Business Cash Flow . Are You ‘ Pro’ ? The Case For Working Capital Finance Solutions And Management

The Oldest Words In The World - Not Cash Flow .. But Perhaps ?

OVERVIEW – .Information on business cash flow and working capital finance management . It’s all about the new tools for cash flow financing and understanding cost and management of current assets



Business Cash Flow in Canada . It always seems to us like a bit of an understatement when you talk to clients about working capital finance solutions and their importance. Business owners and finance managers know the challenge of raising capital or monetizing existing assets... or both!

Naturally financing needs are diverse. It could be operational cash flow, replacing existing assets, etc.

Is there a SME drought of some type in Canadian business financing? The commercials , stories, and ads we see everyday seem to say not, but in talking to owners and managers finance often seems just a step away from crisis mode.

When it comes to cash flow and working capital resources it comes down to two basic issues - managing your assets and accessing traditional or alternative finance to meet your needs. Top experts tell us that surveys of business indicate that well over 50% of all businesses in the small to mid market sector in Canada, in all industries are either worried or concerned about their ability to finance operations.

While simple mismanagement of your business assets is one reason for that the other is simply your inability to collect promptly from late paying clients. In some cases your clients actually might be temporarily unable to pay! Our traditional lending institutions such as Canadian chartered banks are risk averse - that has made them very strong in global profiles, but has left Canadian business shall we say ' unfulfilled '!

Rather than wait for the government to step in resourceful business owners/mangers have simply gone out and accessed alternative financing to meet their cash flow fluctuation needs. Thos sources include:

A/R Finance
Asset Based Non Bank Lines Of Credit
PO / Supply Chain finance
Sale Leaseback strategies
Securitization or monetizing contracts
Inventory Finance

Invoice (A/R Finance) is probably the most popular method of addressing the working capital challenge.

While owners and managers are justifiably concerned about the cost of financing they sometimes forget that how you manage your assets can significantly decrease your overall financing cost. And while some ' alternative ' finance solutions are viewed as too expensive there are numerous ways to offset costs of any financing you undertake.

Don't forget also there’s a huge difference between taking on new long term debt versus monetizing assets for cash flow. Let's utilize a quick example:

Consider a firm who borrows 100,000.00 as a term loan over 5 years, putting new debt on the balance sheet. Interest on that debt might easily be 15,000.00 over a 5 year term, even at excellent rates. Consider the business owner who monetizes 100k of A/R for a 30 day period. Cost is approx 2000$, and new sales creates profits over and over again as sales are generated and assets turned.

Don't underestimate the need for business cash flow and the power your firm has when it’s utilized properly. While ‘ cash flow ‘ may not be the oldest word or term in the world we cant underestimate its importance to business survival .

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


7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS CASH FLOW AND WORKING CAPITAL FINANCE




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

Equipment Finance Canada. Finance Success Via A Leasing Company . Up Up And Away With Asset Finance Smarts

There’s No Real Dark Side When It Comes To Asset Finance !


OVERVIEW – Information on equipment finance solutions in Canada . What does the business manager need to know and look out for when selecting the right leasing company for asset finance needs

Equipment finance in Canada . It's probably just us but there is no real ' dark side ' when it comes to using this method of financing assets. So what do you need to know about the ' right ' leasing company, along with other key aspects of lease finance? Let's dig in.

There are of course a couple of methods to utilize when financing business assets. They might include a bank term loan, a bridge loan of a temporary nature, and even a spin on currently owned assets, i.e. the ‘sale leaseback '.

Every method works, but there are a number of reasons that top experts tell us that 80% of all North American firms (hey isn’t that Canada also?!) utilize lease finance.

Can the business owner and financial manager fast track equipment financing success? We think so, and it comes down to understanding who the players are, what the offering is, and what the upside and downside benefits and risks are.

Risks? While we can say that the downside risk of lease financing is small, it becomes only apparent due to a lack of misinformation by your firm, the lessee. If you enter into the wrong type of lease (there are only two choices - capital and operating) you run the risk of losing money on the final residual value of the asset. Also, if you weren't ' tending your store ‘properly and didn’t attend to the maintenance and insurance issues that come with any lease obligation that could also pose a problem.

Other risks? Well they might include improper tax and accounting treatment on your financials, or worse, losing out on the benefits that do in fact come with accounting and taxation issues as they relate to lease finance. One final point - non payment results in asset repossession - surely that one was obvious!

So, while some of those above referenced issues could be deemed ' the dark side ' the reality is that it should be obvious to Canadian business that a leasing company can provide a strong springboard to business success - i.e. it’s our ‘up up and away '!

You need to know how leasing works and that essentially comes down to understanding common lease structures and ensuring they make economical sense to you , in terms of both cash flow and the life and usefulness of the asset . To us it’s a bit unfortunate that owners/managers continually focus on interest rates only when they are searching for lease solutions. While that is an important part of the equation they forget that the documentation, their obligations, who they are dealing with, and end of term flexibility is key to asset finance success.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you in meeting equipment finance needs via expertise that makes this method of financing a winning solution.


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 :

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = EQUIPMENT FINANCE
















Stan Prokop

Invoice Discounting And Factoring Are One Solution To Working Capital Cost

Is Working Capital Cost Somewhat Disturbing? Understanding the True Cost of Factoring and Invoice Discounting For Canadian Firms

OVERVIEW – Information on working capital cost and how invoice discounting and factoring solutions bridge the gap between the cost to carry current assets and the cash flow you need to run and grow business



Working Capital Cost? Most business owners understand that their largest working capital assets are accounts receivable, often followed by inventory. ( On occasion inventory might be larger - that is not the norm)

If the largest working capital asset ( and the much needed cash!) is tied up in accounts receivable then does it make sense for customers to utilize factoring and invoice discounting, despite their concerns ( and perceptions ) around cost of using this method of financing. A rought estimate of payment terms in business might be that probably 90% of the worlds firms run on 30 day payment terms. Most business owners will quickly respond that while the worlds terms are 30 days, most customers pay in 45-60 days, and, unfortunately, sometimes longer!

Business owners need and want to convert those receivables into cash. When business owners hold receivables for 60 days this becomes a more costly scenario than they think. This is one of our main points around customers perception and lack of knowledge of the true cost of carrying receivables versus converting them into cash utilizing a factoring or receivable discounting facility. We will take a look a solid example of reality and perception of reality!

Let us say that a company has a 30 day payment terms. Let us also assume that they generate a 20% overall return on equity on their business model. Finally, lets say that the customer pays in 44 days. ( Not the 30 they promised!)
$100 x 1.20 44/365 = 100$ x 1.02 = 102.22
Therefore the company can earn a 2.2 % return on the funds in those 44 days. ( Example courtesy of Standard & Poors )


If a company factors or discounts their receivables at the time those invoices are generated then they have the true ability to immediately reduce the overall period that it takes a dollar to flow through their company. The new working capital / cash can be used to expand operations, buy more inventory, etc. If a customer is charged a discount rate of 2% / month on the factoring any new financial statement will show that days sales outstanding have reduced significantly.


The most important point in our example is as follows: The longer a business owner waits to convert receivables the lower the overall return on equity is for the firm.

Business owners and financial managers are strongly urged to investigate a Wall Street term, or ratio, known as the DUPONT FORMULA. While the analysis of that formula is not the subject of our information today the business owner will see that the formula is an incredibly great way to see how asset size and asset turnover impact RETURN ON EQUITY. We would quickly note that Return on Equity is one of the strongest measures Warren Buffett uses to measure financial success. The essence of the formula is simply that if a company can turn assets more efficiently then return on assets and equity increases.


In summary we have shown that while customers many times focus only the factoring rate or price, this type of analysis is very short sighted, as the ability of a firm to utilize factoring or invoice discounting great enhances their overall asset turnover and return on equity. Factoring/Invoice Discounting reduces a company's collection period, allowing the company to finance growth.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your working capital and finance 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 :

7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = WORKING CAPITAL FINANCING




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

Business Financing . What’s Sparking A Boom In Innovative Finance And Loan Options In Canada

Here’s A New Concept ? Business Financing That Works


OVERVIEW – Information on business financing options in Canada . Loan and Asset monetization for cash flow and working capital are abundant , if you can identify sources and your ability to qualify your firm.



Business financing options ? Loan, asset monetization and working capital solutions are becoming more abundant in Canada today. What are those options and why now? Let's dig in!

If there is a sure thing in Canadian business its that access to capital is always an up and down roller coaster for the majority of Canadian corporations, from start up to FP 100 firms.

The ultimate irony of course is that while everyone tells us, and we read daily, that capital is in large supply why is it so hard to access?

For a starter that access is coming from a more wide variety of firms - these include our Canadian chartered banks, asset lenders, niche specialty lenders, and VC and private equity - those latter two not being in our subject focus here.

So how does the Canadian business owner and manager approach the whole aspect of determining what funding alternatives are available. Safe to say you need some great guidance, and a plan! That plan focuses of course on how you intend to use the funds, understanding your company's borrowing ability, and understanding the true benefits of the financing you're considering.

We talk to business financing clients all day and what is somewhat disturbing is always the focus around VC and Equity financing. In Canada only the smallest portion of firms will ever qualify for that type of financing. Here's one for you - top experts in the field say that .2% (Yes that’s ‘point 2'!) of all firms ever qualify for VC type funding. So let’s get that one off the table quickly.

So what in fact should the owner/manage be looking for? Simply speaking , understanding the actual financial ' vehicles' used in business financing, the sources of that finance, and where you can find real third party expertise to execute on your financing.

Along your journey for business financing options you'll encounter some major question marks and hurdles - they include:

- The ability to present your strengths and address weaknesses

- Personal Guarantees

-Ensuring you have the right mix of debt and equity

Knowing how to assess your current financial position will in fact lead you choose the best method of financing your company. Being able to talk to key issues such as day’s payable outstanding, DSO collection period, Inventory issues, and overall cash flow is key. How you are doing now is key to solving your financing need.

Key areas of focus then are your current ability to meet your financing commitments, your track record with banks and other lenders, and the overall amount of debt on your books.

Many clients we talk to are emphatic about their need for financing, but are somewhat unable sometimes to address the actual uses of that new financing. And by the way, it’s those uses that will drive the right financing solutions you need.

Oh, and those abundant financing solutions? They include:

Receivable Financing
Inventory Finance
Sale Leasebacks
Equipment Financing
Bridge Loans
Asset Based Lending
PO Financing
Royalty Finance
Government SBL Loans
Unsecured Cash Flow Loans
Commercial bank facilities

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







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 FINANCING LOAN OPTIONS


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

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