Cash Flow First

Cash flow is not a spreadsheet afterthought; it is the operating tempo of a business. This book advances a simple, necessary lens: run the company on timing, not totals. Profit tells you whether the model works in theory; cash timing decides whether you survive the month. The argument is that founders should treat days outstanding, payment terms, and a rolling 13-week forecast as first-order design choices-baked into offers, delivery, and negotiations-rather than finance admin. It interrogates dilemmas most owners face but rarely formalise: how hard to push collections without burning goodwill; when to trade price for terms; how to smooth lumpy projects into subscription cash; when to pull emergency levers without harming the engine. Drawing from behavioural psychology (discounting, loss aversion), operations (queuing, constraints), corporate finance (working capital), and negotiation theory, it equips readers with practical scripts, checklists, and red-flag dashboards. Through short case studies, templates, and weekly exercises, readers install a 13-week cash model, a collections playbook, and a cadence that surfaces risk early. The outcome is a durable mental model-"cash before profit"-and a weekly ritual that produces fewer surprises and more sleep.