FastUpFront Small Business Blog

If you have exhausted all of the usual methods used to collect on an outstanding business debt (letter writing, phone calls, and meetings) it’s time to call in the “big guns.” Generally, businesses seeking to recover some part of their delinquent accounts will either enlist the services of a debt collection agency or hire a [...]

Small business owners tend to wear many hats; they can be managers, marketers, IT technicians,accountants, and office assistants. But in today’s economy as valued customers struggle to pay their financial obligations, many small business owners are finding that yet another hat has been added: debt collector. When customers withhold payment, the cash flow of the [...]

If you are thinking about going to small claims court to recover an outstanding debt owed to your small business, you may want to think again. The point of small claims court is that it gives the involved parties a chance to settle disputes while avoiding any more expensive and complicated court procedures later on. [...]

It used to be that credit insurance was exclusive to the large companies that could afford to pay the high premiums in exchange for a bit of financial peace of mind. Not any more. In response to the economic slowdown and an across-the-board reduction in consumer spending, now even small and mid-sized businesses are considering [...]

One of the most important steps in attempting to calculate cash flow is breaking your business down into cycles.  Some examples of business cycles are:  inventory cycle, accounts payable cycle, sales cycle, and accounts receivable cycle.  The key to smooth cash flow is to coordinate these cycles as much as possible with one another. Unfortunately for [...]

The most frustrating thing about running a small business is EVERYTHING that is out of your control.  One of these things is when your customers don’t pay you.  Here are some tips on collecting that money which is owed you already, and which you need NOW.  While you are waiting for your money, if you [...]

Our customers come to us when they are in a cash flow crunch.  Many of them are running very successful businesses, only the timing of their payables and Receivables is simply a bit out of sync.  Here are 8 things you can do to shorten the time between when your customer wants something, and when [...]