Cash Flow Mistakes that Every Entrepreneur Should Avoid
Small businesses usually have a few people handling multiple functions; hence business cash flow needs to be given priority. Sometimes there are hidden expenses that the entrepreneur does not account for which impacts the cash flow situation. Hence, you need to monitor and optimize the cash flow management and try and remain cash positive. Here are some of the cash flow mistakes made by companies that can hurt the business
1. Forced Growth
- Sometimes a company’s tend to grow without enough cash management. Unplanned hiring, too much investment in marketing or maybe a product development that has gone wrong, steps like these during business expansion can take a turn for the worse
- The cost of a few bad hirings can hamper your cash flows. You cannot spend too much time on their training only, the results need to show. So be careful when hiring expensive manpower
2. Unanticipated Expenses and Emergencies
- There can be a lot of unexpected expenses that a business can incur. Whether it is a natural disaster, an economic slowdown, an equipment failure or complaints from customers, every company has unplanned emergencies and not make a contingency plan for such business cash flow can lead to blunders.
- Sudden changes in the taxes or other defaults from the taxpayer can affect the cash outflow.
3. Excess expenditure on Sales
Every business needs to acquire new customers but you need to see at what cost you are acquiring them. Maybe initially it can be at the cost of suffering loses, but soon you need to lower the CAC and also segment that which customer will help you generate revenue.
4. Being profitable but broke
- This is a strange scenario that takes place in many companies. The money you are making is not translating into positive cash flows
- You need to reinvest in the business in the beginning for growth, unnecessary expenditures need to be avoided at any cost. If the founder starts to draw a handsome salary from the first month, it will be a big cash flow mistake
5. Short-Term Profit Alignment
- As an entrepreneur, you keep getting ideas that can be converted into a product and sold into the market. However, you see that the sales hit the roof in the first 2-3 months and then the demand began to fall.
- Successful entrepreneurs set long term goals. The get-rich-quick ideas will only drain your business cash flow.
- If you like to take short-term risks, then be smart to make something out of your existing line, sell for a short time, make money and fizzle it out
6. Increase in late payment or overdue from customers/suppliers
- If you sleepover such overdue then the third party takes it for granted that you can work without cash for a long time
- If your customer makes late payments, then you cannot pay to your vendor on time and this spoils your credibility in the market
- Allowing too much credit can turn out to be a huge cash flow mistake
Costs are like magnets, they try to draw out all your money, making you a little helpless in such a situation. Hence, for business cash flow management maintain proper records and spend your cash carefully so that the company does not face a disastrous situation during tough times.