS ?FINANCING OPTIONS?
CALL NOW - DIRECT LINE - 416 319 5769 - Let's talk or arrange a meeting to discuss your needs
EMAIL - [email protected]
7 Park AvenueFinancial South Sheridan Executive Centre 2910 South Sheridan Way Oakville, Ontario L6J 7J8 Phone = 416 319 5769
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7 Park Avenue Financial originates business financing solutions for Canadian Businesses – We offer Solutions to Business Cash Flow Problems ? and working capital solutions ?– Save time and focus on profits and business opportunities
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7 Park Avenue Financial: “Canadian Business Financing with the intelligent use of experience”
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Solving Cash Flow Problems in Business!
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How to Correct Cash Flow Problems —Here at 7 Park Avenue Financial, we aren’t sure there’s a permanent cure for the regular cash flow blues.
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Still, suppose your business faces working capital deficiencies and cash flow challenges. In that case, knowing that we have solid solutions, tips, and techniques for solving those key issues might be refreshing.
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As a business owner, managing cash flow problems can be daunting. Still, we suppose you can call them a ‘cure for the cash flow blues for many organizations’ to meet short-term obligations in today’s global economy.
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RETURN ON INVESTMENT AND ASSET TURNOVER ARE KEY TO BUSINESS SUCCESS
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When a company can adequately address the issue of working capital cash management and ensure accounts receivable and inventories are being appropriately managed,
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That helps ensure daily and long-term survival while improving owners’ overall return on investment. It is also known as ‘R O I. ‘
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Monitoring changes in working capital and proper management of the current assets on your balance sheet relative to your sales growth brings a double whammy of benefits to your business: an improved cash flow statement as you purchase inventory and raw materials or supply your products and services.
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Knowing the root causes of cash changes is key. It measures a company’s financing handling and is all about best practices in its financial position.
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Proper management of these assets is crucial for improving the company's financial health. Too much working capital? Remember that slow inventory and uncollectible a/r create a pessimistic scenario in your business management, so understanding the reasons behind ‘excess working capital is critical.
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DID YOU KNOW?
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WHAT IS ENOUGH WORKING CAPITAL?
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So what about those ‘current asset’ accounts on the company balance sheet we discussed regarding your business cash flows ?
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Late client payments can further exacerbate the issue, making maintaining a healthy cash flow difficult.
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Managing receivables and inventory poorly can severely impact overall working capital performance. These days, many companies are maximizing payment terms to conserve cash—it’s all about managing those short-term obligations.
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MOVING TO POSITIVE WORKING CAPITAL VIA BETTER OPERATING ACTIVITIES!
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Moving to positive working capital via better operating activities is crucial for small businesses to avoid cash flow problems. By optimizing operating activities, companies can improve their cash flow management and maintain a healthy cash reserve.
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This can be achieved by:
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By implementing these strategies, businesses can improve their operating activities and move towards positive working capital, reducing the risk of cash flow problems and improving their overall financial health.
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MOVING TO POSITIVE CASH FLOW VIA BETTER OPERATING ACTIVITIES!
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We’re speaking of two things: how you manage those assets and how to finance working capital. Maintaining adequate cash reserves is essential to navigate unexpected financial challenges.
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It’s a dynamic situation because those two asset categories—cash tied up in a/r and inventory—change every hour. Sales get generated, invoices are issued, receivables get paid, and inventory gets shipped as more goods are purchased as you focus on operational efficiency and effective working capital management.
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Talk about ‘busy’ operating cash flow as you manage financial obligations day today!
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Canadian business owners and financial managers often have a poor handle on their current asset accounts, primarily receivables and inventory.
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Their respective turnovers affect your working capital, winning and losing! We can forgive them for that because those balances change pretty well every couple of hours. Talk about a moving target! …. Invoices get issued, receivables get paid, inventory gets shipped… and more goods are purchased.
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Simply speaking, it revolves around the fact that if you are mismanaging these accounts or not financing them adequately, you lose the ability to deploy funds more productively - i.e. growing your business.
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That’s when the total ‘mix’ of your assets becomes essential as they relate to working capital.
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4 SOLUTIONS TO THE CASH FLOW PROBLEMS CHALLENGE
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Clients of 7 Park Avenue Financial might sometimes tire of our focus on isolating which type of financing will fix the company’s working capital problem .
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Understanding the causes of cash flow issues, such as late client payments, is crucial for implementing effective solutions. Solutions vary, and they include:
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THE CONCEPT OF MATCHING ASSETS AND FINANCING IS CRITICAL
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There is a straightforward way of matching the financing you need to your assets. Assessing how much cash is required for daily operations is crucial for effective financial planning. The solution is to use funding that is similar in maturity to your assets.
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A quick example?
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Utilize leasing /equipment financing for long-term, more permanent assets. Another example? Utilize a receivable financing program for your Accounts Receivable.
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Another solid rule of thumb is always not to forget that the longer it takes for a dollar to flow through your firm (your cash conversion cycle), the more working capital financing you will need to cover issues such as accounts payable ).
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Extra cash can come from effective management of funds payables.
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That is critical to identifying the long-term solution for your business, which often is industry-specific as industries vary in terms of being asset-intensive, service-oriented, etc. when it comes to issues such as negative working capital.
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Business owners and their financial managers should focus on proper management and financing of your accounts receivable in a manner suited to your business. More current assets focus is critical!
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THE COST OF CARRYING CURRENT ASSETS
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Here’s a shocker: Carrying receivables and inventory is costly as you focus on your net working capital position.
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Poor cash flow can result from mismanagement of receivables and inventory, leading to financial instability. Receivable financing, aka ‘factoring,’ is a reliable tool for estimating net savings using this type of short-term financing.
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Never forget (everyone else seems to!) that more robust sales, asset turnover, and profits can easily justify using a receivable finance facility as you focus on cash management.
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The relationship of current assets to current liabilities creates the ‘current ratio,’ a standard tool for lenders to look at your balance sheet performance around issues and changes in working capital.
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Regularly reviewing your financial statements will allow you to pinpoint working capital problems and deficiencies and hopefully identify the fix!
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There needs to be a solid balance to your firm's overall problem.
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The ‘textbook answer’ is that if you manage your working capital accounts properly, you can better assess any financing risk and cost for the overall cure to cash flow shortages. Your firm should constantly strive for that perfect balance.
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As we noted, cash flow accounts change daily and require a lot of vigilance.
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Solutions to your business financing needs include:
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A/R Financing funding unpaid invoices on balance sheets to generate enough cash for the day today
Non-bank asset-based lines of credit - accounts receivable inventory finance credit lines.
Equipment / fixed asset financing - acquire fixed assets and technology needs.
Cash flow loans - short-term debt solutions
Short-Term Working Capital Loans / Merchant Advances - typical one-year repayment terms based on your sales and not necessarily overall financial health.
Government Of Canada Small Business Loan Program - The Guaranteed federal business loan for a long-term debt solution - additional funds for equipment and leasehold improvements
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BENEFITS OF EFFECTIVE CASH FLOW MANAGEMENT
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Effective cash flow management offers numerous benefits to small businesses, including:
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By implementing effective cash flow management strategies, businesses can improve their overall financial health and achieve long-term success.
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KEY TAKEAWAYS
To avoid cash flow problems and maintain a healthy cash reserve, small businesses should:
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By following these key takeaways, businesses can improve their cash flow management and reduce the risk of cash flow problems, ultimately achieving long-term financial success.
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CONCLUSION - EFFECTIVE WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT FINANCING
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Are you looking to improve your company's liquidity and working capital position? It's all about how you manage working capital.
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Call 7 Park Avenue Financial , a trusted, credible, and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of success who can assist you with your business finance needs and business growth solutions.
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Few companies in the SME sector capitalize on their ability to improve their financial position—let our team help, including financial modelling around your current performance and competitive advantage!
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FAQ: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS / CASH FLOW PROBLEM WORKING CAPITAL
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What is working capital? How do you calculate working capital?
Working capital is the money a company has to pay its short-term expenses. Cash flow, on the other hand (also called "operating margin"), occurs when current assets decrease and we receive more cash than what's coming out – this can happen if there are large one-time payments or liabilities increase due to an event such as selling property. The key difference between working capital and operating margin is where those funds come from. The working capital formula? Just subtract current liabilities from current assets, and you have your overall position.
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Other terms for business owners to understand for key takeaways include:
Gross working capital
Short term liabilities
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What causes most cash flow problems in small businesses? Common causes include:
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WHAT IS? EFFECTIVE PLANNING AND FORECASTING FOR? CASH FLOW?
Planning and forecasting are essential components of effective cash flow management. By creating a comprehensive cash flow forecast, businesses can anticipate potential cash flow problems and take proactive measures to avoid them.
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A cash flow forecast should include:
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By regularly reviewing and updating the cash flow forecast, businesses can identify potential cash flow issues and make informed decisions to mitigate them.
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WHAT IS GOOD WORKING CAPITAL? MANAGEMENT?
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Understanding cash flow management and forecasting helps prevent future financial crises.
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Poor cash flow management can lead to severe financial problems and hinder business growth.
Better cash flow management leads to increased business stability
Proper working capital management creates competitive advantages
Professional cash flow solutions provide immediate relief
Strategic payment timing optimizes available cash
' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '
?STAN PROKOP 7 Park Avenue Financial/Copyright/2024
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Stan Prokop is the founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial and a recognized expert on Canadian Business Financing. Since 2004 Stan has helped hundreds of small, medium and large organizations achieve the financing they need to survive and grow. He has decades of credit and lending experience working for firms such as Hewlett Packard / Cable & Wireless / Ashland Oil