Posts tagged "vulnerable"

Advice Finance Strategy

5 Tips for Better Cash Flows

2 Comments read

“Should you find yourself in a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is likely to be more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.” Warren Buffet

Mismanagement of cash flows is a leading cause of failure among businesses. Business owners do not realize how critical it is to budget and plan cash flows from the beginning of the venture and most times a liquidity crisis catches them completely off guard. This often leads to irrational last minute maneuvering which amplifies the problems at hand. To ensure smooth cash flow cycles we have to ensure that we are extremely vigilant of the financial health of our business from the onset. This may appear to be over simplistic advice, however the truth of the matter is, not enough emphasis is given to this function. The excitement lies in closing those million dollar deals and creating fancy marketing campaigns. Reality of the matter is that if we do not have the financial structure in place to support these deals and campaigns we will soon find ourselves in a lot of trouble. Listed below are a couple of tips which have helped me manage cash flows better.

1. Inflows & Outflows: From the onset identify your inflows and outflows. If you have adequate historic data, map out how long on average it takes to receive cash after providing your product/service. Next carefully map out all your expenses, and dates when they need to be paid. Next we have to minimize the time between the two flows. Usually inflows are much slower than expected and this needs to be compensated by negotiating favorable agreements with suppliers, stocking less and invoicing your customers at regular intervals. To learn more about the importance of mapping out inflows and outflows please click here.

2. Cost Management: Cost cuts do not necessarily require a business to layoff staff or drastically cut marketing expenditure. I take the approach of measuring cost effectiveness in terms of every product or service that the business is providing. The goal must be to provide the product or service at a lower cost than the competition. Identify all direct costs, incremental costs of increasing volume, fixed costs and overall cost structures in comparision to the competition. This does not necessarily have to be reflected in lower price points. As we widen the cost comparison between competitors, we are able to hold a much stronger position in the overall industry. To learn about each cost in greater detail please click here.

3. Marketing: Cutting marketing expenses to conserve cash is often not the most optimal solution for solving one’s cash flow problems. Assessing marketing strategies and tactics needs to be practiced on a regular basis. It is not wise to make marketing expenses cyclical with business cycles. With optimized marketing campaigns and strategies in place, a business has greater chances of avoiding these cash gluts as business is constantly being generated at a healthy level. To learn more about marketing strategies during a liquidity crunch please click here.

4. Technology: Gone are the days of keeping track of your business expenses on excel sheets. As a business owner today we should use one of the many accounting packages available to make sure we always have a financial snapshot of the health of our business. This will provide us with the ability to quickly identify trends and potential liquidity crunches before they take place. Please click here to read five questions you need to answer before selecting which accounting package is right for you.

5. Last Resort Measures: There will be times however when a liquidity crisis will hit . It is important that when it does we remain calm and evaluate the options we have instead of making rash decisions. The options I have used during these period of times are, discounting, credit cards, loans from friends and family, invoice factoring and secured credit lines. All of these options need to be used when all other alternatives have been exhausted. Attention needs to given to ensure that all documentation has been read carefully and that one is fully aware of the pro’s and con’s of each measure. To learn more about each measure please click here.

Those who have experienced liquidity crunches realize how stressful and frustrating these cycles are. They can result in partners leaving the business, unpleasantness at the office and even eventual closure of the business. Using some of the tips provided above we can avert a number of these situations. It comes down to better financial planning and catering for unforseen events. We have to be prepared when such situations arise and must deal with them face on. There is no need to dig ourselves deeper into a hole by using temporary fixes. If the business that you are running is repeatedly running into cash flow problems, do your best to re-engineer it from the ground up, or have the discipline to change boats.

Advice Finance Strategy

Getting out of a Cash Crunch

0 Comment read

“When you’re in a pit, the first thing to do is to stop digging.” James Ellman

At some point of time or other most entrepreneurs go through a cash crunch period. These are stressful and frustrating times when the world seems to be falling apart around us and we have a limited set of options to get out of the mess. I have found that by following the tips provided earlier in this series we can reduce the probability of being stuck in a liquidity crisis substantially. However, there are times when even after having planned for every conceivable outcome there is a blind spot we missed out. The important thing to do at this point is not to panic. Cutting your marketing budget, laying off staff and hawking office equipment on ebay is not usually the answer. In a situation where we have exhausted options of negotiating extensions with suppliers and run out of excuses why we have not settled the rent, there are a couple of alternatives I have used. Listed below in order of my personal preference are:

1. Discounting: If we are in a quarter with a number of payments due I include a clause in outgoing invoices stating that if payment is made within x number of days there will be an x% discount. This creates monetary incentive for clients to pay up on time. If invoices have been pending for a while I give the same discount to the client stating they should pay the discounted bill or we would be forced into calling in collection agencies. Surprisingly I have had very good results using this method in speeding up payments causing strapped up cash.

2. Credit Cards: I personally do not advocate using this type of financing but when the situation calls for it, use it as an emergency backup. These can be either business applied credit cards or personal cards. Using the cash advance option, essential payments can be made. This will help tide through the business until payments are made by clients. Using this option for any other expenses other than these critical ones results in getting buried by ridiculously high interest payments. Instead of fueling growth for your business this stunts growth. Use it with caution

3. Loans from Friends & Family: If you are in desperate need of some bridging capital and need access to it quickly, going to friends and family is a valid option. I do not like mixing friends and family with business, but at times it is unavoidable. Make sure when you take the money there is an agreement with terms and conditions spelt out in black and white. Full disclosure must be made regarding the situation at hand as well as when you are expected to repay the loan. Conflicts tend to arise when inadequate information is given, this results in confusion and unrealistic expectations.

4. Invoice Factoring: For businesses with natural and steady flows of revenue, but prone to erratic payments, applying for these schemes through banks or specialist factoring companies is an option. These basically take into account your average business activity and streams of revenue, then provide you a credit line against it. This can free up much of your working capital and can boost growth. However read the fine print carefully. Sometimes these institutions limit who you can do business with, and can also force your clients to interact with them as far as payments are concerned. This reflects negatively on the business and does not convey a good image to your customers.

5. Secured Credit Lines: If one is expecting the next couple of quarters or year to be tight, taking out a secure credit line may be a good alternative to solve the liquidity crunch. The bank provides you with a line of credit which is usually secured against a particular asset. The asset is usually real estate which you or the business may own. The business is then able to borrow money against the asset conveniently. This is an option exercised by many entrepreneurs. However it takes time to setup, therefore one must plan for it well in advance and not when you are stuck in a liquidity crisis.

No one wants to be stuck in a liquidity crisis. We must do all we can to ensure the business does not slip into one. Keep your eyes on both the sale numbers and controlling expenses. When and if the situation becomes critical these last resort measures can provide significant relief in assisting you to get out of the mess. It is important to use these options wisely and to do thorough research on them before committing to any one of them.

Related Articles:

– Raising Capital from Family & Friends

Finance Strategy

Technology and Cash Flow Management

1 Comment read

“What amount of value creation can be assigned to the efforts of management for a particular time period? That is the essence of accounting. Otherwise, it’s simply an appraisal process.” Charles W Mulford

Gone are the days of keeping track of your business expenses on excel sheets. Earlier on in my entrepreneurial journey we relied solely on excel sheets to manage accounts. However we were then introduced to Quickbooks, and it completely changed the way we viewed our accounts. With this software we were actually able to extrapolate a lot of data and zoom into key metrics by which we could monitor the growth of our business. Many business owners wait until they have an ‘established’ business before investing in standard accounting software. This is like wearing a helmet after you have experienced a fall. Undoubtedly experience is a great teacher and one should continue to learn from mistakes. There are however some precautions which should be taken beforehand, and getting software to manage your accounts is one of them.

There are many great accounting solutions available in the market today. These key questions need to be answered when selecting an accounting package:

1. What is your budget allocation for purchasing this software? (If a budget has not been allocated there are many free accounting solutions which one can find online)

2. Do you want the software to run locally on your computer or would you want web access to your data?

3. How many users will be using the software?

4. What is the primary purpose of purchasing the software? (Do you require a simple application which helps to track all of your incomes and expenses, or do you require one through which you can manage inventory, payroll, invoices etc)

5. What level of reporting will be required? (If one requires simple profit/loss, cash flow and balance sheet statements there are a lot of great packages out there. For more complex reporting, software like Quickbooks premier can generate detailed reports on sales report per employee and profitability per product)

Once these key questions have been answered, you will have a better idea for the sort of solution required and your search would have been made easier. When you have selected a software, assign someone or a group of people to continually update it to ensure access to the latest activity. This acts as a safeguard and protects over exposing the business to unnecessary risk as well as maximizing the opportunities currently in hand. I plan on creating a widget which will compile the answers to the questions above, and help provide a list of appropriate software or services. If anyone would like to help me out in creating it please let me know at blog (at) usmansheikh.net

Finance Marketing Strategy

Cutting your Marketing Budget?

1 Comment read

“Marketing is not an event, but a process . . . It has a beginning, a middle, but never an end, for it is a process. You improve it, perfect it, change it, even pause it. But you never stop it completely.” Jay Conrad Levinson

The quote above encapsulates the essence of this blog post. I don’t think anyone could have said it better. I am a fan of all Mr. Levinson’s work especially his book “Guerrilla Marketing”. In the book there is constant emphasis on marketing being a process which we cannot cut whenever things get tight. As I mentioned in my last post, costs need to be contained tightly if we are to reach our goal of attaining a positive cash flow. What I have noticed is that whenever things get tight, cash flow wise, many entrepreneurs tend to pull the plug on marketing expenses in an effort to control costs. This however leads to a decrease in new business development, which ultimately results in decreased revenues.

Cutting marketing expenses to conserve cash is often not the most optimal solution to solving one’s cash flow problems. Assessing marketing strategies and tactics needs to be practiced on a regular basis. For example we could be advertising our new virtual assistant services on the front page of a popular web portal. We have continued to run the ad for the last quarter but have barely broken even on our investment.  We find however that ads running with much greater ROI on a couple of niche blogs and portals relating to the GTD methodology. As a business owner we should assess these trends on a regular basis and change out strategies likewise. If we take the approach of cutting all web advertising, it is more like amputation instead of laser point surgery.

These budgets and control measures need to be adopted from the onset of your business venture. It is not wise to make marketing expenses cyclical with business cycles. With optimized marketing campaigns and strategies in place, a business has greater chances of avoiding these cash gluts as business is constantly being generated at a healthy level. If you are currently experiencing cash flow difficulties in your business, assess your marketing budget and find ways to optimize the cash available to you in order to maximize your ROI.

Related Posts:

– Marketing Budgets & Controls

Finance Strategy

How lean is your startup?

0 Comment read

“Excess cost can be created by indirect factors that aren’t immediately apparent. You can attack these costs only by getting to the real heart of the problem, rather than just bashing away at the cost itself. The three biggest indirect cost generators are time, complexity, and poor quality.” Andrew Wileman

These days there is a lot of talk about shaving costs and becoming more capital efficient. With the credit markets the way they are, just about every venture capitalist has sent out doomsday emails telling their portfolio companies to brace themselves for tough times. I understand that market conditions are very bad, however what I fail to understand is why such emails are not sent out on a regular basis to portfolio companies. As companies become more adept at providing products and services there should be a natural downward trend in their costs. If such a trend is not becoming apparent the business needs to re-evaluate it’s position and figure out where it is leaking cash. From a cash flow perspective this is an extremely vital exercise. If costs are allowed to inflate without sufficient increase in revenue and benefits of economies of scale, the business is headed straight for trouble.

I take the approach of measuring cost effectiveness in terms of every product or service that the business is providing. The goal must be to provide the product or service at a lower cost than the competition. This does not necessarily have to be reflected in lower price points. As we widen the cost comparison between competitors, we are able to hold a much stronger position in the overall industry. Some questions that you can ask yourself to determine how lean your startup is, are:

1. What are the direct costs associated with providing the product or service? If you are selling used mobile phones through the internet for instance, then some of these costs would include; procurement expenses, hosting of a website, marketing campaigns for the website, and delivery costs to customers.

2. What is the incremental cost of producing one more unit or providing another service? Over time economies of scale should kick in and we should see a fall in the incremental cost. In today’s world, thanks to the internet the cost of delivering the same service to many customers has very little incremental cost. For instance if you set up a web service to provide an ability to create invoices, the architecture can be used to serve 1 or a 1000 customers. What needs to be identified is, when does one need to add more servers or optimize the architecture to handle more users.

3. What costs remain unchanged irrespective of volume of products and services provided? These are your fixed costs. One needs to find a level of products and services to ensure we break even. These costs must be contained in order to reach positive cash flows and profitability faster. Services such as Amazon’s s3 cloud computing services provide new web startups the ability to scale much faster and keep fixed operating costs at a minimum. Finds ways how you can reduce your fixed operating costs.

4. How does your cost structure compare against your competitors? This is often difficult to assess but it is possible to get a rough idea after doing some research regarding the competition’s processes. Once we can assess areas of advantage and disadvantage we can build on these segments respectively.

Cost cuts do not necessarily require a business to layoff staff or drastically cut marketing expenditure. If costs are inflated to begin with, these cuts need to take place whether we are in a boom cycle or a recession cycle. The focus needs to be placed on ensuring we optimize reduction of overhead counts, at the same time not letting our growth stagnate. An equilibirum needs to be found, once we have thoroughly assessed the business we will be able to reach such a level.

Finance Strategy

Inflows and Outflows

1 Comment read

“Eventually everything shows up in earnings and cash flow, but it shows up late.” David Larcker

A fundamental premise of business is that when your inflow exceeds your outflow, the business will make a profit. In principle that is how things work, but there is a big difference between profit and cash flow. One could have a positive cash flow yet be running at a loss. As an entrepreneur we have to first make sure we become cash flow positive and then ensure that we make a profit doing so. Going for big multi-million dollar deals with huge margins is very exciting. However when we pursue such types of deals, we get stuck with the hidden costs associated with such deals fairly early on. They include major revisions, slower decision making, slower payment cycles and the possibility of losing the deal at the last minute. I have learned this lesson the hard way and have since become a true believer in singles and doubles (smaller deals) rather than going for the home run.

The cash flow section of the business plan is a critical component and is often given great importance and emphasis by investors when evaluating a business. This section basically involves outlining both the inflow and outflow from your business activities. Quite simply, these are revenue and interest earned on investment subtracted by the costs associated with running the business. If you have been having cash flow problems in your business and have not created a cash flow projection sheet, I recommend you do so immediately by identifying your inflows and outflows. However the real problem is that inflows are usually much slower to come in than your outflows. This is when the business begins to run out of cash and is put under a lot of pressure. There are a couple of tips which can help ease this problem:

1. Invoice at regular intervals and have a strict follow-up policy. Instead of billing the client for your services at one go, bill them in smaller increments regularly to ensure a steady stream of cash. Have built-in policies to ensure that customers who delay payments are downgraded for all future deals and are constantly reminded via all means about outstanding payments.

2. Extend supplier credit for as long as you possibly can. These are usually large payments that put an enormous strain on the business cash flow position. Negotiating extended supplier credit terms can be very tricky. If you have guaranteed orders which are going to be given to the supplier in the near future I seldom use those to gain more leverage during the negotiation process.

3. Stock less of your product if meeting supplier payments will be an issue. Converting idle inventory to cash usually takes quite a long time and panic offloading will result in large losses if they are unloaded below cost.

Managing inflows and outflows is a very challenging. However, missteps to manage them efficiently ultimately leads to the closure of the business. Therefore we need to continually forecast cash flow projections and ensure that we remain in a position to meet our obligations.

Related Posts:

– Forecasting

– Communication Channels

– Internal Policies

Finance Strategy

Are you Out of Cash?

0 Comment read

“Happiness is a positive cash flow.” Fred Adler.

I do not agree completely with Mr. Adler’s point of view but I do understand where he is coming from. Those of you who have been through tight cash flow cycles, will be able to connect with the quotation much as I did. Running out of cash is a fundamental reason why many businesses have to pack up and fold. Without correct management of this critical asset, we find ourselves unable to meet payroll needs, pay suppliers or even cover basic business expenses. We could have a booming business yet mismatched inflows and outflows can cripple the business’ ability to meet obligations.

First time entrepreneurs, and in general smaller companies are more vulnerable to experiencing such incidents. There are a few major reasons behind this.

1. Firstly, due to inexperience, first time business owners generally do not have a tight control over outflows. This results in over inflated payrolls, very high basic expenditures and often frivolous spending on equipment and services which they clearly do not have a requirement for. With high burn rates and not enough business coming in, the business usually has to drastically cut expenses and lay-off staff to make ends meet.

2. Secondly, marketing plans are usually not executed as planned and controls are not put into place to measure their effectiveness. This results in fewer deals being clinched and ultimately lower revenue figures. With less cash in hand, marketing efforts are usually scaled back and this becomes a vicious cycle where there is not enough business coming in to sustain basic expenses.

3. Thirdly, due to their smaller size, larger clients usually take advantage of them by delaying payments and suppliers do not provide adequate credit support. This results in a two way pull where matching inflows to outflows becomes an extremely challenging juggling act.

These are just some major problems which result in a cash flow crisis. Not only are these situations detrimental for the health of the business, they also lead to higher levels of stress for the business owner. The fact of the matter is that managing cash flow is challenging for any business regardless of its size. It requires discipline, creativity and a lot of perseverance. Over the course of this week I will share some insights on how to make cash management systems more effective. I would like to know what systems readers are currently using to manage their cash flows, and, what has worked and what has not.

Advice Change Inspiration

5 Steps to Change a Habit

0 Comment read

“When you sow a thought you reap an action, when you sow an action you reap a habit, when you sow a habit you reap a character and when you sow a character you reap a destiny.” Anonymous

Embracing change poses a challenge to most of us. Our comfort zones have the ability to make us feel just that, comfortable and at peace. Stepping out of these zones is a frightening experience, at the best of times.  Venturing into spaces where you need to find your bearings all over again is daunting . The task is arduous at the onset, it doesn’t get much easier along the way either, however, when you have successfully enlarged that comfort zone, the feeling of accomplishment is unparalleled. This week, I talked about a couple of steps which can be used when wanting to change or develop a new habit. I felt it was important to talk about this, because being an entrepreneur requires you to be flexible and open to change. It requires you to change limiting habits and beliefs, which may be pulling you back. Listed below are five steps which may be of help in this process:

1. Identification: Before we commit ourselves to “change”, we need to make sure our unconscious desires connect with the conscious ones. Clarity about what you want to change is essential. Asking yourself what you want to change about yourself is a powerful question, use it to crystalize your thoughts. To read more about identification of limiting habits/beliefs please click here.

2. Ask yourself why: Once you have identified the change you want in your life, the next question is, why do you want to change? This discovery process is essential, to grasp the fundamental reasoning behind the change you want to see in your life. Without this process of understanding , you may discover that you approached change in a particular habit, for the wrong reasons. You may discover that you never really wanted to change this particular habit, hence, you had not found a strong enough reason to motivate the change. To read more about asking yourself “why” please click here.

3. Make a plan: To successfully start a transformation process, you need to outline a plan. One which will be documented, and have clearly marked time lines. It is important you take into account any triggers which may lead to lapsing back to old habits.  To read more about making successful plans for changing  habits please click here.

4. Taking action: We can plan all we want, in the end, it all boils down to taking action. This step requires courage, determination, and above all, belief in your capabilities to bring about change. Life is too short to expect those around us to change, or, to stand still and hope that things will become better. The first step towards wanting to bring in change, is to take responsibility for your life. It boils down to you, and how committed you are, to wanting change in your life. To read more about taking action please click here.

5. Maintaining change: Once we have taken that first step towards bringing change into our life, we have begun a journey. To help us maintain the change that we have brought into our lives some of the things which can help us are, keeping a daily log, developing a support system and rewarding ourselves whenever we reach small milestones. These activities will help keep you motivated when the going gets tough. To read more about maintaining change please click here.

Time is the most precious asset we possess. Everyday is an opportunity for you to bring about the change that  you want to see, in your life. In the end, it boils down to your level of determination and persistence to be the change you want to see. I love the Adidas quote “impossible is nothing”. Maybe that could be a mantra for your next habit change? Best of luck!

Advice Change Inspiration

Maintaining Change

0 Comment read

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle

Once we have taken that first step towards bringing change into our life, we have begun a journey. Like most journeys, this one will have its share of ups and down. There will be times, when you will want to go back to the way things were, and there will be others when you feel lost and alone. Embracing these feelings for what they are, is an important step on this journey. If we let our emotions hinder our capabilities to move forward, we will find ourselves trapped, and unable to bring about the changes we want to see in our life. There is no doubt, we will fall many times, to fall is only human. What matters is whether we have the courage to pick ourselves up, and keep moving on.

Listed below, are a couple of pointers which have helped me carry on, when the going was tough:

1. Keep a daily log: This simple activity does not require you to write pages of detailed specifics. Its primary purpose, is to help you understand the transformations which are taking place in your life on a daily basis. As a secondary purpose, it serves as an outlet which allows you to express your thoughts and emotions.

2. Support systems: When we are undergoing drastic changes in our life, we need to identify an individual or a group of people, to rely on to help you through this period. Better yet, taking someone on board who also wants to change or inculcate the same habit, is ideal. This way there is someone to identify with, who also understands what you are going through. This emotional bond sometimes creates a force strong enough to overcome just about any obstacle.

3. Reward yourself: This is a tip I use a lot when going through change. It provides incentive to push yourself further. The sense of accomplishment when you are rewarded for your efforts, is a great boost as well. This also helps create a momentum that is infectious, and soon you find yourself hitting goal after goal. Choose your rewards carefully,  they play a major role in motivating you to go further.

Sustaining change is a challenging task. We have to constantly keep reminding ourselves why we want to change, and what we hope to achieve, once we have changed. The rationale behind the reason for change must be based on solid foundations. Without this base, reverting to older habits is more likely, and no one likes to admit failing. However, after having said that, there will be times, when although the reasons for change are based on the strongest of foundations, we still fail. At this point, it is best to go back and understand the reasons again. Was a trigger missed ? Does the plan need changing ? The minute we start blaming our inadequacies, is when we lose hope. Look for reasons , not blame.

Remember there is no such thing as failure only feedback!

Advice Change Inspiration

Taking Action

0 Comment read

“Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising which tempt you to believe that your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires courage.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

We can plan all we want, in the end, it all boils down to taking action. This step requires courage, determination, and above all, belief in your capabilities to bring about change. Life is too short to expect those around us to change, or, to stand still and hope that things will become better. The truth is, once you sit on the fence for too long, it becomes comfortable, and taking a decision becomes a lot harder. In my own life, there have been times when I have been guilty of such behavior, we all have. However, what has happened in the past remains there, what is important is, that we don’t make the same errors today. If you have decided that something in your life needs changing, and have figured out what it is, and how you plan to change it, then you need to do, just that.

The first step towards wanting to bring in change, is to take responsibility for your life. It boils down to you, and how committed you are, to wanting change in your life.  For example, we are constantly bombarded about the side effects of smoking, in Singapore, they even have gruesome photographs on cigarette packs of what it could potentially do to you. The mind however, is such a powerful thing, that these images are subconsciously blocked. By remaining undecided and continuing to sit on the fence,  it may well be too late when you decide to take action! I accept that it is lot easier for me to say such things because I don’t smoke, I realize that giving it up is a very difficult process and one which requires a lot of discipline and determination. I believe however, that to find courage to take action, sincere and convincing arguments need to be understood with an open mind. Fully comprehending the negative impact of this habit is vital.

Along the way, curved balls will be thrown at you undoubtedly. Certain triggers will appear repeatedly, the urge and need to revert back will often be too strong to resist. However, if you have been strong enough to take that first step, with all the right reasons and intentions, half the battle has already been won. The theory of “Ready, Fire, Aim” is one which I believe in completely, it forces you to take action. There will always be fears and doubts regarding the outcome of an action, the important thing is, that you have taken that first step. Once you have begun to take consistent action, it is now, only a matter of maintaining a momentum to help you reach your goal.