Confident Cashflow

The never-ending to-do list

If you run an established business with a small team, chances are you’re always on the go. There’s no shortage of things demanding your attention. In the midst of all that activity, setting time aside to fix something that’s not quite working can feel like a luxury.

But those cash flow niggles, like slightly late payments, inconsistent invoicing, or awkward chasing conversations, don’t disappear on their own. They linger, like a pebble in your shoe: easy to ignore at first, but increasingly uncomfortable.

The real cost of carrying on

You probably wouldn’t describe your business as struggling.

Most months tick along fine. Clients are happy, the team is busy, and the pipeline looks decent.

But beneath that steady rhythm, you know some things aren’t as smooth as they could be.

Cash flow is one of those quiet culprits. It rarely shouts, but it has a habit of creating tension when you least need it.

A couple of late payments can throw out your plans. A scheduled VAT bill coinciding with delayed client payments can cause unnecessary stress.

Suddenly, what was an irritation becomes a full-blown distraction.

Most cash flow issues don’t arrive all at once. They creep in, like weeds in the garden. Easy to overlook at first, then frustratingly hard to manage once they take hold.

What slowing down really means

Taking time to review your cash flow systems is not just about money coming in. It includes the money going out too. Slowing down gives you the space to consider both sides.

On the inflow side, it’s worth revisiting:

• Patterns in late or slow payments.
• Whether your terms are being enforced and understood.
• How follow-up is handled when payments are overdue.
• The clarity and timeliness of your invoicing.

And on the outflow side:

• Are you getting the best terms from your suppliers?
• Do their payment dates line up sensibly with when your customers typically pay you?
• Are there subscriptions or recurring expenses you’re no longer using or need to scale back?

Even minor improvements here can create a bigger cash buffer than you might expect, and free up capital for more strategic use.

Sometimes you need an outside-in view

When you’re deep in the day-to-day, it’s hard to see what’s really slowing you down or making life harder than it needs to be. That’s why bringing in someone with a fresh perspective can be so useful.

An external adviser, bookkeeper, or finance partner can:

• Spot inefficiencies you’ve stopped noticing.
• Ask the awkward questions that prompt better decisions.
• Help you prioritise fixes based on risk and reward.
• Provide a sounding board for ideas you’ve been considering.

You don’t need to do this alone. Sometimes, it’s just about having a clear, calm conversation with someone who’s not caught up in the daily detail.

The real-world impact of a few small changes

A video production business feeling the pinch

This client had a solid order book and plenty of work coming in. On paper, things looked healthy.

But the timing of cash flow was causing real problems. They were paying out for freelancers and kit hire long before clients settled their invoices. The issue was long payment terms that were either offered or stealthily taken.

We reviewed the timings on both sides and made a few practical tweaks. They arranged to spread the cost of their big upfront expenses. They also tightened up their client payment processes.

That gave them the headroom to grow without constantly juggling cash.

If they hadn’t taken the time to step back, they might have carried on firefighting. That could have meant missed opportunities or getting stuck just when things were gaining momentum.

A service business weighed down by worry

This business looked successful from the outside.

But the owner was regularly stressed, especially around payday. Some customers were paying late. The bigger issue, though, was that suppliers were being paid up front, and staff wages came out before much of the client income arrived.

The strain was starting to show.

We reviewed her outgoings and realised she could be using her trade body membership to access credit terms and even discounts.

By adjusting supplier payments and nudging some customer terms forward, the pressure eased almost immediately.

That monthly dread lifted.

If she’d carried on without stopping to look, the personal toll could have been significant. It wasn’t just business stress. It was affecting her confidence and her enjoyment of the work.

None of this was complicated. It just needed a pause and a practical plan.

Practical ways to create space

You don’t need a week away or to overhaul everything in one go. Making progress could be as simple as:

• Reviewing aged debt at least weekly, ideally daily, to keep on top of what needs chasing. If you’re not the one doing the chasing, ask whoever is to report monthly on any sticky cases so they don’t fall through the cracks.
• Creating a shortlist of clients who regularly pay late and reviewing their terms.
• Looking over your supplier list and subscription renewals.
• Asking whether your supplier terms are still competitive and negotiating where needed.
• Using accounting software reminders to reduce manual chasing.

Yes, it might mean stepping away from client work or even pipeline-building activity for a few hours. But if those hours prevent weeks of stress later, it’s time well spent.

You’re not pausing. You’re preparing.

Taking a breath doesn’t mean taking your eye off the ball. It means giving yourself time to make decisions with clarity, not just urgency.

It’s the difference between reacting to the same problems repeatedly or resolving them properly so they stop occurring.

So if there’s a niggle you’ve been putting off, a process that’s just a bit too clunky, or a part of your cash flow that always feels fragile, now might be the time to take a proper look.

Sort the pebble before it makes you lame. Your future self will thank you.

If things feel a little out of focus, you’re not alone. Want to explore where your cash flow or credit control could run more smoothly? Let’s talk.