Working Capital Factoring . Your Persistence To Understand This Cash Flow Solution Has Finally Paid Off

We Got A Dear John Letter On Cash Flow Financing


Information on working capital factoring in Canada . Cash flow finacing solions explained .. finally .





Dear John - Working Capital Factoring is not what you thought it was, so I have heard. When I heard that you were disappointed in your working capital factoring facility I wanted to try and provide you with proper information and insights into what will in fact get you the cash flow and working capital that you anticipated with your new Canadian working capital factoring facility.

So John, what went wrong after we initially talked. You wanted business financing that would allow your business to grow in order to be more competitive in your business and grow those profits and sales. Factoring seemed like a great solution, and you indicated it is not up to expectations.

Let's backtrack a bit. I think at the end of all this you will see a viable way to achieve ALL of your business financing goals!

Here's where we think things went wrong for your firm. You need to understand that factoring came to Canada from the U.S. and Europe. Their method of doing business there is somewhat more ' abrupt ' if we can use that word. As a result you entered into a U.S. model type of factoring with a branch of a U.S. Factoring firm. Under that facility you do receive immediate cash for your receivables but you found out only later the factor firm more or less bill, collects, and follows up with your customer directly. Many Canadian business owners don’t like that method of doing business.

So, John, the solution, and I remind you it’s the one we proposed, is a CONFIDENTIAL factor facility. Guess what, under this facility you of course still get same day cash, but you bill and collect your own receivables. Now we're talking, right!

You just achieved total financing control, you are getting all the cash flow you need, (i.e. not waiting 30-60, or 90 days) and you're able to re invest in more inventory, sales, etc.

John - you said that you were considering going back to your bank - just remember that all the financing that you need is, in our opinion, not going to be achieved by either a bank term loan, or a Canadian chartered bank line of credit. You will have a great interest rate , but you business will not have the cash flow and working capital that is required for your current sales and contracts .

So whats the bottom line John - it is as follows - work with a trusted, experienced , and knowledgeable business advisor - put a working capital factoring facility in place that runs the way you want it to, and then focus on your business growth and let the cash flow and working capital work for you to those goals . Investigate non CONFIDENTIAL INVOICE FINANCING - It’s a Canadian alternative to everything you didn’t like about factoring, with all the benefits!

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with cash flow financing needs.




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




Stan Prokop

Cash Flow Financing For Canadian Business . Going Without Is Not An Option

Yes Virginia , You Can Buy ( Cash Flow ) Happiness


OVERVIEW – . Information on cash flow concepts and Canadian business financing solutions available to the business owner and manager to operate and grow their companies



Canadian business owners and financial Canadian managers might not be familiar with the term free cash flow. They might not also be aware of their Canadian business financing options .

When owners discuss business loans with their bankers and other lenders they often focus on the 'profits 'their firm is generating. More sophisticated owners and financial managers realize that profits in fact have not a lot to do with cash flow. Furthermore, those owners that understand the concept of 'cash flow 'are unfamiliar with our term, we note as 'free cash flow '.

When the business owner takes his financials into the bank he is often proud of course to discuss the 'profit 'that the company has generated. The banker or other institutional lender is probably turning over those pages in the financial statement and looking at the cash flow. Cash will of course repay any loans that are made, not profit, which is a term from the income statement of course. Profit and cash are never really equal or identical amounts on the financial statement.

We should also assess the quality of the profits and earnings - as they may be distorted in a number of different ways. Many companies prepay things like advertising, insurance, development etc and hope they will of course bring in future profits. They may, but then again they may not. Inventory is bought and paid for, and will hopefully be sold, but in some cases inventory will be rendered obsolete.


Various types of ‘ cash flow financing ‘ are available to the business owner/manager. They include :

A/R Financing
Sale Leaseback Strategies
Working Capital Term Loans – Secured/Unsecured
PO/SUPPLY Chain Financing
Non bank asset based lending facilties
Securitization

Another angle for our profit analysis, as it relates to our concept is the fixed assets on our balance sheet may or may not be true resemblance of their actual value or replacement cost.

All of this brings us to the key issue of our concept of 'free cash flow ', and that is the issue of capital spending. Because it usually is a major capital outlay for any firm, and the fact that assets will bring income over a much longer period of time, it deserves a good amount of focus. What we are saying is that depending on your firms capital needs they will have potentially volatile effects on your cash flow. When your firm may be having a tougher year and liquidity is not optimal then it will be very challenging to make investments out of cash into new assets for the business. Therefore business owners, for cash flow purposes, should probably be reviewing on an ongoing basis their maintainance needs for their assets, and their replacement needs.

How can business owners estimate the level of capital expenditures and cash outlay? One great method of doing this is to monitor your cost of goods sold and benchmark it against our capital expenditures. They should probably be growing at the same rate - that's a valuable analysis tool for your business and financial planning.

So lets come back to our definition and concept of 'free cash flow '. Free Cash flow is calculated by taking your firms profits, adding in depreciation, and then subtracting your capital expenditures. As complicated as that might seem to non- financially oriented business owners it is simply saying that your firm is earning a profit, you are in a position to replace assets, and the amount left, your FREE CASH FLOW, still allows you to take on additional debt, declare a management dividend or bonus, etc.

Let's recap - we are encouraging business owners to differentiate between 'profit' and cash flow. Once they have focused on cash flow (profit + deprecation) they should analyze that number in the context of additional assets they have to purchase to grow the business successfully. The amount of cash leftover after those asset purchases is a key financial metric for your banker, and it should be for yourself also, because, Cash is king!

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisorwho can assist you with your capital needs.





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 10 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 :

CANADIAN BUSINESS CASH FLOW FINANCING = 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL




CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com




















Stan Prokop

ABL Financing Gospel. The Difference In Business Credit Lines

Somebody Has Fixed Business Credit Lines And It’s Not Who You Think!


OVERVIEW – .Information on an alternative to business credit lines in Canada . ABL financing is the new paradigm shift in revolving credit facilities for Canadian business



Business credit lines in Canada. Unbeknownst to many Canadian business owners and financial managers there is a lot going on in revolving credit facilities financing. And we think you'll see that these credit lines have been fixed, but not by whom you necessarily think! Let's dig in!

Businesses in Canada utilized revolving credit facilities to attend to the ups and downs of collecting their sales receivables and managing cash outflows via payables, etc. This type of loan financing - its not a loan per se ... allows owners and managers to optimize working capital and cash flow... when they need it .

And in a perfect world you clearly would like to be in control of your destiny, i.e. service and collect your own sales without any interference by a third party such as in a traditional factoring finance solution.

ABL financing is the acronym for the asset based credit line. It provides the same borrowing mechanism as a Canadian chartered bank facility, with the only difference being a great one - more liquidity and access to capital! While traditional bank lines allow you to borrow 75% against your A/R the ABL solution typically comes in at 90%. So you're up 15% already - congratulations on that!

And then comes inventory. Whether inventories are in raw materials, work in process or finished goods they have traditionally presented a borrowing challenge to banks. The asset based line of credit focuses on business assets - your inventory is an asset, and as a result it's not uncommon to have borrowing power anywhere from 25-75% of your inventory component on the balance sheet.

While we have in fact focused on inventory as one of most firms current assets the reality is that many service and technology type firms in fact have no inventory on their balance sheets. In that case ABL financing focuses solely on the borrowing power of receivables.

Qualifying is of course the $ 50,000.00 question when it comes to accessing the capital you need to operate and grow. While approval for Asset based lending facilities can hardly be described as ' loose' the fact is that key measurements that the banks use to approve your firm aren't really on the table when it comes to ABL . While the bank focuses on profits, cash flow, and ratio covenants Asset based financing solutions focus on three other components - assets, assets, and, you guessed it assets!

Typically ABL financing works best when it comes to firms that require growth financing. The general rule of thumb is that your facilities grow as you grow - In the banking environment typical faculties are approved annually and you are then locked into a business credit limit. We've always found it interesting that a lot of bank credit analysis focuses on the past and not the future, but that's a discussion for another day!

Nirvana is pretty hard to find when it comes to a Canadian business financing solution. So when you do check out an ABL solution for business credit lines remember that there will be costs to appraise/assess your assets and that you'll be doing a bit more monthly reporting when it comes to aged a/r lists, inventory summaries, and a/p schedules.

But the bottom line? Simply that the ' gospel ' of ABL has created a powerful new tool when it come to daily business borrowing for working capital and cash flow needs .

Seek out and speak to a trusted,, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you in understanding why there’s a new paradigm shift the the biz credit line 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 10 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 :

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS CREDIT LINES





CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com



















Stan Prokop

Canadian Business Financing Advice And Solutions. Not Just About Bags Of Cash

Are You Really Good at Scorecarding And Running Your Business ?


OVERVIEW – Information on Canadian business financing and advice for scorecarding solutions for your business



How can you tell when a business is doing well?

Business owners and managers that are ‘non financial’ in their backgrounds often need to know how to ‘‘scorecard’ their business. They want to know how to make intelligent decisions about both running their business and moving it forward. At the end of the day the owner/manager wants to know they are managing their assets properly in a manner that allows them to grow and profit.

It might seem improper to answer a question with questions but at the end of the day the business person needs to have a solid handle on some key basics. They might include:

Are we financing are current assets (A/R and inventory) properly?

Can we take on more debt or would it be actually necessary to bring in new ownership equity?

Do we have proper operating efficiencies when it comes to collecting our accounts or turning inventory over?

If the owner/manager understands the relevance of those questions and where to seek answers they are definitely on the right track to doing well.

A key secret to doing well is in what we have termed ‘relationships ‘. Many call them ratios – but if you understand the relationships between just some key numbers in your financial statements that revolve around profit, efficiency and solvency you are absolutely on the right track to doing well.

A quick example? Let’s focus on ‘profit ‘. Take your total profit for the year and divide it by the assets in your business. It’s a simple arithmetic calculation. No financial degrees required. It’s a measure of how you’re using the assets in your business relative to the profit it generates. All industries have different results based on capital intensiveness, etc. So if you think you’re different, you are! But not when compared to others in your industry. Lenders and investors will look at this simple comparison to justify loans or new equity.

One final point on doing well. The numbers in your financials don’t always provide answers – but they can provide some great questions, which you need to address!


What are the signs of a business doing poorly?

While many people use sales /revenue as a yardstick of success we ourselves are a bit more financially oriented to focus just on that. Solvency is therefore important. When you can’t pay bills or suppliers a whole lot of business distress starts to take place.

That’s when it time to focus on a ‘back to the basics ‘strategy that might include improving liquidity by refinancing. Many companies are doing poorly because they simply have too much debt relative to their asset base. Lenders such as banks have some basic ‘yardstick ‘measurements when it comes to cash flow and the amount you can borrow. If you don’t meet those yardsticks lending is curtailed and your company has the risk of entering into the ‘death spiral ‘that we read overtakes many firms.
If your client base is drifting away and owners and shareholders are dissatisfied it’s time for the business owner to assess the problems.

What steps should entrepreneurs take when your business is not doing well?


Business owners need access to good data when the company is perceived internally or externally as not doing well. Key focus on sales, financial controls and availability of financing become key. Objectives at this point have to be realistic, allowing the business to handle challenges of not doing well because of general economics or operations.

It’s all about understanding your financial position, and using that data to address the particular challenges you’re facing. We come back to ‘relationships ‘ again ; that could be focusing on cash flow strategies, analyzing cash outflows , looking at inventory controls, and rationalizing headcount .

How you can prevent your business from failing?

There’s of course no guarantee regarding business failure. One factor that we see often is that many businesses equate sales and profits as ‘cash flow ‘. That kind of thinking has led to some of the greatest financial debacles in business history – so we always encourage clients to have a solid handle on that difference – and it’s a large one. We can jokingly say that to avoid all future cash flow problems we encourage owners and executives to compensate sales staff on collections – but that has never really gone done well!

Who can help get a business back on the right track after failing?


While you can pay turnaround experts and consulting firms large amounts to get your company in turnaround mode the reality is that in many cases the business owner and manager has access to a lot of quality information in their own networks of accountants, lawyers, peers , bankers, etc . Getting credible advice from trusted, experienced parties never has to be expensive or time consuming.

While our firm, 7 Park Avenue Financial focuses solely on business financing we have found ourselves spending countless hours in helping clients achieve overall business success through referrals, advice, etc.






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-financing-advice-solutions.html

























Stan Prokop

Commercial Equipment Lease Financing . A Miracle Drug For Asset Finance Challenges

Blissfully Ignorant Is Not Good When It Comes To Equipment Leasing And Financing In Canada


OVERVIEW – .Information on commercial equipment lease financing in Canada . Why does the business owner / manager benefit from delving into the basics of asset finance for Canadian equipt. acquisitions



Commercial equipment lease financing in Canada . When it comes to being in a state of ' blissful ignorance ' on asset finance solutions and options we feel that’s the wrong state of mind to be in. Here's why!

Equipment finance in Canada is clearly one of the growth engines behind asset acquisitions for companies that are competing and growing. Some of the old mindsets around basic equipment finance have changed drastically both in theory, and in real world practice, which is where we toil daily!

Today the industry is very segmented and somewhat, shall we say, fast moving - that’s where some experience and knowledge about some real basic issues can put you at the head of the pack quickly

When approaching as asset finance solution need its important to know what lease market segment your acquisition fits into. It’s simply decision - small, mid, or large. Just putting your company and asset need quickly into the right category is going to save you time and money.

Different lessors populate each of those categories. Some are huge private corporations, some are small regional lease brokerages, some are U.S. owned (no problem with that!), and some are even subsidiaries or division of Canadian and U.S. banks. One of the best leasing bets you can make is to finance through a captive firm; that's a finance firm that’s associated with the manufacturer of the asset you are purchasing.

All of these different entities have different asset and dollar size appetites. But all firms have the same thing in common - they want to help you acquire assets to grow and prosper. Because assets can be a large part of your capital expenditure process commercial equipment lease financing in Canada is a solid alternative to using your bank lines of credit.

We're assuming you have bank lines of credit! Many do not, and the reality is that asset leasing in Canada can be accomplished by structuring a transaction that might involve a down payment, an accelerated payment, some outside collateral, etc - so even firms that have some level of credit and financial challenges still utilize lease finance every day. And that includes start ups by the way.

Medium size and larger corporations struggle with operating and capital budgets. Lease finance plays perfectly into those challenges - removing budget and capex obstacles. Larger corporations use lease financing as an alternative to tapping financial markets for more equity or expensive debt.

Business owners and financial managers often need help in coming up with the ' perfect fit ' when it comes to asset financing. That means assessing the type of lease you should be in (capital or operating) and getting some help on the accounting and tax aspects of lease finance. All of those tend to be quite positive by the way!

As we said, blissful ignorance should play no part in asset acquisition finance. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can help you navigate the equipt. lease world. A miracle financing drug? Almost!




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 10 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 :



7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = COMMERCIAL EQUIPMENT LEASING


7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com


















Stan Prokop

Receivables Discounting . What’s It Like To Find Great Finance Factoring

Avoiding Emotional Reactions Via The Wrong A/R Financing In Canada . Learn From These Mistakes




OVERVIEW – .Information on receivables discounting in Canada . What does the Canadian business owner need to know when it comes to putting the right finance factoring solution in place. Avoid costly mistakes with this information




Receivables Discounting in Canada. We can't even imagine the positive feeling the Canadian business owner / financial manger knows when they have avoided the mistakes made by others when entering into a Finance Factoring facility. Let's explain!

Your business is (hopefully!) profitable and growing. The only challenge (as usual) is cash flow and working capital. One method that gets a bit more popular everyday is using an A/R financing strategy to ensure you've got sufficient capital to meet your business financing obligations, at the same time growing your business.

Receivables discounting is the method that allows you to ' cash flow ‘your sales at the same time you generate receivables. All of a sudden you're in a position to compete with the big boys when it comes to taking on new orders, contracts, etc.

While business owners and mangers would like to be able to ' train' their clients to pay promptly the reality is that can often be a life long project. All of a sudden those great clients are in fact the same ones holding you hostage to the sort of business opportunities you need and want to take advantage of.

Working capital term loans require a major long term commitment - receivable financing addresses the challenge immediately and moves lock step with your sales growth, whether that's seasonal bulges or just continued steady growth.

But, while thousands of firms in Canada are gravitating to this method of finance you can clearly avoid some mistakes others have made along the way. Here's how!




6 KEY POINTS
1. Utilize A/R financing for your day to day business - funds used from your working capital accounts should in general NOT be used for long term financing needs.

2. If you are growing or just have a long collection cycle invoice finance works well - if you are in dire straits and sales are plummeting this method of financing is generally not the right one.

3.The majority of factoring finance facilities offered in Canada involves notification to your clients on amounts financed. Can you avoid this? You sure can, by considering instead a confidential A/R facility that allows you to bill and collect your own receivables.

4.Also, don’t think that this method of A/R finance avoids bad debts and collection issues. You are always going to be paying for what you have borrowed - just as in a bank arrangement - so prudent credit polices and good collection policies are still VERY important.

5. The general Canadian landscape for receivable finance facilities is in the 1.5-2% per month range. That means it will cost you 200$ on a 10,000.00 invoice if your terms are 30 days, and if you've enforced those terms as we have recommended above.

6. Also, dont forget to beat your competitors at the same game - used new founds funds to take discounts from suppliers and purchase more efficiently. You can reduce 1/2 of your financing costs if done properly.

In summary, finding solid finance solutions is always a good feeling. If you have avoided the mistakes made by your competitors it’s even a greater feeling! Avoid the emotional reactions from bad financing decisions when it comes to cash flow finance. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisorto assist you with your cash flow needs.




7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = A/R FINANCING


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 10 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 :






7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com














Stan Prokop

Working Capital Strategy And Structure . The Fix Is In For Business Cash Solutions

More Choices Than Kinds Of Apples .
Working Capital Solutions


Information on working capital strategy in Canada . The proper structure of cash flow solutions creates business cash solutions for operations and growth.



Working Capital Strategy? Clients don't believe us at first, but believe it or not when it comes to business cash flow the Canadian business owner /manager has almost as many choices as there are types of apples! Understanding key issues as well as getting the right working capital structure is key . Let's dig in.

Does the owner/finance manager really have to be over worried when it comes to cash flow availability concerns? When you don't address those issue what in fact can happen? Lot's actually. We're the first to not want to focus on the negative and downside but cash flow unavailability leads to:

Employee issues

Potential downsizing of your business

Inability to grow and expand


Working capital structure and tools come from your ability to plan, analyze and making the most of using your assets to monetize capital. Doing these sort of things right often puts you well ahead of competitors, who we can assure you have their own problems!

If there's any good news it’s the fact that growth and asset growth allow you to access more cash flow solutions. But you have got to know how to do that, what amount and type of financing you need and what the cost of some of those solutions are.

The essence of working capital strategy and structure is knowing the amount of liquidity in your business. One of the greatest ironies of busines is that a company can have abundant and significant assets, but if you can't convert those into cash, or monetize them with the right finance solutions ... well... you know the outcome of that.

So it’s the management of your working capital accounts (cash on hand or available, inventory, A/R) that allows you to stay in ' positive mode '. Oh and by the way, those payables on the other side of the balance sheet can drastically affect your overall working capital and business cash success. Managing payables to the max in a positive manner affects cash flow from your operations!

Business owners in the SME sector quickly realize that your overall cash flow success drastically affects your sales, buying, planning, and asset acquisition. When you think of it all of that essentially becomes your whole ' cash conversion ‘ story - in a term we use often its really the story of how 1 Dollar flows through your company, from start to finish .

Remember also that your current or future lenders are looking at your cash flow ability all the time. Their evaluating their risk relative to the amount you are borrowing.



There are some classic stories around the loud buzzers that go off when a working capital strategy doesnt work. How can you address the right cash flow structure?

Best solutions include, but are not limited to:

A/R Monetization
Inventory financing
Purchase Order Financing
Sale leaseback strategies
Asset based non bank revolving credit lines
Commercial bank lines of credit
Securitization
Working Capital term loans
Merchant Advances


Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your working capital structure and needs. Put the fix in!


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 10 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 :


7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = WORKING CAPITAL STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS



CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

















Stan Prokop