The Fastest Way to Increase Cash Flow using Theory of Constraints & Throughput Accounting

This week I have a new video for you. This video was taken during the 2009 TOCICO conference in Tacoma and this is the first time I'm making it available.


Many of you listed Throughput Accounting as one of your interests. So I dug this video out and uploaded it for your review. Prior to today, this video was only available if your purchased it through the TOCICO.

It's called "The Fastest Way to Increase Cash Flow" and it's 48 minutes long. Please let me know what you think of it, by leaving a comment on this post. 

Let me know what you think, by leaving a comment on this post.
Wishing you success,


Dr Lisa


President, Science of Business


P.S. FOR CUSTOM JOB SHOPS ONLY: The next Velocity Scheduling System Coaching Program is starting soon!

P.P.S. Ready to increase sales? Need a Mafia Offer? The ON-LINE Mafia Offer Boot Camp is open for registration!

Copyright 2011 Science of Business

Theory of Constraints POOGI - Part 47

We are continuing our series based on The Goal by Eliyahu M Goldratt and the Theory of Constraints. {This series was co-written with Brad Stillahn.}

Do you really think you can do it all yourself? continued

Brad: "So, we agree on the problem. What's the direction of the solution? How can a small business owner get the talent they need to grow profitably?"

Dr. Lisa: "Well, that depends. It is ultimately the business owner's decision. I think it comes down to two choices that are not mutually exclusive:
1. Build an effective management team, and/or
2. Get outside help."

Dr. Lisa: "When small business owners think about getting outside help, they generally think about solving specific problems, not about running the overall business better. They'll get one consultant for one type of improvement, and a different consultant for another type of problem."

Brad: "We're back to affordability. Outside help costs a lot of money. If I have a problem I can't fix myself, I'll get the help I need to fix the problem. Like a plumber, electrician, or a 6S Lean consultant."

Dr. Lisa: "Think bigger. A business should be a money-making machine. There is one overall process that needs to be defined and improved."

Brad: "Well, I can think of a couple of examples of ways to get outside help. One is to belong to and be active in an industry association like NTMA. That's a way to learn from successful peers. Another is to join a CEO membership organization like Vistage. I've been a member for six years and it has provided me value."

Dr. Lisa: "Absolutely, both are important. But I have a recommendation. Get help to specifically improve your business, your money-making machine."

Brad: "I did that. I paid for the best TOC consultants available for four years before I felt I was self-sufficient. But that was expensive. The day-rates were sky-high. We're back to affordability."

Dr. Lisa: "Any good consultant should be willing to get paid if and only if they produce bottom-line results."

Brad: "But we've made the case that a business owner can't know everything. Can a consultant know it all?"

Dr. Lisa: "Well, we like to think so! I recommend a business process improvement team that is involved over a period of time to help the business owner achieve his or her goals. To help them think big, we recommend 'Viable Vision'. Viable Vision is defined as turning your sales level into your profit level in four years or less. It's aggressive but doable. And the value of the business soars with such increased profitability."
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If you are a business owner that would like to turn your company's sales level into its profit level in four years or less, please contact Brad Stillahn at Brad@ScienceofBusiness.com with an email that says "I'm interested". We'll follow up to discuss how it just might be possible for you, and share with you our 100% results-based option where you pay if and only if your bottom-line increases."

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!

Dr Lisa Lang

P.S. If you have an internal constraint, check out http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ejsoxadab.0.0.vsi4mocab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.velocityschedulingsystem.com%2F&id=preview Group 5 starts November 23, 2009! (for job shops only)

P.P.S. If you have an external constraint, check our our ON-LINE at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ejsoxadab.0.0.vsi4mocab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mafiaofferbootcamp.com%2F&id=preview; GROUP and PRIVATE Mafia Offer Boot Camps at http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=ejsoxadab.0.0.vsi4mocab.0&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mafiaoffers.com%2F&id=preview

P.P.P.S. If you have a cash constraint ACT NOW! Free cash video, click here --> The Fastest Way to Increase Cash Flow.

(c)Copyright 2009, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Cash Velocity Summary

Continuing our cash velocity discussion started on March 16, 2007

Cash Velocity Summary

There are two cash velocity rules:
● Make sure that the amount and rate of cash flowing in is enough to cover all your business and personal needs
● Be paranoid. Unfortunately, stuff happens. And unless you’re willing to risk losing your passion, studying and maximizing your cash velocity is essential
The goal of this chapter was to educate the reader about cash velocity -- how to maximize it and how to avoid cash becoming your constraint. We discussed the two drivers of velocity: throughput and cash-to-cash cycle time. We found that by using Goldratt's TOC techniques, we can increase throughput and reduce cash-to-cash cycle time. We also discovered that the velocity of throughput can be more important than the amount of throughput, especially when we are limited by cash.
If fear of cash problems is not enough for you to monitor, forecast and plan for you cash velocity needs, then consider this: The real value of your business is NOT based on your accountant’s value of your assets; it is based on the cash earning stream that your business assets are likely to produce. The more predictable and reliable this stream of cash is, the more valuable your business is. So if you ever plan to sell your business and retire with the money, then you need to pay attention to your cash velocity. Your banker will also value your business and assess your risk based on your cash flow.[1] Cash is still king. It’s still the life blood. So get in the drivers seat by understanding and increasing your cash velocity.

[1] Many banks use the Uniform Credit Analysis® Cash-Flow Worksheet developed by Wells Fargo and made popular by the Risk Management Association.

That completes the cash velocity discussion we started on March 16 for now. What would you like to hear about?

Here's to maximizing YOUR profits!
"Dr Lisa" Lang
(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Increasing Cash Velocity using Theory of Constraints

Cash velocity is a component of the wider topic of cash flow. Both cash flow and cash velocity are like good health. When you have it, you don’t really notice. But for many companies the time between when they have to pay their vendor and when they get paid is large and getting larger. In many industries customers are pushing out payables to improve their cash positions, thereby reducing yours.

To stay clear of cash troubles we need to understand cash velocity and investigate some strategies to increase it. So let’s jump right in!

Cash velocity is the throughput (T) you generate divided by the time it takes to generate the throughput. Throughputis the selling price of your product/service minus what you paid your vendors (your TVCs[1]) to generate and sell your product/service. The time it takes to generate the throughput is the cash-to-cash cycle time. Cash-to-cash cycle time (CtC) is a ratio that serves to highlight the amount of time a company must finance raw material. It is the time between when you spend money[2] necessary to produce your product or service until you get paid from your customers for the finished goods or services.



You can impact cash velocity by:

• Increasing your throughput
• Decreasing your cash-to-cash cycle time

The rate (or velocity) at which you generate throughput is as important, and at times may be more important than the dollar amount of throughput. Generating $100 of throughput in 30 days, a velocity of 3.33, is much different than generating $80 in 10 days for a velocity of 8. The higher the rate or faster the velocity, the better. For that reason, let’s first focus on decreasing cash-to-cash cycle time.

[1] TVCs are those costs that are incurred because you produced and sold one of your products or services. They include things like raw materials, subcontracted services, freight, sales commission. See Goldratt's Throughput Accounting as developed in Theory of Constraints.
[2] When you pay for your TVCs.

tune in on Monday for more ...

(c)Copyright 2007, Dr Lisa, Inc. All rights reserved.

Factoring Receivables

Should I factor (sell) my receivables? I could use the cash, but the cost seems too high.

This question is hard to answer without more information, so let’s look at an example:

Let’s say it costs you $40 to make a product you typically sell for $100. If you could get $100 dollars in 60 days from your customer or $80 dollars in 10 days from selling the invoice, which would you prefer?

To compare the 2 options, let’s calculate the amount of Throughput that each option would generate in 60 days. Remember, Throughput* = Sales Price – Truly Variable Costs.

Option 1: We wait to collect the accounts receivable in 60 days. Therefore in 60 days we generate $100-$40 = $60 in Throughput.

Option 2: We sell the invoice and receive $80 in 10 days. Therefore we reduced our cash to cash cycle time and have generated $80-$40= $40 in 10 days. But we still have 50 days to go, so we invest our $40 in more raw materials and sell another product. For that product we also sell the invoice and generate another $40 in Throughput. We now have 40 days to go, so we repeat the process 4 more times. In 60 days we generate $240 in Throughput.

So the answer is “it depends”. If you have a use for the money that will generate additional Throughput, then you’re on your way to maximizing your cash flow and your profitability! If you have plenty of cash or access to low interest cash, then it doesn’t really make sense. Calculate the annual interest rate and you will see what I mean.

Another way to accomplish the same thing is to create a Mafia Offer where you offer deep discounts if your customers pay very quickly. However, if you decide later that you don’t want to offer this option anymore, then you have to explain that to your customers.

*Throughput is defined in Throughput Accounting as originally developed by Eliyahu M Goldratt, developer of Theory of Constraints.

Welcome

Welcome to Dr Lisa's Max Profit Zone! We will discuss subjects related to maximizing profitability including Cash Flow, Cash Velocity, Mafia Offers (a Decisive Competitive Advantage), Drum Buffer Rope, Critical Chain, Demand Pull (or Goldratt's Distribuiton Solution), Throughput Accounting, and Goldratt's Theory of Constraints. If you have a question would like to see answered on this blog, please send it to DrLisa@ScienceofBusiness.com