Profitable on Paper, Broke in the Bank: The Cash Flow Trap

Many businesses can show healthy profits while their bank balance heads toward zero — because profit is an accounting measure and cash is the timing of money in and out. This episode explains how working capital (inventory, receivables, payables), long customer terms, slow collections, and rapid growth create a cash gap even when the income statement looks strong. Learn practical fixes: build a 13-week rolling cash forecast, tighten invoicing and collections, optimize inventory and supplier terms, align pricing with cash impact, and match financing (lines of credit, invoice or inventory financing, or equity) to your business model. Early visibility and disciplined working-capital management turn profit into sustainable operations.