cash flow management tips

Accelerate your cash cycle with smart cash flow management tips

/en , /por

Overcome cash cycle droughts with these savvy cash flow management tips.

cash flow management tips

 

For entrepreneurs and business owners, nothing is more important than positive cash flow. However, between wanting to grow your business, the increasing costs of replenishing inventory, hiring staff and waiting for customers to pay invoices, maintaining a healthy level of working capital can prove to be a delicate balance.

As one report recently found, small businesses are more likely than their larger counterparts to have financial constraints — and nearly a quarter of smaller businesses said they expected maintaining sufficient cash flow to be an obstacle in the months to come.

Add in the fact that nearly all businesses are also concerned about inflation, according to 88% of small business owners who say it’s affected their companies, it’s fair to say that cash flow is top of mind for many.

 

Luckily, there are some strategies that you or your client can implement to accelerate cash flow.

Update or create a cash flow budget

It’s hard to take action on the cash flow front if you don’t have a sense of where your challenges are coming from. Consider your cash flow budget to be a ‘roadmap’ of your business’ inflows and outflows – everything from your expected sales to payroll obligations, and is a useful tool for helping you figure out where the gaps are.

Having an updated picture of the expenses going out and the money coming into your business for the next year, six months and even shorter timeframes if necessary — such as monthly or biweekly — will give you predictability around expected shortfalls. This can give you warning signs to forecast and adapt early, for example, to seasonal differences in cash flow or if your payment terms will start affecting your working capital. 

 

Ready for more cash flow management tips? Start by learning how to create your own cash flow budget.

 

If your business buys or sells inventory on account, you’ll also want to calculate your cash conversion cycle (CCC), which measures how long it takes to convert that inventory into cash. The variables impacting the length of your CCC — such as days payable outstanding — can hurt your cash flow. But you can take steps to shorten the cycle.

Look ahead at the supply side

If you have a good relationship with your suppliers, they may be able to extend options that allow you to alleviate your cash flow woes. This could include setting up electronic payments on a specific day of the invoicing cycle that aligns with your accounts receivable, or taking advantage of extended or flexible payment terms, if necessary.

On the flip side, some suppliers may be willing to give you a discount if you pay your invoice on day 10 instead of day 60, or a lower rate on bulk orders. Both of these will save you money in the long run and increase your business cash flow.

cash flow forecasting in rough waters

Keep your invoicing process on course

Once you’ve established a system for sending invoices promptly and following up on payments regularly, you can also help your customers stay on course for timely payment by ensuring that your invoice is structured properly.

Make sure your invoice contains terms (such as net 30 days), the full name and address of your business, and your tax number. Also ensure the charges are correct and that any backup documentation is attached. Finally, ensure you’ve received written proof the client received the invoice.

Consider factoring your invoices

If you find your invoices are still being paid at net 30, 60 or even 90 days, invoice factoring can accelerate your cash flow, so you can access the working capital you need, when you need. 

Factoring your invoices can help you or your client meet operational obligations and take advantage of opportunities to grow the business when they present themselves.

For small business owner Ray Bowman, Liquid Capital’s invoice factoring services allowed his tree clearing company to move past the cash crunch created when commercial clients took as long as 120 days to pay their invoices – enabling him to pay subcontractors on time and double his sales.

“For a small company, longer invoice payment terms are a real problem. I didn’t have the cash flow capabilities to take back-to-back commercial contracts, especially with subcontractors working for me.” – Ray Bowman, Owner and President, Rayzor Edge Tree Service

 

Find the right kind of customers

Making sure you’re doing business with creditworthy customers will not only give you a better chance of being paid promptly but may also help you secure financing when you need it in the future. To avoid falling into late payment traps, consider requiring credit checks or a minimum credit requirement for new customers.

If you or your client is experiencing a cash flow deficiency or noticing a disconnect between accounts payables and receivables, there are options for bridging the gap. Our Liquid Capital Principals are industry experts who are ready to help you or your clients overcome cash flow challenges.

Want to learn more about accelerating your (or your client’s) cash flow and get customized cash flow management tips? Contact your Liquid Capital Principal to learn how we can help.

Making the world a better place: innovative businesses that are giving back

/en , /por

Looking to set your business apart from the crowd? Here are three innovative businesses who are making a difference in their local communities and around the world.

 

Whether it’s an innovative product or operational practice, businesses can benefit greatly from putting innovative ideas at the forefront of their company policies, which can result in accelerated business growth and increased brand awareness.

Let’s take a look at three companies who are making a difference with their leading sustainable and charitable business practices.

Prioritizing sustainability: working towards a greener oil and gas industry

Founded in 1999, Civitas Resources is notable for being Colorado’s first carbon neutral energy producer and a leader in sustainability practices. By implementing green technology, Civitas Resources guarantees the safest, most sustainable, and most efficient oil and natural gas operations.

The company recently made news when Chairman Ben Dell announced that Civitas would be committing to plugging dozens of orphaned wells that had been abandoned by other operators in and around Colorado.

“Civitas is committed to producing energy in the most responsible manner and will always strive to be part of the solution for challenges faced by our communities…Stepping up to plug orphaned wells is the right thing for our industry to do,” – Ben Dell, Chairman, Civitas

Civitas is shining a spotlight on how even companies that are working in an industry that leave an environmental footprint can make a commitment to doing the right thing and take responsibility for mitigating their lasting effects.

Setting sights on repurposing eye care waste

As one of the world’s largest suppliers of contact lenses, Baush + Lomb decided in 2016 that the waste associated with eye and lens care was inexcusable. The company took matters into their own hands that year by founding the “One by One Recycling Program”, the first North American initiative dedicated to recycling contact lenses and other eye care products that would otherwise end up in the landfill.

Alongside the Canadian version of the program titled “Every Contact Counts”, today the programs have collected over 48 million units of contact lenses, eye and lens care materials. The recycled plastic then gets separated by material type and given new life as repurposed products – from playground equipment to park benches. 

In addition, “One by One” is committed to donating $10 for every 10 pounds collected to Optometry Giving Sight, a fundraising initiative that aims to solve unnecessary blindness and vision impairment in over 40 countries. The initiative supports everything from schools of optometry and vision centers to the delivery of accessible and sustainable eye care. Not only is this a great way to give back, but it also has created a mutually-beneficial partnership between the two organizations.

«Together, these programs are helping us keep recyclable plastic and aluminum eye health materials out of landfills and oceans so we can help preserve our environment for future generations.» – Amy Butler, global vice president, Environment, Health, Safety and Sustainability, Bausch Health

Want to make a difference in the world? Looking at opportunities within your industry to change the status quo can lead to innovative new business practices, an opportunity to gain new customers and leave a lasting difference for future generations.

Giving back one pair at a time

one pair at a time

When Daymond John invested in David Heath and Randy Goldberg’s sock company on Shark Tank in 2014, he could only have imagined the possibilities that Bombas would bring. 

Now, eight years later, Bombas has become one of the most successful Shark Tank deals in history. An athletic sock designed to look and feel better, the company’s charitable commitment is what really sets them apart from other sock manufacturers. 

Socks are one of the most requested donation items from those in need, and if anyone has ever experienced wet shoes and socks, they can understand why. This is why for every pair of socks purchased, Bombas donates one pair to the homeless community. 

As of 2021, the company has donated a remarkable 35 million socks to those in need. Bombas continues to raise the bar as a leader in the apparel industry, with recent expansion into underwear, T-Shirts, and slippers. 

Despite their success and increased product line, Bombas’ charitable actions haven’t changed – for every purchase of a product from their line, they donate one to those in need. Creating a good quality product in the current market can only get your company so far, but creating a good quality product alongside an innovative business plan can push your company that much further. 

 

Related: Need to accelerate your cash flow to support a new business practice? Learn how invoice factoring can help.

 

Innovation gets recognized

When companies invest in causes their customers care about, such as sustainable environmental practices and giving back to those in need, they also experience financial growth, new levels of brand awareness and exposure to new customers. For example, Baush + Lomb was a privately owned company since 1853, until the company went public in May 2022 after being bought by Valeant for $8.7 billion. 

 

Are you or your client interested in investing in new and innovative business practices but don’t have the upfront assets? Contact your Liquid Capital Principal to learn how we can help.

invoice factoring for small business

Invoice factoring for small business: what you need to know to grow

/en , /por

Invoice factoring for small business explained: How owners and financial decision-makers can increase their cash flows with more reliability.

invoice factoring for small business

Whether a company needs to raise working capital, accelerate business growth, hire new talent or buy new equipment, invoice factoring is a popular choice of funding. Organizations of all sizes seeking an alternative to bank loans can quite literally cash in with this strategy. When banks can’t unlock funding due to limited or poor credit history and other criteria that can’t be met, invoice factoring for small business can be particularly advantageous. 

If you work with the right invoice factoring company, your business can operate with less stress when dealing with slow-paying customers — and have access to the money you’ve already earned (aka, invoiced). 

However, you may be wondering, “How do I quickly assess different factoring companies and find the right one who will benefit my business the most?”

Questions you need to ask when selecting an invoice factoring company

When you begin your search for a factoring partner for yourself or your client, be sure to ask these quick questions:

  • How long has the invoice factoring company been in business?
  • What is their industry expertise?
  • Do they offer funding options other than invoice factoring?
  • Can you see some customer testimonials and case studies?
  • How much will it cost me to factor with them? 
  • How quickly does it take to get approved for invoice factoring?

Your answers should match your business needs and help you decide if the factoring company can get you the funds you need.

For a more in-depth guide, take a look at our free invoice factoring guidebook that features ten questions that will help you pick the right factoring partner for your company. 

 

Invoice Factoring guidebook

Learn the critical questions you should ask any invoice factoring provider in the Invoice Factoring Guidebook

Access the complete guide.

 

 

Accelerate your cash flow in four simple steps

If you know invoice factoring is the right choice to accelerate your cash flow, here are four simple steps in the process to help you access capital:

 

Step 1: Do your invoice payment terms qualify for factoring?

If you have invoices that are due in the short term (for example, in 30, 60 or 90 days), these could be the right invoices for factoring. 

Selling them to a factoring company can provide you with immediate cash flow, as invoices with much longer terms may not always be eligible.  

Related: Is your cash flow suffering from 90 day payment terms? Invoice factoring can help

 

Step 2: Sign a factoring company agreement

Once you’ve selected a factoring company (also called the “factor”), you’ll sign an  agreement that marks the beginning of a formal business relationship.

The agreement will outline what account receivables (ARs) or invoices the factor is purchasing, along with other terms and conditions that will help fast-track future financing. 

If you’re referring a client to Liquid Capital, establishing a long-term partnership with your Liquid Capital Principal can open new doors for your business.

 

Step 3: Calculate how much working capital you need for your goals

Based on your immediate and long-term plans, you probably have an idea of how much capital you need flowing into the business.

When you meet with your factoring partner, come ready with that number. With invoice factoring, you can calculate how much working capital you’ll have access to once you factor your invoices. And your lending partner can also help you with these calculations.

Once you know exactly how much cash is being injected into your cash cycle, you can plan to move forward with business operations. For example, you can begin the process of buying inventory or hiring new employees for a busy season — knowing that you can now afford to make these strategic decisions.

 

Learn more the Ultimate Cash Cycle Guidebook

Access the complete guide.

 

 

Step 4: Plan the timelines to collect your reserve

Once the client has paid your factoring partner the outstanding invoice, the factoring company will be able to release the balance of the “reserve fund.” This final amount gives you additional working capital, which can be a welcome cash inflow. 

Work with your factoring partner to understand the timelines for collecting the final reserved funds, and you’ll have a better understanding of your inflows. You may plan for these reserves as ‘top-ups’ to buy additional goods or services, or to act as a buffer in the event of unexpected cash outflows. 

 

Related: See the definition of “reserve” here, plus other important factoring terms.

 

The right solution at the right time 

Invoice factoring has gained popularity in recent years because it offers a quick finance solution to all types of businesses, from all types of industries. (But by no means is it a new solution. Read here for some history.)

There are plenty of advantages to using invoice factoring, aside from the obvious need for working capital. But one of the most important benefits is that you’re not adding any more debt to your business. (If you’re ready to learn more, get a head-start and learn all the factoring terminology in our free Ultimate Factoring Encyclopedia.)

By working with a reputable factoring company, you’ll gain a business partner that provides financing when you need it — and also offers both financial analysis and genuine support that helps you scale your business.

 

At Liquid Capital, we understand what it takes for small, medium, and emerging mid-market businesses to succeed – because we’re business people ourselves. Our company is built on a network of locally owned and operated Principal Offices, so whenever you’re talking to Liquid Capital, you’re talking directly to your funding source and a fellow business person.

 

Images by Pixabay: Featured and Secondary

Will my business qualify for accounts receivable factoring?

Will my business qualify for accounts receivable factoring?

/en , , , , /por

Using these quick checklists will help to make sure your company, sales and invoices are the right fit for accounts receivable factoring.

Will my business qualify for accounts receivable factoring?

When the bank denies your loan, you have options. If you need extra working capital and your bank loan application has been denied, you still have options. Invoice factoring (also called “accounts receivable factoring” or just “factoring”) could give you the funds you need in a very short time – sometimes as quick as within one day. But first, make sure this option is right for your business.

If you fit into this list of criteria, you could be approved for invoice factoring.

Your Company

✓ You’re a B2B company, whether you are a small business or startup, a growing operation or an established enterprise.

✓ Your company provides a service or sells a product to other businesses rather than private individuals.

✓ Your company doesn’t meet the standard qualifications for a bank loan or traditional funding options.

✓ Your company’s credit rating may not be very high, but your customers’ credit is,

✓ You operate in an industry that has reliable customers that pay on invoicing. See a list of common industries below.

  • Agriculture
  • Apparel & Textile
  • Chemicals & Plastics
  • Computer Hardware
  • Consulting
  • Cosmetics
  • Electronics
  • Entertainment
  • Energy
  • Food & Beverage Distribution
  • Furniture & Housewares
  • Freight & Trucking
  • Government Contractors
  • Healthcare Centers
  • High-rise Window Cleaning
  • Import/Export
  • Janitorial & Building Maintenance
  • Landscaping
  • Limousine Services
  • Logistics
  • Machine Shops
  • Manufacturing
  • Media & Communication
  • Metals & Mining
  • Modeling Agencies
  • Oil & Gas
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Your Sales

✓ You have sales on the books with dependable customers who are credit-worthy.

✓ You invoice your clients on credit terms.

✓ You have strong sales opportunities in the pipeline.

✓ You have credit-worthy accounts receivable that are very likely to be paid on their due date.

Qualify for Invoice Factoring - Financials

 

Related: Need a bank loan? 16 ways factoring is better.

Your Invoices

✓ Your customer invoices tend to have longer terms such as 30 or 60 days from the invoice date.

✓ Your invoices are free of liens and encumbrances.

✓ Your invoices are within credit terms and credit limits.

Getting approved for invoice factoring

There are plenty of advantages to using invoice factoring, aside from the obvious need for working capital.

 

Liquid-Capital-Ultimate-Factoring-Encyclopedia-eBook

Ready to learn more? Get a headstart and learn all the factoring terminology in our free Ultimate Factoring Encyclopedia

Access the complete eBook.

 

Your factoring company can provide back-office support and take care of collections for those accounts receivable, freeing up time to focus on your company. You’ll also obtain more working capital that can be used to purchase additional supplies and fulfill new orders, helping grow your business at a faster pace. You can even save money by replacing early payment discounts with factoring to keep your cash flowing.

 

“Liquid Capital allows me to operate without stress. If a company is offering early payment discounts, factoring is a cheaper option to gain access to money.”
Dave Kip, CEO of Best Broadcast

 

By working with the right company, you’ll gain a business partner that can provide broader financial analysis and support – so the process can continue at a scalable pace to meet your business needs.

 

Read more: Should your business use invoice factoring services?

Want to learn more about how invoice factoring and alternative funding solutions from Liquid Capital can help? Contact one of our Principals today.

5 tips for accelerating business growth

/en , , , , /por

Accelerating business growth doesn’t need to remain out of reach. With these top tips, you or your clients can get the boost needed to reach the next level. 

tips for accelerating business growth

As the world rapidly changes, customer behavior is influenced by and can lead to new expectations placed on your business. If you can meet those expectations (maybe even before the customer starts searching), you’ll beat your competition to the punch.

Satisfying this consumer desire is the name of the game. Today’s customer wants a personalized experience instead of irrelevant ads and offers. They want products and services designed specifically for them. Fortunately, companies can create personalized experiences through effective targeting and audience segmentation. 

Here are some ways to keep things personal and start accelerating business growth:

Stay in touch…with the times

Customers will continue to change as the world changes, and staying out-of-touch with reality can deteriorate your market share over time.

Just as Kodak refused to adapt to digital photography, not wanting to take a short-term hit in exchange for long-term sustainability, today’s businesses will also fail if they refuse to adapt.

Trends will force change in every industry, so your organization will need to stay up-to-date with the latest innovations and customer demands. Look for these trends in industry publications, research reports and competitive activities — then adjust your strategy as needed.

If your business needs extra funds to hire people, run new campaigns, increase manufacturing levels, change inventory or perform other essential functions to adjust, your cash flow will be critical. Leaders and CFOs will need to keep an eye on this working capital and ensure they have enough ready to make those changes.

accelerating business growth

Create systems

Internal systems can improve any part of your business. For example, you can increase employee productivity with time tracking and project management tools, just as you can improve profits with suitable financial systems in place.

Establish workflows for your team and ask them for suggestions. Everyone in the organization should have valuable input, since even some front-line workers know more about the day-to-day operations than executives who might be more focused on higher-level strategy. These employees can tell you about glaring problems and present systems or ideas to tackle issues.

Systems ensure operations run smoother in your business so that everyone knows when to perform specific tasks and how to do them. This synergy will lead to strong teams.

Analyze customer data to fuel business growth 

Customers remain the focal point of accelerating business growth, and data helps us track how they engage with our brands and offers. It’s no wonder every scaling business analyzes data to make better decisions.

You can analyze traffic growth and trends, but nothing beats customer data. Check your conversion rates across ads, landing pages and other assets.

An opt-in page with a 20% conversion rate does more for your business than one with just 10%, since you’ll be building more business contacts and a larger funnel of opportunity. If the data tells you to spend more time promoting the most successful page, then do it. The data is almost always right.

Overall, providing customers with more of what they want will make them loyal and lead to higher conversion rates.

customer data to fuel business growth


Study your competition

Your competitors also want to grow, and they will implement strategies they believe will lead to more growth.

Since your growth initiatives will have some overlap with competitors, learn from what they’re doing. For example, you might both use Facebook Ads or actively seek out specific skills, but each business has its differences and you can stand out compared to the other companies in your market.

Look for nuances in your competitor’s strategies that differ from yours, which can reveal new opportunities to gain attention from your target market. For example, a top competitor may focus their efforts on large events. Similarly, but different, you can experiment with smaller local events and gain traction in that more niche market, not saturated by a flood of competition.

Your competition also provides many business growth ideas. Subscribe to their email lists and follow them on social media. See how they interact with their audiences and which strategies they use often.

Is a competitor running their 10th giveaway of the year? That level of consistency means giveaways work for your competitor.

You can also abandon strategies that your competitors leave alone. Learn from their mistakes, so you avoid them for your company. Or fine-tune your approach to improve upon things that didn’t quite work in the past.

Double down on social media

While billions of people use social media to interact with their friends and brands, exploring clever hacks, fun videos and finding great product recommendations, most social networks don’t lead to direct sales. After all, few followers will see your Instagram post and feel compelled to immediately buy your product. 

For many brands, social media is about establishing a presence, gaining awareness, earning valuable touchpoints with your audience and growing credibility. Social media’s primary role isn’t to get direct sales. Instead, its purpose is building trust. People buy from you after they gain trust in your brand. 

A social media strategy helps you build relationships and show up more often, so the more often they see your brand, the more they recognize it and feel compelled to learn more.

Companies seeking rapid growth should double down on their social media efforts. Marketers should review data to determine the most engaging posts, which in turn will help businesses produce content that generates high engagement.

However, instead of becoming active on every social network, you should focus on your strengths, and let the data reveal the truth. The data may suggest you get most of your business from LinkedIn instead of Twitter, in which case you might consider doubling down on your LinkedIn model.

Remember, you don’t have to create an account for every social network. Focus on your top platforms and optimize them for better results.

 

Get your copy of The beginner’s guide to sales prospecting in the relationship economy

 

 

 

Ready to take your business to the next level?

Rapid business growth takes time to build and maintain, and you’ll need enough working capital to fund your company’s initiatives. Luckily, there’s a smart funding solution for businesses feeling strapped for cash.

Some businesses get extra proceeds through invoice factoring, which helps you collect the majority of the invoice amount right away, giving you more predictability in your cash flow. Instead of waiting a few months for the customer to finally pay the invoice, your invoice factoring partner provides the majority of the funds up front, then will work to collect payment at the agreed upon terms. That frees you up to move forward in your business.


Liquid Capital is your trusted invoice factoring partner. We’ll provide the funds so you don’t have to wait months for customers to pay up. Learn about our invoice factoring services today.

 

Up next: 4 ways to invest in people for rapid business growth

4 ways to invest in people for rapid business growth

/en , , , , /por

Expanding your business creates new opportunities to invest in the right people to support rapid growth. Learn where to focus your efforts.

invest in people for business growth

You can help more customers, increase sales revenues and improve people’s lives when you invest in the right team members. It can also escalate into more rapid business growth and help you zoom past your income goals — since your people will be invested in the success of your business.

After all, as a business owner, you don’t want to settle for mediocrity. You want to grow not because you have to, but because you desire to move forward. That’s what makes every entrepreneurial-minded person special.

And for those who aren’t running a business directly, but working with business owners every day as your clients, colleagues, vendors and partners, you likely also want to see them achieve their growth goals.

Here are four ways that you and those around you can help build your business and support rapid scaling efforts:

1. Build new relationships 

Relationships introduce you to new opportunities and should be a top priority for business owners. Everyone knows a group of people you don’t — which is why business networking can help you find partners who will stick with you for years.

New relationships also make it easier to hire great talent and can snowball into expansive networks over time. When you post a job opening, for example, some colleagues will share referrals for people they think can help scale your operations.

Accelerate your networking further by participating in local events, social media groups and other places where both top talent and your customers gather.

Networking for business growth

2. Hire the right people

Successfully scaling a business depends on a wider team. As you likely know, executives can only achieve so much on their own. Savvy business owners hire people to help with specific responsibilities that support growth, but you must do so carefully.

Hiring the wrong people can actually slow down production and have a negative consequence on your most trustworthy employees. Their lack of productivity can frustrate hard workers and turn them into babysitters.

Keep in mind that businesses only benefit from great hires by retaining top talent. Hardworking employees help your business grow and you should do what you can to keep them. 

Further, many people are dropping out of the workforce during the Great Resignation. Woo your top talents, so they stick around for the long-term. Give them a great workplace with some perks such as….to compete with other top employers. 

When it comes to employee referrals, consider the referrer before accepting a new candidate, and understand how they know each other, the history of their experience and how that matches your organization. While you’ll naturally assess every referral as part of your hiring process, keep in mind that hardworking people often recommend other hardworking people — and the same principle holds for unproductive workers. 

3. Invest in yourself 

During rapid growth mode, business owners invest in their companies. They hire more people, buy new equipment and purchase other assets. You can also invest in education to learn more about your industry trends, new technology and other innovations to keep current.

Investing in yourself stretches to areas outside of your business. For example, exercise increases productivity and happiness, and some business owners that understand these benefits will even hire personal trainers to help keep them on schedule.

Improving yourself puts you in a better position to improve your company.

invest in yourself for business growth

4. Host events in your area 

Events bring people together, and when you’re the host, it puts your brand in the spotlight and offers benefits such as: 

  • Company executives can present new products and gather customer feedback in real-time. 
  • Your team can chat with colleagues and peers in other companies to learn about the latest and greatest in the industry. 
  • You get to talk with customers face-to-face and understand their pain points. 

These touchpoints build trust, provide insights and strengthen your credibility.

When people in the community hear about your event, they will hopefully also spread the word and tell their business acquaintances, growing your company’s local footprint. 

Some business owners do several pop-up events across multiple cities, then analyze results from each event to decide which cities to revisit next year. With each new event you host, that reach should expand. This is particularly beneficial when you do business across a wider territory, or if you have multiple offices or salespeople spread out remotely.

Businesses can also scale their impact with virtual events. Since these events don’t have the full in-person experience and location isn’t an issue, they can attract attendees who are short on time, budget for travel, or who are located further away.

You can also book more speakers for a virtual event. It costs them less to speak at the event, and some may even consider waiving their fee for the chance to promote their own company. In some cases, speakers may treat virtual stages like podcast appearances, so it’s a win-win.

 

Host events in your area bor business growth

Expand your cash flow to reach the next level 

Rapid business growth doesn’t always mean you’ll earn higher margins, especially when sacrificing profits for development. 

You may actually choose to reduce profit in the short term to achieve growth goals. For example, spending money on Google Ads can significantly cut into current earnings, but if it leads to prospects discovering your business and eventually becoming a customer, that long-term plan can pay off.  While an advertising budget often represents a healthy trade-off of expenses vs. ROI, there are other expenses that can be more problematic to a healthy level of ongoing working capital.

Review your business and look for opportunities to improve your cash flow. Keep a list of expenses and trim them down when necessary. Assess the ongoing sustainability of the financials, as unprofitable companies don’t stay in business for long.

When comparing year-over-year profit margins, you will then see the trajectory of your cash flow over time. Higher or stable profit margins combined with expansion indicate a healthy business. If your cash flow isn’t at the right level, get ahead of the problem as quickly as possible.

 

One funding solution that can provide the working capital for your growing needs is invoice factoring. For businesses who don’t qualify for traditional financing, or need to complement their current financing, this solution has proven to be helpful for many businesses.

Read some of our Success Stories:

Global Aviation invoice factoring

Global Aviation: Above and Beyond

 Rayzor Edge Tree Services invoice factoring

Rayzor Edge: Clearing the way for reliable cash flow

 Best Broadcast boosts sales with invoice factoring

Best Broadcast: AV company booms by adding invoice factoring
cash conversion cycle

How to determine your company’s “cash conversion cycle”

/en , , , /por

Part 1 in the Cash Cycle series: Learn the basics of a “cash conversion cycle” and how you can use it to your company’s advantage. 

cash conversion cycle

Reaching success and growth in business requires a healthy cash flow. This allows your business to be prepared for the unexpected challenges and growth opportunities that will come your way. For example, if you buy and sell inventory on account, it’s critical that you know how long it takes to turn that inventory into cash.

As a business owner, you want to make sure you have the money you need when you need it, and the very last thing you want to experience is cash flow issues that restrict business operations. 

Understanding your cash conversion cycle (CCC) is key to ensuring you’re on top of your company’s working capital.

Know your company’s cash conversion cycle  

cash conversion cycle

Your company’s cash conversion cycle (CCC) tells you how many days it takes to turn your inventory purchases into cash. It’s a cycle that is all too familiar: you acquire inventory from a supplier, store that inventory, sell it to a customer on account, pay your suppliers and collect on your invoices — thus getting paid and putting cash back into the company.

The CCC is an important financial indicator of your company’s cash flow. It shows your ability to maintain highly liquid assets and is a metric that lenders and other finance providers will use to assess your potential risk level.

 

Follow all six steps to becoming «lender friendly» and get prepared to access funding from any lender.

Access the complete eBook.

 

It’s not magic, it’s just math

You don’t need to be a magician to unlock the power of the CCC formula for your business. All you need are three figures to complete the basic CCC formula, all of which you can find in your financial statements. 

cash conversion cycle formula

Let’s look at each component a little more closely.

  • DIO: Days Inventory Outstanding
    • This is the number of days on average that your company turns your inventory into sales. The smaller this number, the better.
  • DPO: Days Payable Outstanding
    • This is the number of days it takes you to pay your accounts payable. The higher this number, the longer you can hold onto cash, so a longer DPO is better.
  • DSO: Days Sales Outstanding
    • This is the number of days you’ll need to collect on the sales of that inventory after the sale has been made. Again, the lower the number, the better.

So the CCC is equal to the number of days it takes to sell your inventory, plus the number of days you need to collect on your sales, minus the days it takes you to pay your vendors.

Example: 
Keisha runs a PPE manufacturing company. Keisha always pays her suppliers within 30 days. She keeps enough inventory on hand to satisfy 60 days of sales and is good at managing this. It will take 52 days on average for her customers to pay their invoices.
This would be her CCC formula:
CCC = 60 days – 30 days + 52 days
CCC = 82 days
Keisha’s CCC is 82 days, meaning that she will need on average 82 days of working capital to convert purchased inventory into cash.

The above is a simplified example, and to get accurate results you must calculate and track your DIO, DPO and DSO on a monthly, quarterly or annual basis, along with the dollar values for inventory and sales.

 

“Our Liquid Capital Representative is more than just a lender — he’s a built in consultant.”
Nick Newman, Co-owner, Ridgeline Manufacturing

 

How the Cash Conversion Cycle reveals hidden potential  

Cash Conversion Cycle potential

Now that you have gathered the necessary numbers and ran them through the CCC formula, you will have a good indication of your cash liquidity position — and it can point your attention to what is helping or hindering your cash flow. Depending on the results, you may determine immediate areas that can be improved.

The longer the CCC, the more working capital you’ll need to manage your operations. And that can be an overwhelming challenge for many businesses. Generally speaking, companies want to shorten their CCC.

To shorten the CCC, you may be able to manage inventory levels better, get longer supplier payment terms, improve your collection process or adjust the payment terms you give your customers. However, this may not always be practical or something you’re wanting to change for a number of reasons.

 

“Liquid Capital allows me to operate without stress. If a company is offering early payment discounts, factoring is a cheaper option to gain access to money.”

Dave Kip, CEO of Best Broadcast

 

Making adjustments that fit your business

Choosing to use an alternative financing solution such as Invoice Factoring can help to lower your CCC by turning accounts receivable into cash faster.

Calculate cash conversion cycle

Factoring can help to lower your DSO which means that you will get paid on your sales faster and have quicker access to working capital. This cash can then be reinvested into your company faster than if you had to wait on outstanding invoices to be paid out according to the usual payment terms.

Or you could get extended payment terms from suppliers to reduce the DPO portion of the formula or use financing tools such as Purchase Order Financing to help you make up the gap where suppliers are not providing adequate or any terms. By extending the number of days you have to settle your accounts payable, you can keep cash in the company and effectively increase your working capital.

However, the CCC alone cannot be a complete indication of liquidity. You’ll need to look at calculating other liquidity metrics like the current ratio and quick ratio to paint a complete picture. You may already have these calculations in place, but if you haven’t yet calculated your cash conversion cycle, it’s time to start crunching the numbers and tracking changes over time to manage your business better.

Reducing your DSO and DIO or stretching your DPO are also useful tactics that can help your cash conversion cycle to grow your business. Do you work in an industry where “inventory” doesn’t apply? There are also other ways that you can use the CCC.

 

Keep reading our four-part cash conversion cycle series: 

Part 2: Learn about the 7 proven cash flow tactics every CFO and finance pro needs to know.

Part 3: Learn how to leverage your assets to grow your working capital

Part 4: Learn how to keep suppliers happy and cash in your pocket

 

Want to learn more about how invoice factoring and alternative funding solutions from Liquid Capital can help? Contact one of our Principals today. 

Should your business use invoice factoring services?

/en , /por

Leveraging invoice factoring services from a trusted funding partner can help support your growth. Find out if this alternative funding solution is right for your business.

invoice factoring services

The benefits of invoice factoring, as we’ve discussed, can provide business owners with the freedom to increase cash flow when needed. It can also free up time and resources (instead of worrying about receivables) and avoid disruptions in their business growth plans.

Deciding if invoice factoring is right for you depends on your cash flow budgeting. If you need to create a cash flow budget or need to update an existing one, use these seven easy steps to help you get started:

  1. Finding the right tools or software to prepare forecasts
  2. Setting a time frame for your budgets
  3. Preparing a sales forecast
  4. Projecting cash inflows
  5. Projecting cash outflows
  6. Calculating the ending cash balance
  7. Setting a minimum cash flow balance

These proactive steps give you a 30,000-foot view of your business’s cash flow situation and how much money you may need for future growth.

Finding the right lending partner

Once you’ve determined your budget and cash flow projections, it’s time to begin finding the right partner for your invoice factoring journey. 

It’s important to know:

  • The type of service being offered: recourse (when the customer will buy back invoices that are unpaid) or non-recourse (when the factor assumes the risk and guarantees the invoice)
  • The terms and rates of service: including cancellation clauses, fees and transparency of the transaction
  • Industry experience and knowledge
  • Service: speed, availability and flexibility

Beyond knowing the kind of partner you want to (or should) work with, it’s important to know the right questions to ask of your invoice factoring company. It could be anything from simply asking about their experience and contract terms, to the fees for service. 

 

Read what questions to ask with the Liquid Capital Invoice Factoring Guidebook. 


Who can benefit from invoice factoring services?

Invoice factoring can solve a variety of common problems that small and medium-sized businesses experience. However, it’s also important to consider why and when you would choose to use invoice factoring services. 

For example, invoice factoring is ideal for businesses that work with other businesses where transactions involve invoices. 

While some factoring companies will require a buy-back for the unpaid invoice or replace it with one of equal or greater value, Liquid Capital takes a different approach to factoring our clients’ invoices. 

Liquid Capital will never surprise you with hidden terms or fees, and there won’t’ be any constricted or complicated provisions. We believe in complete transparency.

benefits invoice factoring services

Control your cash flow

We want our clients to stay in control of their business and feel confident about the invoice factoring process as a strategic funding tool. We’re committed to making sure you understand how invoice factoring works and how you can use it to grow your company.

While the ups and downs of the current economic environment may make financing a difficult path to navigate, we make it easy with alternative options to traditional debt. When considering the future growth of your business, the benefits of invoice factoring may make a lot of sense when addressing your cash flow challenges. 

At the end of the day, you know your business best — including your customer relationships and your future cash flow needs. But we will do our best to help understand your needs, business goals and help you get there.

 

Want to learn more about invoice factoring? Contact us today!

How can invoice factoring companies help fund your growth?

/en , /por

Running a business is stressful. Funding your business growth shouldn’t be. Read how invoice factoring companies can help you achieve your goals!

invoice factoring companies help fund your growth

Being in business means having to wear many hats and juggle a variety of challenges. The very last thing a business owner wants to experience is a cash flow problem that curtails business operations.

Cash flow and funding issues can arise when outstanding receivables aren’t paid in a timely manner, inventory levels need replenishing, inflation affects costs and even sudden growth opportunities or shifting market conditions arise unexpectedly. In these cases, how can businesses reliably fund cash flow in a difficult economic environment?

With business getting back to normal, owners and leaders may also be faced with the “good problems” of increased sales, but with new or different cash flow issues. As accounts grow, so can outstanding receivables. Unfortunately, this limits a business’s working capital, as you pay out expenses before you’ve collected on your invoices.

The benefits of invoice factoring

First off, what is invoice factoring? Invoice factoring is a type of financing where you “sell” a portion of (or maybe all of) your company’s outstanding receivables to a third party. Why?

The benefits of invoice factoring are as follows:

  • A factoring company pays you most of the invoiced amount immediately – thereby creating revenue and cash flow stability.
  • Forecasting and planning can be more accurate because you now have a better sense of your assets.
  • The invoice factoring company takes on the responsibility of collecting payment from your customers directly. 
  • A struggling business may have a better chance of staying afloat due to better cash flow.
  • Businesses can use invoice factoring as part of their cash flow management toolkit to build inventory or pay for other immediate needs.
  • Often, invoice factoring is cheaper and easier to acquire than a traditional loan. This makes it better for short-term funding needs and reduces the headaches of debt management.
  • Increasing immediate cash flow allows you to maintain a better credit score by paying bills on time.
  • Invoice factoring companies can enhance your business success and your growth potential.


When opportunity knocks, be ready to answer the door

As a business owner, you need money when you need it. You can’t always anticipate growth opportunities or the direction your business will take despite your best efforts. 

Take the case of Global Aviation. The company, which provides airline staffing services such as aircraft detailing, baggage and load control services, needed additional financing as expansion grew more rapidly than anticipated. 

Traditional sources of capital were unavailable, and Liquid Capital was able to step in to help them access over $40 million of funding since 2016.

 

“Liquid Capital was instrumental in listening to us and coming up with a game plan on how we could repay our facility balance and right side the operations.”
Carm Borg, President and CEO of Global Aviation

 

A similar situation occurred for Rayzor Edge Tree Service as it expanded into commercial contracts. By helping the company better understand the benefits of invoice factoring, Rayzor Edge Tree Service has been able to double sales and strengthen its business relationships.

 

“As a small business owner, it’s helpful to know someone’s got your back because you’re so reliant on yourself for so many aspects of running the business. Having somebody that I can turn to for advice is worth a lot.”
Ray Bowman, Owner and President, Rayzor Edge Tree Service


Other benefits of invoice factoring

Did you know that Liquid Capital’s business model makes it even more advantageous for businesses considering this option?  

What makes Liquid Capital different from other invoice factoring companies:

  • We develop relationships with clients beyond a simple transaction. We’re business owners ourselves, so we understand the pain points owners experience running their companies.
  • Our business model allows clients to control how they engage with our business — and we can provide flexible funding when you need it.
  • Our clients do not get tied into long-term contracts, termination fees or minimums.
  • By joining our referral program, you can, in turn, help your clients access quick and flexible funding when traditional funding options aren’t available. If you’re a commercial lender, BDO or other funding professional, reach out to learn more.

Ultimately, all businesses want high-value service that meets their needs. Liquid Capital does that by taking the time to build a structure around the client’s individual needs – which leads to freedom and the ability to choose. 

By giving clients the control they desire, Liquid Capital can keep costs down for clients and provide a best-in-class service in a timely and efficient manner.

 

Up next: Are invoice factoring services right for your business?

Finding qualified leads

Finding leads and qualified prospects in the relationship economy

/en , /por

Finding qualified leads starts with having reliable sources. Here’s where to start looking!

Finding qualified leads

There are lots of online directories, tools and resources that can help provide insightful prospect data. But with so many options available, it may be hard to know where to start. For busy business owners, it can be particularly important to maximize the time spent finding leads.

Here are five places you can source qualified prospects for your pipeline.

1. LinkedIn Sales Navigator 

LinkedIn Sales Navigator uses the power of its 500-million-member network to help sales professionals find and build relationships with prospects and clients. 

They have advanced search tools like job title, industry, location, and more to help your team find and connect with ideal prospects through social selling. Best of all, Sales Navigator can be connected with many CRMS (such as HubSpot) giving you an extra layer of insights into your existing customers and potential leads.

2. Dedicated prospecting platforms

There are plenty of paid prospecting tools that can help you secure decision-makers’ email addresses, phone numbers, job titles and so much more. Tools like VoilaNorbert and ZoomInfo can help your sales reps get accurate contact info and reach your potential prospects quicker. 

The great thing about these prospecting tools is that they’re designed to support your sales reps in the relationship economy. They usually have features to help start conversations, schedule follow-ups, track conversions and more. 

3. Twitter

Did you know that a report by Statista showed that 67% of B2B businesses use Twitter as a digital marketing tool?

Beyond being a helpful ticker for industry news, Twitter has an excellent advanced search feature. 

It allows you to search for keywords, exact phrases or exclude certain words from your search. You can also search for high-intent hashtags that might reflect interest in your company’s area of expertise, such as #productnames, #manufacturinggoods, #events and #geographiclocations. (Naturally, replace these words with hashtags that match your business opportunities.)

Finding qualified leads

4. Job boards

When a company is recruiting for a new role, it might signal that they’re investing in that general area or department. For example, a company looking for a new Head of Accounting may be searching for funding, grants or loans.

By searching job boards, your team can look for listings that match your buyer persona job titles. From there, you can reach out to the role’s hiring manager, who is likely a decision-maker. 

5. Industry publications, networks and associations

Niche trade events and industry associations may be filled with members that fit your ideal client profile. These organizations often list their members, partners, affiliates and other stakeholders on their website. These directories are a quick way to find potential prospects. 

To find these memberships and associations, run a quick Google search such as «best [industry] membership.» You’ll likely get results for nationwide associations, events and organizations.

 

No matter where you turn to for leads, the most important part of finding great leads is to have a solid sales prospecting process in place.

Up next: Updating your sales prospecting process for the relationship economy