7 Simple Ways to Ensure You Get Paid on Time

It’s no secret that running a business is tough. You knew it long before you even started down this path. You’ve heard all the stats before—over 20% of all small businesses fail within the first year, and more than half don’t make it to five years—and everyone you spend any time with at all feels…

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Here’s a Rule for Companies with Outstanding Loans

Here is one that is so important to the continued health of a growing company that it cannot be overstated. It’s a bit complex for novices. But hang in there as I explain a bit about accounting classification of assets and liabilities. Differences between types of assets and liabilities First, let’s be sure we know…

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10 Common Mistakes with Startup Financial Projections

I was glad to be asked about common mistakes with financial projections. I read about 100 business plans a year for angel investment and business plan competitions. Most show unrealistic profitability. More people doing business plans should realize that most startups are unprofitable at the beginning; and that high growth correlates with losses, not profits.…

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So, What If You Run Out of Money?

Money in the bank is like oil in the car. Certainly, you have many ways you are pulled every day, both tactical and strategic. But when money is the issue, your time, energy and focus are drained from other important areas of your life or business. Running out of money is not always synonymous with…

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Have Uneven Cash Flow? 5 Ways to Smooth It Out

Small businesses, freelancers and “solopreneurs” alike know all too well that steady, predictable cash flow is a peace of mind that is not always guaranteed. Luckily, there are some things you can be doing to mitigate those dips and help make your financials get into a more reliable state, month after month. Update Billing Cycles…

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4 Surefire Tips to Get Clients to Pay Faster

You finish the job and send your client the invoice. And then you wait for your payment. And then you wait some more. You silently wonder if you should contact your client, but you know that they will pay – eventually. Sound familiar? We’ve all been there. The problem is that not getting your pay…

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Don’t Ignore This 12-Step Program to Good Credit Management

Cash flow is the life blood of all businesses and having too much working capital tied up in late and non-paying customers can spell disaster for a new small business.  According to a U.S. bank survey, the majority of small businesses fail within the first five years, and roughly 82% fail because of poor cash…

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Why It Is Important to Keep an Eye on Your Cash Flow

If profits are up and the projections look good for the next month or two, should you kick back and relax? Maybe not. No matter how positive other signs may be, if you’re not keeping a close eye on your company’s cash flow, things could go haywire. Even a temporary crunch resulting in late debt…

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10 Startup Strategies to Minimize Cash Flow Disasters

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. I often get asked about the real alternatives to bridge this valley, and…

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