A solid understanding of cash flow is incredibly important to small business success. According to a U.S. Bank study, 82 percent of business failures are due to cash flow issues.
To help you ensure that you have a well-rounded understanding of everything you need to know, here are our top resources on cash flow—from why it matters, to how to manage it best.
Essential resources to help you understand and manage cash flow:
1. Cash Flow 101: What Is Cash Flow?
Our five-part ultimate guide to cash flow offers the most in-depth look at the subject, and covers it from a variety of angles.
You’ll learn about the what cash flow is, the symptoms of potential cash flow problems, how to build a cash flow statement, the best ways to manage your cash flow, and how to navigate cash flow issues while growing your business.
If you’re looking for thorough coverage of the many facets of cash flow management, don’t miss this article series.
2. Free Cash Flow Example Download
Are you a visual learner? To see what cash flow actually looks like within a business, download this free cash flow example.
It’s available as both a PDF and an Excel sheet, so you can use it to get a sense of what a cash flow statement should look like, or to enter in your own numbers and play around with different scenarios.
3. Free Cash Flow eBook Download
If you prefer to learn via downloads, our free downloadable cash flow ebook is another good resource to check out.
We’ve partnered with Fundbox (who authored the series above) to create this comprehensive ebook, covering all the details of cash flow. The only difference you’ll find between the above series and this ebook is the format, so depending on your preferred learning style, the downloadable version may suit your needs better.
4. What You Really Need to Know About Cash Flow
Here, you’ll get a solid understanding of why cash flow matters, and you’ll learn why it’s important to monitor cash flow in your business. If you’re after an introductory primer on the topic, start here.
5. The Difference Between Cash and Profits
This article will help clear up the difference between cash flow and profits (which, it should be noted, are not the same thing at all!).
So, you understand the basics of cash flow.
Now, it’s time to look forward; how can you determine if your business will run into cash flow issues down the road?
If you feel you’ve got a good handle on the basics and want to get a better understanding of how to insulate your business against a cash crisis later on, check this one out.
7. Standard Business Plan Financials: How to Project Cash Flow
In a similar vein, this article on Tim Berry’s personal blog takes on the task of explaining the process of projecting your cash flow.
Knowing how to project cash flow will save your business hardship in the future, and enable you to make business decisions now (like determining if it’s the right time to buy that new piece of equipment).
8. 6 Expert Troubleshooting Tips to Improve Your Cash Flow
If you’re having cash flow troubles currently, you may want more actionable advice.
Here you’ll find six common cash flow issues explained, and you’ll learn how to resolve them in the present, and what to do to prevent them in the future.
9. How to Balance Cash Flow in a Seasonal Business
Does your business experience regular seasons of increased activity, followed by periods of time where business is markedly slower? This can make it especially difficult to manage cash flow.
In this article, you’ll learn techniques for managing cash flow in a seasonal business, and how to adapt to seasonal changes.
If you want to get a sense of how your sales, inventory, and other variables impact your cash flow, our handy cash flow calculator is the way to go.
Simply plug in your information and gain valuable insight about your cash flow, and experiment with the factors that impact it.
Are there any facets of cash flow that we haven’t covered? If so, please let us know! Share this article on Twitter or Facebook with a comment, or let us know directly @Bplans!
Briana is a content and digital marketing specialist, editor, and writer. She enjoys discussing business, marketing, and social media, and is a big fan of the Oxford comma. Bri is a resident of Portland, Oregon, and she can be found, infrequently, on Twitter.
