Cash Flow Forecasting and Budgets
Profitable product businesses run out of cash all the time. You pay for stock months before the money comes back, retailers pay on their terms rather than yours, and a big order can be the thing that breaks you rather than the thing that makes you.
A forecast will not create cash. It will tell you when the gap is coming, while you still have options.
What is included
A rolling cash flow forecast built around your actual payment and receipt timings
Retailer and distributor payment cycles, including deductions and settlement discounts
Scenario planning: what happens if a listing lands, a listing is lost, or a supplier puts prices up
Regular updates comparing forecast to actual, so the forecast stays honest
Funding requirement analysis if you need to raise or borrow
Why generic forecasts do not work for product businesses
A standard template assumes money comes in shortly after you invoice. In FMCG it does not. Cash goes out for ingredients, packaging and production long before anything sells, then comes back on terms set by whoever is selling it for you, minus deductions you may not have budgeted for.
We model that reality, because we have lived it.
Who this is for
Founders about to place a large stock order and unsure if they can fund it
Brands who have won a retailer listing and need to understand the working capital hit
Anyone raising investment or applying for finance who needs numbers that stand up to questions
Businesses that are growing and yet feel tighter on cash every month
Common questions
How far ahead should a forecast look?
Twelve months rolling, with the next thirteen weeks in more detail. Near term accuracy is what protects you.
How often does it need updating?
Monthly at minimum. A forecast that is not compared against reality stops being useful very quickly.
Can you help me use this to raise money?
Yes. Investors and lenders will interrogate the assumptions, so we build forecasts that can be defended rather than ones that just look good.
I already have a spreadsheet. Can you review it?
Yes, and we will tell you plainly if the assumptions do not hold.
Next step
Book a free 30 minute consultation. If cash is the thing keeping you up at night, this is the conversation to have.
Related: Margin, stock and pricing | Founder and growth advisory | Bookkeeping an
What happens on the call
We take time to understand exactly what you need
We give you a clear overview of how we can help
We answer any urgent questions you have, there and then