Cash flow refers to the next change in your business’ cash position from one period to the next. If you are taking in more cash than you are paying out, you have a positive cash flow. On the other hand, if you’re paying out more than you are making, you will have a negative cash flow. Cash flow is crucial to small businesses, as having a positive cash flow will put you in a stronger and more stable position, with more buying power and room for growth. Whilst it is possible to borrow money in order to fund your business at times, cash provides you with greater protection from issues such as loan defaults or foreclosures.

Keeping Up With Debts

The majority of entrepreneurs will borrow money in order to purchase things such as commercial property, inventory, and equipment. When you borrow money in order to make the initial purchases for your business, you are essentially using your future cash flow in order to make these purchases. Each loan which you borrow for your business will require either short- or long-term monthly payments. The requirement to make these payments monthly restricts your free cash flow, which is available money for investing in your business.

Flexibility

Having a positive cash flow also gives your business a greater degree of flexibility when it comes to dealing with emergency expenses, dilemmas, or making critical, quick decisions. Confidence in your cash flow allows for easier making of critical purchases in the short term, rather than having to wait until your financial situation has improved. A positive cash flow also allows you to disperse cash in the form of dividends to owners or shareholders, which in turns strengthens the bonds between the company and its owners. If you decide to take on any new debt in the future or an investor takes interest in your company, a strong cash flow will also make your business more appealing to lenders and therefore gives you a wider array of options.

Business Growth

When paired with good business management, a good cash flow provides the capabilities and comfort which a business requires in order to invest in growth and development. Whether it be investing in research and other development opportunities, building and opening up offices, stores, warehouses or more in a wider variety of locations, investing in new products to add to the product line or even taking on a larger number of staff members, a positive cash flow is absolutely essential for your business to take the next steps into growth. Getting to a position where your company has a strong, positive cash flow with a comfortable amount of distance between incomings and outgoings will help it to operate in a more strategic and proactive way, which is essential to long-term company development.

As a business owner, your company’s cash flow is one of the most important things that you have to manage. With a positive cash flow, your company will have the potential to grow and develop in all the ways that you’d hoped.