Profit Doesn’t Pay Wages. Cash Does.
Your P&L can look healthy while your bank balance tells a different story.
That’s because profit isn’t cash.
Cash is affected by timing:
when invoices go out
when customers pay
how suppliers are managed
tax obligations
stock and WIP
project overruns
seasonal swings
A business can be profitable and still feel financially tight.
Why cash becomes unpredictable
Most mid-market businesses don’t have a strong weekly cash discipline.
They might review bank balance and aged debtors.
But that’s backward-looking.
What you need is forward-looking.
The 13-week cash view: the simplest control system in finance
A rolling 13-week cash forecast is not a “nice to have”.
It’s a business survival and growth tool.
It answers:
what’s coming in, and how certain is it?
what must go out, and what can be negotiated?
what decisions must be made this week to protect the next 90 days?
The weekly rhythm that changes everything
A strong rhythm is:
refresh forecast every Monday
confirm top 20 invoices and expected payment timing
identify one major cash risk for the next two weeks
make decisions early: delay, negotiate, accelerate invoicing, chase debtors
It’s not complicated.
It’s consistent.
What improves when cash is visible
you stop guessing
you negotiate from a position of strength
you avoid reactive short-term decisions
you plan growth with confidence
banks and investors relax because you’re in control
Cash visibility isn’t finance theatre.
It’s business clarity.
