You can be profitable and still broke. The gap between "the job made money" and "the bank has money in it" is where trade businesses get squeezed.
The four-week rule
Map the next four weeks. Money in on one side (invoices you'll actually get paid, not what you're owed on paper). Money out on the other (wages, materials, BAS, rent, repayments).
What you're looking for
- The lowest point — when does the bank get thinnest?
- The tight week — one late payment away from red.
- The pattern — is week 3 always the pinch?
Try it now
Use the 4-week cash flow tool in the Builder's Money Toolkit. Five minutes and you'll know exactly where your runway is.