Effective management of working capital is crucial for the success of any business as it impacts all aspects of the organization and is key to its growth. Unfortunately, many businesses face bottlenecks that limit their access to working capital when needed. Therefore, it is important for business owners and their advisors to understand that every decision a business makes impacts working capital and cash flow.
Advisors and funders should take the time to understand the different components that make up a solution and how it will impact the profitability of the business before proposing a solution. Business owners and founders should also be aware of the impact of their actions on the availability of working capital and cashflow. For instance, inventory control, forecasting accuracy, payables, and receivables are all interlinked and need to be considered.
To ensure sufficient working capital and cash flow flexibility to meet obligations, businesses need to sustain themselves from the initial supplier purchase order to the final payment by their customer. Therefore, businesses need to have clear, flexible, and well-defined working capital/cash flow management strategies. Kevin O’Leary’s quote, “A company could have millions in revenue, but if it doesn’t have cash on hand to pay its bills, it’s in trouble,” illustrates the importance of cash flow management.
Businesses that lack a clear, flexible, and well-defined working capital/cash flow management strategy may miss out on opportunities, even when they win a contract or supply order that could be a game-changer for them. The inability to provide the required working capital support due to poor management strategies can lead to lost opportunities. Unfortunately, too many businesses do not consider the structures and strategies that they will need to sustain or assist their growth, causing a myriad of issues across their business and leading to catastrophic outcomes for the business and its owners.
In summary, effective management of working capital and cash flow is critical for business success. Business owners and their advisors need to consider the interdependency of each event and outcome and have workable and sustainable facilities that allow for flexibility and growth.
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