Cash, runway, and the numbers that decide whether a business scales or stalls.
Use demand during lead time plus safety stock, then test the result against cash, shelf life and supplier risk.
Retention runs from three years to indefinitely depending on the return, and tax is not the only clock on the record.
Pay the smaller of 90% of this year's tax or 100% of last year's, and note a late payment can be penalised even in a refund year.
Prepare for the UK Commercial Payments Bill with a checklist for payment terms, late interest, disputes, invoice evidence and customer contracts.
Use this seven-day late-invoice plan to confirm facts, send clear reminders, agree payment dates, protect cash flow, and escalate without guesswork.
Run a small-business cost audit in 60 minutes. Find waste, protect useful spending, renegotiate renewals, and turn savings into clear monthly actions.
Calculate your small-business break-even point in units or sales. Learn fixed costs, variable costs, contribution margin, and the formula.
Build a simple four-week cash-flow forecast that shows when money should reach your bank and when bills are due. Use it to spot a gap early.
Build a useful small-business budget in one hour. Separate sales, direct costs, overhead, and cash timing, then use a short weekly check to keep it honest.
Use a clear payment schedule, an exposure limit, and a calm stop rule so one late invoice does not quietly fund a client’s project.
A service firm's margin is useful only when it counts the work and tools needed to deliver the job, using the same rule every month.
A sales forecast is a useful estimate, not a promise. Build it from past sales, current leads, and the work your team can actually handle.
Profitable on paper and out of cash in practice is a more common combination than founders expect.
Founders round their runway up more often than down, and it costs them the decision window.