We’ve all heard the saying turnover is vanity, profit is sanity but cash is reality. If you want to improve cash flow, unlock growth within your business and build an asset of value, you need cash — whether that’s through organically grown cash reserves or financing solutions that suit your specific needs and growth goals.
Survey after survey shows cash flow problems as one of the biggest challenges facing South African (and global) entrepreneurs.
Most aspiring entrepreneurs say that they don’t have the capital they need to start their businesses, and blossoming businesses face the same challenge. No capital equals no growth. The good news is that there are so many ways to access capital to help you grow, from unlocking cash flow in your business to finding the right financing solution.
From traditional banks to alternative financing solutions, there are also a range of different products available to suit your needs.
UNLOCKING CASH FLOW TO FUND YOURSELF
Bootstrap: This means to grow the business slowly, with lean business operations. The money comes from the work the business does, for example, when you bootstrap you may take preorders for your product, thereby using the funds generated from the orders to actually build and deliver the product itself.
Customer Deposits: If you are in need of easy-to-access short-term working capital, one of the easiest options to raise funds is by asking your customers to pay a deposit. The deposit also provides you with a safety net when customers don’t pay.
Supplier Finance: Supplier finance, simply put, means you get the stock you need now and only pay later, usually 30 days. This is a useful form of short term finance.
Mortgage Loans: Some entrepreneurs use their home loans to finance their businesses. In doing this there are some risks and tax considerations, so make sure you do your research.
FINANCING YOUR GROWTH
Denne historien er fra September 2018-utgaven av Entrepreneur Magazine South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra September 2018-utgaven av Entrepreneur Magazine South Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Prepare For The Worst
The stronger your business is, the more you stand to lose. Here’s how to spot hidden weaknesses within your operation and steel yourself for unexpected battles.
Start Planning Today For Future Wealth
Q&A Budgeting is by far the biggest threat to wealth planning, says wealth coach Nelisiwe Masango. If you’re part of the majority of people who don’t have a monthly budget or who have one, but don’t adjust it regularly, you could be hindering your financial progress.
Beyond Banal Business Travel
Twenty-five-year-old South African automotive drivetrain repair company Rex Diff and Gearbox found a perfect match for its business travel needs when it joined kulula work’s client base, and never looked back. Dennis McLachlan of RDG’s Consumer Affairs and Marketing division explains why.
The Next Level Beckons
Rudolf Goosen is an ex-professional rugby player, entrepreneur, author, TV presenter and motivational speaker. Entrepreneur recently spoke to him about his new book, Taking Your Life to the Next Level.
Diversity Drives Board Performance
The composition of your board of directors can help you drive your company value and increase shareholder and other stakeholder returns.
Invest And Save 100% Of Your Tax Payable To SARS
Section 12J funds were created in response to the South African Government offering tax incentives for private investors to support funds that support SME growth in South Africa. Three experts unpack the benefits of investing in 12J funds — particularly for high net worth individuals.
Following Your Dreams? Nailed It!
Sorbet franchisee Kate Holahan went from corporate employee in 2015 to owning two franchise locations in just over two years. By September 2017, she had launched a new location, acquired new clients and was learning something new every day. It took a few learning curves and partnering with the right bank to lead her to successfully running her Sorbet and Sorbet Man stores at Benmore Shopping Centre in Sandton.
How To Build A Community Around Your Brand
There’s a way to build your market without spending a fortune on advertising and marketing — and it’s called community building. Here’s why this should be the cornerstone of your growth strategy.
Sealing The Deal
If you want to close more sales, you need to understand the three phases of the customer buying cycle.
No Limits
When Offlimit Communications faced its first downturn after ten profitable years in business, its leadership team didn’t even question that they would turn things around and make them better. With resilience and determination, they analysed the business, made some tough choices and took action. Within six months they took the business from massive losses back to profitability, and a year later doubled their pre-losses turnover — all in the middle of a recession.Here’s how Lisa Cohen, Jerome Cohen and Garon Bloom took lemons and made lemonade, building a R130-million sustainable business in the process.