See Crusty Sea: Making Money Cash

The solution to a cash flow problem is often right at your fingertips. Fear and concern can keep us from piecing together answers that can make a significant difference. When cash-strapped clients call for a session, we turn over a few stones that are damming up their cash flow and often resolve the immediate problem with a few simple changes or action steps.

Some common oversights and mistakes made by business owners are directly related to a lack of confidence or self worth. Some are related to a fear of looking at, and understanding, their numbers and some are simply due to lack of experience or knowledge. If you identify with any of these roadblocks reach out to someone who can help so you can put yourself firmly in the driver’s seat. Here are a few ideas that might just get the cash flowing and profits moving.

Review your accounts receivable (AR) – Who owes you money? How long have these outstanding invoices been on the books and what are you doing to collect them? The longer you allow these invoices to remain unpaid the less chance you have of collecting on them. Small business owners are often afraid to “get too pushy” for fear of jeopardizing future business. Ask yourself if you really want to do business with someone who doesn’t value your services enough to pay you on a timely basis. Ask yourself if YOU value your services and how these outstanding invoices reflect on your own values. Remember, the efforts that you put into collections could be put toward marketing instead. But meanwhile, make some phone calls, send letters and, if necessary, have an attorney draft a letter for you and nudge the late pays into action.

Review your terms - What are the terms that you apply to your sales? Do your clients pay you upfront? Do they pay a portion in advance and have 30, 60 or 90 days to pay the balance? I once worked with a client who provided a service in the wedding industry. She collected 30% at the time the order was placed and the remaining balance on the wedding day. We changed her collection terms to 1/3rd upon booking, 1/3rd 30 days prior to the event and the 1/3rd on the day of the event. This simple adjustment really loosened things up for her and gave her a safety net.

Charge your worth – Okay, here’s the real issue for many soloists. Wow! I can’t count the times that I have heard people say they haven’t raised their fees in 10 years or that they feel sorry for people who can’t afford their services. There is nothing wrong with a little pro bono work, for sure, but please don’t end up in the poor house to compensate for someone else’s financial concerns. If you do offer a reduction in fees or product cost communicate the terms clearly and make sure it’s not to your own detriment. Also, do a little competitive analysis by researching services and products similar to yours to see what the going rates are. Do you hear yourself making excuses to support your decision to charge lower rates? If so, talk to your accountant, coach, mentor or advisory board to gain perspective. Unless you are submitting RFP’s for government contracts the lowest bid doesn’t always win. Re-evaluate your pricing and make sure you are valuing your services and products as much as you hope that your clients will.

Evaluate your expenses – Another common cash flow issue is created by excess spending. For example, do you have contractors that you send jobs to because you want to keep them happy? We know that outsourcing is a priority so that your time is free to build your business, but if this is done to excess during a low revenue point it can backfire. I often hear concerns like, “Janie has been doing work for me for years and I can’t cut down on her hours.” Yes, it’s difficult when you feel responsible for a portion of someone else’s income, but in the long run these temporary cuts will keep you in the black long enough to rebuild and move forward in a stronger position so that you can resume sending work their way.

In this down economy, some soloists are holding on to office space that may no longer be necessary. If you need to make cuts like this, look for the advantages and give yourself a timeframe to work within. If you have a plan that you believe will turn things around, schedule a date to reevaluate your spending. It’s easy to get caught up in the “what if’s” when we are making decisions like letting go of an office. What if things turn around? What if my clients find out? Make a list of your pros and cons and understand your financial limits. Removing the stress of added expenses will help you to focus more clearly on solutions and growing your business.

Where have you found money in your business? Is there anything you are procrastinating on? What solutions have worked for you? Share them here on Successful Soloist!

..........and bullshit walks! Easy as that for start-ups when it comes to making up your mind about raising additional capital. Are we in a bubble? No idea but this question keeps creeping up. Those of us who went through the bubble at the turn of the century are secretly hoping we're not in another one. Those who don't remember the last one are also worried wondering whether all the old-timers are right. One way or another, it doesn't really matter.

You'll hear multiple opinions on whether to raise money at times like this. I have a very clear opinion on this. It's based on the fact that I believe the best venture backed businesses are in it for the long haul. These are companies with a real product that add value to their customers. These are businesses generating real cashflow intent on growing to significant scale. Finally, these are businesses which will use additional money to expand. Hence, here's my take on when to take money (with focus on EU based businesses):

1. Sequoia or Kleiner are on the phone. Start negotiating, get the best deal you can get and make sure to raise the money. Say what you will but Tier 1 VC's from the US will lead to a far larger exit. Specifically the top tier funds have access to management for your businesses, access to potential partners and are likely to sit on the boards of the companies that could buy you. You'd be dumb not to take money but do so wisely.

2. A tier 1 fund from Europe is interested. Find out whether there's a good fit with your businesses. I've often enough written about how to figure this out and I say to focus on the partner and not the fund when doing your due diligence. Negotiate a good deal and take the money. Tier 1 funds in Europe have learned to add value, have significantly better networks nowadays and will most likely get you bought by a US based business.

2.5. A tier 1 fund from your home country calls up. I've labeled this 2.5 because Tier 1 funds in Europe tend to only differentiate themselves based on where they are located. The rest is mostly the same. The benefit of a tier 1 locally invested in your business is the proximity. It's in your interest. You want them closer than further. If the terms are right and you have offers from abroad and locally, I'd sway towards local but the vibe has to be right. You won't be necessarily doing anything wrong taking money from a London VC verses a German VC when you are in Germany. The London VC may even be around more than the German VC. This all depends on the partner.

3. A tier 2 fund from the US calls up. Ask yourself first why they found you? Go ahead and ask. Further, research the fund and find out what they've done in the past. Have they invested in Europe before? Are they only looking to Europe because their dealflow in the US sucks? Think twice about whether they will invest the necessary time to be in Europe and invested in your business. If the deal terms are good and you are comfortable with the partner doing the deal, take the money. They can still be helpful in accessing US buyers. They are highly unlikely to open as many doors as Kleiner or Sequoia but they definitely know more people in the US than many European partners. Plus make sure you want to go to the US. They will probably eventually ask you to move the company there.

4. A tier 2 fund from outside your home region in the EU finds you. Ask yourself how the hell they found you. More importantly, if you found them, ask yourself why the Tier 1 funds from your local region aren't interested in what you are doing. Say what you will but a UK based fund prefers to invest first in the UK and then rest of Europe. A German fund in Germany and then rest of Europe, etc. Although valuations are good and the power is in your hands to some extent think twice. There are times when taking money could be detrimental to the health of your business (as well as to your equity stake). It's nice to get a higher valuation and some extra cash but make sure it doesn't ultimately cost you more than you think.

5. A tier 2 fund from your local region calls up. Again, ask yourself first why the tier 1 funds aren't interested. Don't underestimate the value of many tier 2 funds though. Maybe they aren't the best known name in the market. At the same time, maybe they are striving to become a better fund. Maybe the number two in the market will work harder than the number one for you. This may be in your interest. Maybe! Do your homework and if you are comfortable with terms, take the money. Be far more diligent in this case though. Think longer and harder about whether you really can do more with the money now or prefer to hold out a bit.

6. Some tier 3 fund you've never heard of and can't find out much about approaches you. Be really careful. There are lots of people in this business who sure won't be around in a couple years. Money from these guys can be a nightmare. At the same time, maybe your business is the nightmare and you couldn't raise money at any other time. One way or another, things aren't going right one way or another. If you need the money to survive and know you'll never get more down the road, do everything you can to raise cash now. Maybe you've just been approached by the future Kleiner or Sequoia of Europe. Maybe not.....but money talks and bullshit walks!

You'll notice a general trend from 1. through 6. above. Take the money! If you can get good terms, know how to put the money you raise to work for growth and like the partner from the funds approaching you, go for it. The getting is good right now. As a VC I'm worried about valuations and bursting bubbles, etc. but as an entrepreneur you should be optimizing for you business. Money is always good. Ignore all the crap about having too much money and being negatively swayed by this. In this post I am defaulting to the fact that I think you are a smart entrepreneur. You aren't going to raise money to get that Porsche as a company car. You're going to grow your business and become amazing. Some will say I am wrong but I'd prefer to have the cash in the bank and worry about being wrong later.

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See Crusty Sea

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Making Money Cash

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Lost: Internet Marketing <b>News</b>, If Found Please Let Us Know

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Lost: Internet Marketing <b>News</b>, If Found Please Let Us Know

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Lost: Internet Marketing <b>News</b>, If Found Please Let Us Know

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Lost: Internet Marketing <b>News</b>, If Found Please Let Us Know

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Lost: Internet Marketing <b>News</b>, If Found Please Let Us Know

Ten American Companies With The Best <b>News</b> For 2011 - 24/7 Wall St.

Obama to Friend Zuckerberg in San Fran - FoxNews.com

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