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
no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..Should you buy a business opportunity or Franchise if you... Read More
The Federal Trade Commission out of the blue decide in... Read More
Many new ventures are preoccupied with all the money they... Read More
Q: I will be retiring this year at age 60... Read More
As a specialist in getting restaurants open, it is surprising... Read More
TACTIC #1 -- Never simply slash your prices, unless you're... Read More
Database Problems in MarketingI have been working on a direct... Read More
Some marine biologists feel that the concentration of dead marine... Read More
In the first part of this article I put forward... Read More
New Franchisors and Entrepreneurs need to watch out as they... Read More
In today's fast paced marketplace it is easy to neglect... Read More
The book, "Become the Squeaky Wheel," by New Hampshire author... Read More
A solopreneur I know disappears from my radar screen for... Read More
One of the major complaints in the QSR Quick Service-Fast... Read More
Doesn't it frustrate you when you've given good service, sometimes... Read More
Q: I really want to start my own business, but... Read More
Washing manufactured homes, mobile homes, can be a lucrative and... Read More
What is Business Valuation? The term business valuation is the... Read More
In the book Women and Small Business author gives all... Read More
KEEPING INTEREST HIGH: Supervision is key to the success of... Read More
What was your aim when you went into business for... Read More
We have all seen the mobile washing units cruising our... Read More
SBIR vs. STTR: If you are participating in the SBIR... Read More
Aircraft Interiors of personal and corporate jets have hundreds of... Read More
Company mottos can easily be printed on a business card.Sometimes... Read More
maid service near Glenview ..Here are some important points to take note of if... Read More
Has this ever happened to you... 'John, you have a... Read More
Quality control in franchising companies is paramount and all franchising... Read More
A common hazard faced by new entrepreneurs is a lack... Read More
Your grandfather probably told you to "learn something new everyday".... Read More
Everyday more web based companies enter the business scene. The... Read More
As a home business proprietor, you may already realize why... Read More
Ok, so next to the taxman, your company payroll department... Read More
As a Boat Detailing Specialist, you may want to offer... Read More
Deciding to start your own franchise is just one of... Read More
A successful joint venture marketing effort is the goal of... Read More
One major issue not being addressed right now in the... Read More
How do you find the best business partners?Finding a good... Read More
Most of us remember going to at least one garage... Read More
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PRICINGIn case you hadn't noticed, people can... Read More
Anyone who is serious about washing aircraft as a full... Read More
If you run a pressure washing business it is a... Read More
Small Business, Big Business ? What's the Diff?Well a lot... Read More
Take advantage of world politics today and start your own... Read More
There is a continual trend we are seeing which I... Read More
If you are looking for a way to own your... Read More
What is a guru?A guru is a teacher. A mentor.... Read More
Would it help you as a real estate investor to... Read More
How many "get rich schemes" have you joined? Or have... Read More
A consultant must remember that the business belongs to the... Read More
Small Business |