Operational Finance

Cash flow planned around your factory, not your bank balance

In a gear brand, cash leaves months before it comes back. The deposit goes out when the order is placed, the balance when it ships, and the revenue arrives long after the container clears.

ONE PRODUCTION RUN · 2,400 UNITS Cash committed$115k Day 0 · 30% deposit–34kDay 45 · balance–79kDay 60 · ocean freight–9.6kDay 75 · duty at port–5.8kDay 90 · 3PL receiving–2.4kDay 130 · first sales+41k CASH GAP130 days Cash out for 4+ months before cash in.

The problem a generic accountant misses

A monthly P&L tells you whether you were profitable. It does not tell you whether you can pay for the next production run. A brand can be growing, profitable on paper and still short of cash in the quarter it matters most.

A 13-week forecast
Min cash bufferWk 5–7 dipFactory deposit dueWk 1Wk 13

Generic bookkeeping looks backward, one month at a time. It rarely connects a 30 percent factory deposit, a balance due at shipment, a 90-day lead time, duty on arrival and a wholesale customer on net-60 terms into a single forward view. That gap is where brands miss a reorder, over-order a colorway, or take expensive short-term financing they could have avoided.

What we do

We build a cash schedule around the way your supply chain actually moves. Every open purchase order is mapped to its payment dates. Every inbound shipment is mapped to its landing costs. Sales are forecast by channel, with the payout timing of each: Shopify in days, Amazon on its settlement cycle, wholesale on the terms you have agreed.

Reorder before the stockout
Reorder pointOrder here90-day lead timeLead timeTodayStockout

The result is a clear picture of your cash position week by week, and the dates when your next run needs to be ordered and funded. When a factory moves a ship date or a retailer extends terms, the schedule is updated and you see the effect before it reaches your bank account.

How It Works

How it works

130 days from deposit to first sale
DepositDay 0BalanceDay 45FreightDay 60LandedDay 90First salesDay 130130 days of cash out before cash in
01

Map the cycle

We document your factories, payment terms, lead times, freight routes and channel payout timing.

02

Build the schedule

Open purchase orders, inventory on hand and forecast sales are brought into one forward cash view.

03

Plan the next run

We identify when each reorder must be placed and how it will be funded.

04

Keep it current

The schedule is refreshed as orders, shipments and sales change, and reviewed with you on a regular call.

Deliverables

What you get

  • 01A forward cash schedule tied to your purchase orders and deposit cycles
  • 02Payment calendar for factory deposits, balances, freight and duties
  • 03Channel-level cash receipt timing for DTC, Amazon and wholesale
  • 04Reorder timing and funding plan for upcoming production runs
  • 05Early warning on shortfalls, with options to address them
  • 06Regular review of the schedule against actual results

Plans

Which plan includes it

Cash flow scheduling around factory deposits and lead times is included in Rally ($1,100–$2,400/month). Championship (custom pricing) extends this to full supply chain cash scheduling around 90-day lead times. For a 13-week rolling forecast within a wider CFO engagement, see Kitchen Line. Compare plans.

For forecasting at board level, see Fractional CFO Strategy.

Starts in

Rally

$1,100–$2,400/month. Full 90-day supply chain scheduling in Championship.

Compare plans →
Cash trapped in a run
Day 0Day 60Day 130+Cash trapped in the runpeak $115kRecovery starts with first sales

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Far enough to cover at least one full production cycle, typically a quarter or more. Brands on a CFO plan receive a 13-week rolling forecast updated continuously.

No. Each factory's terms, lead times and currency are tracked separately and combined into one view.

Yes. A schedule tied to real purchase orders is exactly what a lender or inventory financing provider wants to see, and it shows you how much you need before you ask.

Read-only access to bank and platform accounts is enough. We do not move money on your behalf.

See where your cash is going

Before you plan the next run, find out what each SKU really contributes. Request a Free Margin Leak Check and we will cost your catalog across every channel, or try the Landed COGS Calculator on a single paddle.

When you are ready to talk it through, book a strategic call with Muhammad Ali, ACA.