2 Signs Your Business Is Going Broke And Your Solutions For Fixing Business Cash Flow Problems

Solving Business Cash Flow Problems .. Today Or Before They Happen

Business Cash flow problems can be solved with the right info an Help . Solutions for business liquidity before you hit the wall!


Can you spot (or have you spotted already) business cash flow problems inside your firm? A better question might be - have you got some solutions to those problems! We've got some insights into both today.

Business failure, temporarily, (or otherwise!) often comes back to cash flow and working capital. In some cases it's an ongoing situation that saps management strength - at other times it's a time bomb inside your firm, seeming ready to explode at any time as you hit the proverbial cash flow shortage wall!

Your ability to perceive this challenge and correct it is of course critical.

Let's get to the meat of the matter... jumping right into the matter. Here are 2 key areas or reasons why you might be ' going broke ‘, and maybe not know why. The term ‘ going broke ‘ is a bit unsophisticated .. but anyway …here goes!
Your ongoing challenges might involve one of these, or both . We'll let you make the call.

Sign # 1- your cash flow cycle. Simply speaking it’s the relationship around the ' in’s and outs' of your business. It's the time cycle between collections and payables. We met with a CEO yesterday of a larger firm who commented that in his cash flow cycle they typically get paid by clients before suppliers are paid. They are in the food industry - and that would be typical. When that issue is reversed, i.e. suppliers needing to be paid before clients pay you face a cash flow cycle problem.

And by the way, you need the right mix of those ' current assets ' when it comes to turnover. When your a/r or inventories become ' bloated ' that's a sign of ' going broke '.

Sign # 2- Leverage. It's a common term that the business financial folks use. It's essentially the fixed costs in comparison to the profits you can earn from selling more. As you look to buying more assets, or even buying a competitor that leverage issue becomes critical. Buying more assets and taking on more fixed costs just puts more pressure on you to breakeven, let alone make a profit.

Too much leverage ultimately will lead to business failure.

Remember also that one of the biggest misconceptions in business is that profits aren't cash. Lenders in Canada generally aren't impressed by romantic, slick company names, high ambitions and future profits. They focus on cash flow and the quality of earnings - when you track income and cash flow over time they should gradually come together.

Our final advice - seek out the ' bad news ' in your cash flow problems - and understand where they are coming from.

Solutions in Canada are abundant - depending on where you are in the business maturity cycle - i.e. start up, growth, mature, etc. Those solutions include solid banking support, receivable and contract finance, inventory and P.O. finance solutions, and asset based lending and equipment finance.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor on how you can utilize these to... dare we say it... not go broke!



Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_cash_flow_problems_solutions.html

How To Finance A Company In Canada .Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make In Cash Flow Financing

Looking For Traditional and Alternative Debt Financing Solutions In Canada

Information on how to finance a company in Canada . What cash flow financing alternatives are available to the Canadian business owner and financial manager ?




How To Finance A Company...that's the challenge for owners of new and existing businesses in Canada when it comes to equity, debt, and cash flow financing.

Let's examine some basic aspects surrounding that issue with a focus on how Canadian business owners and financial managers can both identify and then source capital. Our focus will be primarily outside of the equity arena as private and public entity is... well... a whole different kettle of fish.

Timing is of course... everything .. and it sure helps when you're financing a firm in an economy that is a bit healthier. Financing, both from a debt or cash flow point of view is of course the lifeblood of any firm. Great companies, both small and large go out of business due of course to inability to get the proper mix of financing in place.

As most business people know it’s not only a challenge to generate the interest of a financial partner - then it becomes the challenge of an approval securing those funds! And as your firm grows you will need additional cash flow financing - you don't want to be in a position of growing so much that you business fails - that has happened to many in Canada.

In Canada banks and other commercial financing firms provide the debt and cash flow financing capital you need Let's explore and recap some of those debt and cash flow financing options available

When most business owners think in terms of external financing they consider Canadian chartered banks as the key option. That is no doubt certainly the most publicly available finance - and when you have the corporate and personal assets and collateral the rates, terms and structure of the bank agreement is without a doubt appealing.

But in many cases the Canadian banking system can't support the thousands of firms who have additional or specialized needs. In the case of securing bank credit you need positive profits, assets and collateral, a track record and probably forms of what the banks call ' secondary repayment - Our clients know it as the ever concerning Personal Guarantee!

So, when you are looking s to how to finance a company what are some of those other options? They include asset based lenders; in the true sense of an ' ABL ' solution these firms provide non-bank lines of credit secured by your A/R, inventory, and fixed assets on the balance sheet. And a lot of the emphasis that banks place on approval do not come into play with an ABL lender.

Equipment financing, aka leasing your key assets is also a very effective method of financing your firm. It also relieves the larger cash outlays your business needs when it acquires assets.

Start up and small businesses have access to the Government SBL loan program, which has great rates, terms and structures when it comes to acquire assets and even financing leaseholds and real estate. And the majority of the loan is guaranteed to the bank by the Federal government.

Cash flow financing, or the ' monetizing of assets ' can be accomplished by utilizing receivable financing, inventory finance, and even selling your tax credits such as those under the SR&ED program . Why wait a half year to get your cheque from your non repayable tax credit?!

One of the best methods of cash flow financing comes your a partner you know only too well - yourself and your firm. By managing your assets such as inventory and A/R you can generate internal cash flow through your business operations.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor on those equity and debt options when it comes to how to finance a company in Canada.






Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/how_to_finance_a_company_cash_flow_financing.html

Do Your Competitors Use A Customer Finance Vendor Program To Beat You At The Sales Game?

Use A Client Financing Program To Win The Sales Battle !


Information on why a customer finance vendor program is used by thousands of Canadian firms to accelerate sales and cash flow . Factors you need to consider in a client lease program.




Thinking about a customer finance vendor program? We know for sure that many Canadian business owners and financial managers recognize that their competition sometimes wins the sales battle, without even beating you at actual pricing / cost.

How do they do that? If you had the ability to get to the bottom of the matter you just might find that your lost client was offered a financing solution by your competitor for a sale you should have made!

Thousands of firms in Canada increase sales and are able to motivate their clients to purchase by the effective use of a vendor finance program.

Can we think of two reasons why you wouldn’t want to do that directly? We sure can - first of all you probably don’t have access to unlimited cash, and secondly, there are some serious revenue recognition programs when financing is offered by the seller.

So if that’s the case, what’s the solution? There's a great one, and it’s simply to set up an effective customer finance program that allows you to control the sale and program in partnership with a firm that will provide you with the capital and tools to offer such a benefit to clients.


It's important though to understand the benefits, and in some cases the limitations of the program. Simply speaking, you need to know how and why to offer a financial solution for your client. To coin a phrase we came across over 30 years ago from a trusted mentor, you want to be in a position to ' Remove the Obstacle to Innovation ' when a client considers your product and service combo.

In many cases you want to be in a position to close the sale more quickly - in effect shortening your sales cycle. The financial solution offered to your customer keeps interest in your offering high, and at the same time allows you to get one step up on a competitor who isn’t in fact able to offer the financing.

When you partner with the right firm or individual to offer such a program its essentially at no cost to yourself, other than your time commitment in promoting and putting together the program.

And by the way, you or your sales for don't have to be ' financial pros’ - your partner firm or individual is fully prepared to step in an consult with your customer on the basic elements of such an offering; they of course are things such as term of lease required, monthly payment, possible ownership at end of term, credit approval, etc.

By investing some time in such a program you can have different... let us call them ' flavors' within your offering. They might include shorter term rentals, the proverbial ' don't pay a cent event ', below market interest rates that could be subsidized by your firm in order to increase sales, or allowing customers to pick and choose their own monthly payments by providing them with a rate chart - with of course your firms name at the top . In effect your customer finance vendor program has allowed you to be a total solution vendor.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor to find out how you can beat your competitors through the use of a financial option.






Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/customer_finance_vendor_program.html

Warning! Are Traditional Factoring Program Companies In Canada Right For Your AR Finance Challenge?

What Type Of A/R Financing Best Suits Your Firm ?


Information on factoring companies in Canada . What type of AR Finance program best suits your firm when it comes to receivable finance?


There's nothing like a ' Danger Ahead' sign up the road to catch a Canadian business owners attention. That's why we're pointing out a number of things today with respect to factoring companies in Canada, how they work, and why ar (accounts receivable) finance may be the best thing that ever happened to you... or the worst. Talk about a balanced perspective.

More often than not when Canadian firms look to AR Finance as an alternative it’s out of an immediate need, often almost survival. They might be finding themselves in a number of positions, including having to restructure their firm or the debt, downsizing, or addressing the worst and best problem of all - Hyper growth with strong revenue increases.

From our vantage point factoring companies in Canada are often addressing ' the short term fix' stage. The 3 most common situations that caused these challenges often are poor management (that might be you unfortunately) being undercapitalized, and finally, over leveraged.

So how does a traditional factoring program work - and what’s the good and bad in all that?

Simply speaking it’s an immediate solution that makes cash available for your firm - at a time when pretty well no one else will give you the amount you need, if they'll give you any at all

When you implement the solution you're in a positional albeit at a cost, to grow your business again, pay and hire people, and take supplier discounts and price advantages. And all of this is done without debt, and diluting the ownership in your firm.

So, lets recap how things work with an emphasis on pointing out the good and somewhat ' unfavorably viewed ' aspects of this method of Canadian business financing.

Here's how it works: You typically receive approx 90% of all invoices you submit, and you can submit pretty well as often as you like, even daily. Bottom line, as you sell you get cash. Same day.

So what could possibly be the downside of this ' traditional' factoring? The daily mechanics are not always viewed positively by the business owner; in some cases credit limits are set on your accounts, and in the majority of cases collection services are provided by the factoring firm. Generally the cost of the financing is in the 2% range, meaning that if you finance a $ 10,000.00 invoice for 30 days you have a financing charge of $ 200.00. Is that a lot? We’ll let you decide once you benchmark it against the advantages of your AR Program.

Is there a better way to enter into the right program with factoring companies in Canada? One method is the confidential invoice financing facility. Here you get all the benefits of AR Finance, but at the same time you are billing and collecting your own receivables.

How do you know when you're ready to consider such a program? A few basic ongoing calculations of your sales to receivables, collections and inventory turnover analysis should allow you to determine whether you have a financing need that might not be served by the traditional chartered bank solution.

And remember this type of financing can often be bundled together in an asset based line of credit that margins both receivables and inventory.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor - get the straight goods on those warning signs.







Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :



http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/factoring_companies_in_canada_program_ar_finance.html

Considered A Canadian Business Advisor For Specialized Access To Financing Funds And Lenders In Canada?

Best Way To Explore Traditional & Alternative Canadian Business Finance ?


Information on benefits of utilizing a Canadian Business Financing advisor to access traditional and alternative lenders for financing and funds for your business .

Yes, of course it’s ultimately up to you but have you considered a Canadian business financing advisor for your specialized access to funds, financing and traditional and alternative lenders in Canada?

As we said it’s you the Canadian business owner or financial manager that has to both recognize the need for and make the call when it comes to your company financial needs. Whether your firm is in some type of financial distress, or if you have the double edged sword challenge of growing sales (how do you finance them).

The fundamental concept of business finance ( and unfortunately many don’t know or recognize this ) is that as you grow your sales you must invest more in business assets such as inventory, receivables, and even equipment under your fixed assets category on your balance sheet.

In a perfect world (guess what, it's not) you want to be able to be in a position to generate and have access to financing almost ' spontaneously ', as you grow. And we forgot to mention that that higher investment in A/R, inventory, etc also leads to higher obligations when it comes to payables from suppliers, wages, and government super priority payments such as HST, employee source deductions, etc.

Yes, actual profits (when collected, by the way!) provide additional financing for your firm, but ultimately you will need access to lenders and financing sources to compliment your business finance needs.

When you consider assistance outside of your firm, such as a business advisor it might even be at a time when serious challenges have set in. Those challenges may be diverse, such as suppliers freezing credit, or your institutional lender such as a Canadian chartered bank being in a position to tighten, suspend or freeze your credit access.

Canadian business financing advisor can assist you in getting back the confidence of suppliers and lenders at a time when you need it most. That comes by providing solutions, both traditional and alternative, to the current problem.

We all know the expression ' you can't see the forest from the trees ' and most business owners / managers would admit they are sometimes to close to the problem, or, alternatively don’t have the expertise and access to outside financing sources. In essence you have just received access to corrective financing actions, at a time when you need it most!

So how in fact does a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor ' fix ' things? One way is to focus on the balance sheet and increase cash flow monetization when it comes to sales to inventory and sales to A/R ratios. This can be accomplished through working capital facilities that are non bank in nature, asset based lines of credit, monetizing your tax credit, securitizing receivables, and in some cases bringing a new chartered bank on board that is comfortable with your management and long term success.

So, need that specialized access to traditional and alternative funding sources. Who you gonna call ?!





Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/canadian_business_advisor_lenders_funds_financing.html

Avoiding Canadian Business Credit Nightmares. Banking And Bank Loans For Business In Canada

Ready For A Solid Banking Relationship ?


Information on how Canadian business can access credit , banking, and bank loans in Canada




When it comes to Canadian business credit and banking in Canada (loans, credit lines, etc) it's more than a bit unfortunate that many business owners and financial managers view the process and the challenge as somewhat of a nightmare or at the very least a negative process.

Let's examine how you can turnaround that process with a viewpoint towards success. And let's hope we can get rid of some of that negativity also.

Secret # 1 - Choose a banker, not a bank. We don't think there is one important thing we could share on our subject other than that statement. A good (hopefully great) banker will become a great source of financial and business assistance.

So you've made your pick?! Now what? It’s critical that over time you gain the confidence and respect of that person, whether it’s a he or she. This can be achieved in a number of ways. Banks in Canada are focused on ' cash ' and ' cash flow ', so just supplying your banker with reasonable cash flow projections goes a long way to instilling confidence of the bank in your business.

That ' cash plan ' is simply a solid estimate of incoming and outgoing cash needs, with hopefully the bank bridging the gap.

A huge issue in Canadian banking (it’s not huge for the banks, but it sure is huge for our clients) is the whole area of personal guarantees. While the majority, if not all of bank credit in Canada for privately owned corporations mandates a guarantee we would point out that we see numerous cases of flexibility when in fact none seemed apparent.

That flexibility comes in the form of limiting the personal guarantee, or in some cases securing outside assets in lieu of the guarantee. We have seen cases where the bank waived the entire need for a ' PG ' (personal guarantee)... in general this is the exception, not the norm.

A simple summary of the entire PG situation is that assets and your personal credit history and situation will drive the final decision here. As Canada goes through different economic cycles banks seem to be either pulling in the reins or making an all our effort to make personal and business credit available. So it’s important for you to judge where the banks are in the cycle!

One way in which you can maximize the benefits of a solid bank relationship is to continually explore the ability of your banker to introduce you to other professionals that might assist your business. These might include lawyers, accountants, and Canadian business financing advisors.

Those intro's are worth their weight in gold in many cases, as these external advisors have not doubt proved themselves many times before as they established their own relationship with the bank.

What are bankers in Canada looking for when they look to extend Canadian business credit? It's not rocket science - they look for management depth, a solid busines model, what financing you have in place via debt or equity , as well has how you market and price your services or product.

A final note on bank loans in Canada? Unlike the U.S. which has hundreds, even thousands of different banks and even more independent non bank finance firms Canada's banking system is smaller. Clients who are bankable often focus on ' rates ' - in our opinion the rates will vary no more than some basis points from bank to bank.

Your focus should be on the banker, and the structure, terms, and guarantees surrounding your bank loans or credit lines. That saving of a couple basis points will be non existent in your mind when you get locked into a structure or guarantee or ratio and covenant scenario that you can't get out of.

Can you avoid business credit nightmares in Canadian banking? We sure think so... consider talking to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor on achieving some of the best business banking in Canada.








Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/canadian_business_credit_banking_bank_loans_canada.html

Lost ! Your Canadian Franchise Opportunities. Issues You Can’t Not Consider Re: Your Franchising Finance Loan

Considered These Other Issues In Canadian Franchise Financing?


Information on important aspects of a finance loan for Canadian franchise opportunities



Feeling like you may have missed out, or perhaps simply overwhelmed with the ability to a finance Canadian franchise opportunities. There are a lot of issues to consider when contemplating a franchising loan, some of which you may not have even considered or be aware of. Oh, and by the way, some of these pertain to those of you who are already franchisees and have even more unique issues to address.

Let's examine some key concepts in franchise financing. Although things have certainly gotten a lot better in the last year or so we are clearly not 100% out of the rough when it comes to the economy and lending perceptions for new and small businesses. Unless you're a master franchisee with the rights to a number of franchises then clearly you are essentially a ' Small Business '. So not withstanding the great strengths of a proven franchise business model you still face the same issues and challenges of an SME owner in Canada.

Although many current franchisees want to make some changes in their business, as well having access to the finance required it’s still difficult to achieve that flexibility.

The majority of franchises in Canada are in the ' B TO C ' (business to consumer) model. That is of course heavily dependent on the economy s a whole, and access to the financing you need. If you are a current franchisee you perhaps are in a position to simply tighten up on expenses to meet your overall working capital needs - especially if your business is suffering from a less than adequate location. In some cities in Canada demographics change, and that can drastically affect your revenues over time. Location is still critical to franchise success if you are in a business to consumer model that we spoke of.

Sometimes the solution to franchise success if you are a current franchisee is to ' upgrade ‘and revitalize your location. But what type of financing can in fact help you finance things such as leasehold improvements? The good news is that the same financing program that probably helped you acquire the business is also available for ongoing financing needs. We’re of course referring to the government business loan, aka the ' SBL '. Financing up to 350K can be accessed for things such as leaseholds, new equipment, architectural drawings, etc.

We would caution franchisees that they need to be able to sufficiently prove that any refinancing of the business must make sense in the terms of cash flow repayment. That can be accomplished by a simple cash flow plan with a focus to additional revenues achieved through your revitalization. Don't let lack of capital make you miss Canadian franchise opportunities for new and existing franchises. Ensure that you demonstrate though that you can handle the additional debt service.

There are a lot of issues to consider in financing a new or existing franchise .In some cases you might even be considering the purchase of an existing busines from another franchisee.

Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor for help with the issues surrounding a successful end to your franchising finance loan.





Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/canadian_franchise_opportunities_finance_loan.html