Many times small businesses want to expand their businesses and are not sure when the best time to do that might be. The key of course is cash flow. Will your current and brand new accounts afford you the cash flow to expand? Let us run thru a scenario with you and just so you know this is good advice, I own the Truck Wash Guys and have been doing this a while. Each time a franchisee wished to expand and ask for advice, I would look at their situation and determine if it was a wise idea. Sometimes it was, but often it was not. So let us look a hypothetical scenario for a moment:
Well let's consider. You have two new fleet accounts, one with twenty buses at let's say $10.00 each from a summer day camp for kids. The other is a rent-a-car company that pays once a month. This is your 50 percent increase in sales. Now, let us add in a graffiti removal contract. The graffiti contract starts in two months. Sales are up and everything looks great?except:
The day camp ends after summer (two months left)
The rent-a-car company pays monthly so you will bill them at the end of the month and then they will wait thirty days to pay you plus mail time
The graffiti contract is the same payment schedule and cities are notorious on slow payment
Graffiti can be cleaned at night
Rent-a-cars can be cleaned by starting one and one-half hours earlier on Mondays and thirty minutes earlier other days
Summer camp buses can be cleaned whenever You are not sure yet how often the day camp pays
Still think you want to expand?
NO WAY!
Remember: You can run your pressure washing rig twenty-four hours a day without owning two rigs. You will have a major cash flow problem if you buy another unit because of the billing cycle on big accounts. Your new truck would not be ready for thirty days plus five days to get financing. By that time the summer camp is almost over. Wow. All the indicators point to a second pressure washing rig and new truck or do they?
Sometimes you need to actually open the hood and take a look. Consider putting on your devil's advocate thinking cap and make yourself a mechanic. Ask yourself for help. Let yourself look under the hood. Throw away the ego. Sure it would be nice to own another pressure washing rig and you would be a big business man. But realistically speaking it would all be for show and you would actually be making less money. You can justify the expansion to the leasing company or a bank and get the money all right because sales are up. But that doesn't make it a savvy move. Sometimes race car drivers draft behind the lead car to cut down on drag from the wind. By conserving resources (fuel) they better their chances for winning the race later. In business, the person who gets to keep the most money wins, not the one who has the biggest empire. Think about it before spending the money on expansion.
"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.worldthinktank.net/wttbbs
scheduled maid service Northbrook ..You need to be visible to attract customers, right? But... Read More
How often have you thumbed through a business opportunity magazine,... Read More
Your on-line success is based on your efforts and yours... Read More
Is it right for you?If you decide to advertise your... Read More
You'd like to go into business for yourself, and believe... Read More
As I am preparing for my attendance to the CoachVille's... Read More
At first glance, this topic may seem a little repetitive,... Read More
The easiest way to lift profits is to cut the... Read More
A recent survey indicated that clean Taxi Cabs Fleets have... Read More
Achieving real success should be the goal of any good... Read More
Most small businesses simply go about their daily business and... Read More
In the first article we mentioned the main characteristics that... Read More
In this series of articles I'm going to show you... Read More
1. There Are No "gimmes" ? They count two-foot putts... Read More
As a company grows, the owner's role begins to change.... Read More
How do you find the best business partners?Finding a good... Read More
Many small business startups fail within the first 2 years... Read More
If you are worried about how many different business cards... Read More
We're birds of a feather, public relations and small business.... Read More
So you want to get into the auto detailing business... Read More
No matter what kind of small business you have, you... Read More
I was floored! I couldn't believe what they were saying!... Read More
In the heavy equipment cleaning business you can make good... Read More
One of the most common horrific mistakes a business can... Read More
Most business owners know when they need an accountant, but... Read More
reliable maid service Highland Park ..When is it a good thing to say no to... Read More
If you are just starting your business, or if you... Read More
Time. As a small business owner, it's the commodity you... Read More
The life cycle of the typical small business is short... Read More
What's your job profitability? I meet with business owners every... Read More
One overlooked individual in the process of taking a company... Read More
Do you own a franchised business? Over 400,000 franchised businesses... Read More
Starting and growing a small business can be a daunting... Read More
-- Beyond Cold Calling, "Warm" Calling and Sending E-mails --Many... Read More
It's the dream of every person who starts a business... Read More
No matter type of business you operate you've got to... Read More
Pressure washing companies must look for customers in the retail... Read More
WHEN you are operating or planning a small business that... Read More
The following are six essential skills to business success. You... Read More
As small business managers, we juggle limited resources in a... Read More
How do you make sure you have the business solutions... Read More
To maximum potential profits and dollars in a mobile washing... Read More
Managing cash flow is every small business owner's most important... Read More
The bad things starts with the letter 'O'?.like Obstacles, Obstruction,... Read More
New Franchisors and Entrepreneurs need to watch out as they... Read More
In a quest for customers and to keep those customers,... Read More
The single most important activity you can do in your... Read More
Most small business owners seek advisors who can help them... Read More
The stock market is still on a wild roller coaster... Read More
A reader of one of my online sessions asked should... Read More
Small Business |