If you run a business, you have probably felt this before. You look at your bank account and you are not sure if you will be okay in three weeks. That feeling usually means you need a 13 week cash flow forecast. It is one of the most useful tools I use with clients, and you can build one yourself in Excel. Here is how to do it. Step 1: Open Excel and set up your columns Make each column one week. You will have 13 columns total, one for each week you are planning ahead. Step 2

Here is something that happens to a lot of people running a small business or side hustle. They are making money. Things look fine. And then out of nowhere an unexpected bill shows up and suddenly there is nothing left in the account. This is not usually a profit problem. It is a timing problem. Money did not come in at the right time to cover money going out. And the frustrating thing is that it is almost always avoidable if you can see it coming. That is exactly what a cash

Most real estate investors think they have a handle on their finances. They check their bank balance, track their deals, and assume everything is under control. Then one day, they cannot make payroll. Or they miss a crucial property payment. Or they have to turn down a perfect investment opportunity because they do not have the cash ready. The problem is not that they are bad at real estate. The problem is they are flying blind financially. They need a 13 week rolling cash fl

Running a construction business is hard work. You manage crews, vendors, schedules, and clients. With so much happening on every job site, it is easy to miss the hidden money leaks that destroy profit. Strong construction accounting helps you catch these leaks before they get out of control. When you tighten up these areas, your jobs become more profitable without taking on more work. Missing labor hours Labor is the largest cost in most construction projects. When crews forg

Every nonprofit leader knows the gut-wrenching fear of looking at the bank account and not knowing if you will have enough money to cover payroll next month. You might have grants pending, donations promised, or program income on the horizon, but none of it seems to align with when the bills are due. That sinking feeling of uncertainty is exactly why so many nonprofits struggle to stay afloat, not because of lack of vision or mission, but because of lack of cash flow forecast

If you’ve ever waited what feels like forever to get paid, you know how frustrating slow-paying customers can be. Your invoices are sitting there, unpaid, while bills, payroll, and everyday expenses keep piling up. This is a common accounts receivable problem — and it can strangle your cash flow if you don’t take action. One option many business owners overlook is factoring accounts receivable. In simple terms, factoring lets you turn your unpaid invoices into immediate cash.

Money comes in. Money goes out. A cash flow statement tells you exactly how that happens. It's one of the big three financial statements (along with the balance sheet and income statement). If you're running a business, investing, or just trying to understand your money better, this statement is a must-know. What’s in a Cash Flow Statement? It breaks down cash movement into three sections: Operating Activities – This is your day-to-day money. Cash from sales, payments to supp