The numbers in the reports look solid. Revenue is up.
Profit is there on paper. The team feels good about hitting targets.
But suddenly, payday rolls around and there’s not enough in the bank.
Suppliers are waiting for payments.
Founders scramble for short-term loans, hoping next month will be better.
Running out of cash doesn’t happen overnight.
It sneaks up on you, even when you feel like business is going well.
🔴 Mixing up profit and cash.Invoices look good in your system, but if customers pay late, you’re stuck.
🔴 No clear view of cash timing.You know your expenses—payroll, rent, software.
🔴 Income?It comes late, changes last-minute, or drops unexpectedly.
🔴 Forecasting as a one-time thing.Most SMBs make a plan for the year, then never update it.If you don’t track how reality compares to your plan, you don’t learn.
🔴 Assuming the best.A forecast is not just an optimistic guess. Stuff happens.Late payments, lost deals, sudden expenses.
1/ Track cash weeklyNot at the end of the month.Every payment in, every payment out watched closely.
2/ Build scenario forecastsWe put together realistic, optimistic, and pessimistic versions.What if sales dip? What if customers pay late?We always know our runway and how long we can last under each scenario.
3/ Run a 13-week cash flow forecastIt’s our short-term radar.We project every inflow and outflow for the next quarter — week by week.That way, we can spot dips early, adjust spending, and keep control before it becomes a problem.
4/ Set cash control rulesWe follow up on receivables fast.We pay essentials first: payroll, taxes, critical software.If possible, we negotiate with customers for early payments or quarterly/annual payments
The results?
Download Monthly Cash Flow Budget Template we use in Fuel.
It gives you a single source of truth for whether you have enough cash and for how long.
