From the numbers to the change
- Your numbers sayBalance dips below zero in week 6 of the forecast
- The cause underneathDebtors paid 28 days later than last year; stock up a month
- What changesCollect, clear, sequence payments, talk to the bank in week 1
- What to expectCash stable by day 30, with room for the margin fix
An illustration of how the thinking runs, not a client result.
Start with the 13-week forecast
A 13-week forecast lists, week by week, the cash you expect to receive and must pay. Unlike a budget, it is built bottom up from named invoices and known payments, and updated every week. Within a day or two it usually shows what monthly accounts hide: the exact week the business runs out.
Use the cash runway calculator for a first estimate, and see our 13-week cash flow forecast page for the build.
Cash levers, fastest first
| Lever | Speed | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Collect overdue receivables | Days to weeks | Protect the customer relationship; start with the largest and oldest |
| Clear slow or dead stock | Weeks | Discounts reduce margin; target the stock that has stopped moving |
| Sequence payables by consequence | Days | Statutory dues, salaries and critical suppliers first; be honest with others |
| Tighten credit to risky customers | Immediate | Do not cut off the profitable ones |
| Lender conversation | Weeks | Go early, with the forecast |
| Sell idle assets | Weeks to months | Avoid selling what earns money |
Rules we follow
- Never hide a shortfall. Early honesty with suppliers and staff is cheaper than a late surprise.
- Pay statutory dues and salaries first; the consequences of missing them spread fast.
- Do not finance losses with borrowing. Fix the cause or the borrowing grows.
- Check every cash action against its effect on margin.
Business under pressure? Let a CFO read your numbers.
A senior CFO reads them with you and tells you what is really going on. No cost, no obligation.
After the first 30 days
Cash stability is not recovery. Once the forecast is steady, attention moves to the cause, which the numbers have already pointed at. See our turnaround planning page for the 90-day sequence.
CFOAvatar complements every turnaround
A human CFO sees your business at the review. Problems do not wait for the meeting. CFOAvatar is connected to your accounting data and checks your numbers every day, so the scoreboard in a turnaround is always current. Ask it what an owner in trouble would ask:
What owners say after the numbers started talking
Their structured MIS reports have given us clear visibility into our business performance, enabling faster and more informed decisions. The budgeting and cash flow monitoring system introduced by their team has helped us plan our funds more effectively and manage our operations with greater confidence.
They even worked with us to finetune our software (Gross Mart) so we could get micro-level details on various aspects of the business. On top of that, they streamlined our receivables follow-up process and provided valuable guidance on bank loans and valuations.
What truly sets them apart is their ability to dive into the details—cash flow, operations, and compliance—while simultaneously offering strategic insight that supports long-term decision-making. Their guidance has always been practical, thoughtful, and tailored to our specific needs rather than one-size-fits-all solutions.
Quoted word for word from our clients. Read more client words →
Questions owners ask us
What is a cash flow turnaround?
Stabilising a business's cash position quickly through forecasting, collections, stock and payment sequencing, so the underlying cause can be fixed without a crisis.
How quickly can cash improve?
Collections and payment sequencing can change the picture within weeks. The size of the improvement depends on what is trapped and how reliable your customers are.
Should I stop paying suppliers?
Not blindly. Pay statutory dues, salaries and critical suppliers first and talk honestly to the rest with a dated plan.
Do I need a 13-week forecast?
Yes. It is one of the most useful tools in a cash-tight business.