We’re Crushing It… So Why Is Cash Still Tight?

“We’re Crushing It… So Why Is Cash Still Tight?” A Guide to Cash Flow Clarity for Women-Led Marketing Firms

Not long ago, I had a call with the founder of a boutique creative agency. Her firm had just
landed a big client, team morale was high, and their portfolio was full of eye-catching work. On
paper, they were thriving. But behind the scenes?

Cash was tight.

“Every time I open my bank account, I get that pit in my stomach,” she admitted. “We’re killing
it with revenue, but I’m still losing sleep over payroll.”

Sound familiar?

If you’re running a growing marketing or advertising firm, especially as a woman founder
juggling creative leadership and business strategy, this feeling is so common. I work with
women-led businesses every day, and this is one of the top stressors I help them solve as a
fractional controller and CFO.

The truth is, strong revenue doesn’t always equal strong cash flow. But with the right systems,
you can build financial clarity and peace of mind.

The Profit vs. Cash Myth (That’s Probably Keeping You Up at Night)

Here’s what I often explain to clients: your income statement might show a healthy profit, but
that doesn’t mean the money is actually in your bank account.

Especially in service-based businesses like yours, cash can get tied up in:

• Unpaid client invoices
• Freelancer and contractor costs that hit before your client pays you
• Prepaid tools and ad spend
• Owner draws that aren’t always visible in your P&L
• Delayed retainers or slow project approvals

If this sounds like your daily reality, you’re not doing anything wrong. You just need better
visibility and planning.

1. Set Up a 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast (Yes, Even If You Hate Spreadsheets)

You don’t need a fancy system to start. A simple spreadsheet that tracks cash in/out for the next
13 weeks will give you a clear picture of when money hits and when it leaves.

It’s especially helpful for agencies that work on a retainer + project model, or experience lumpy
income. You’ll start to see patterns, like when certain clients pay late or when ad spend spikes.

Bonus: once you have the system in place, reviewing it weekly takes 30 minutes and saves you
hours of stress.

2. Reign In Receivables With Grace and Grit

I see a lot of women founders delay client follow-up because they don’t want to seem “pushy.”
But remember: cash flow is not personal, it’s operational.

Tips to improve client collections:

• Automate reminders with your invoicing software
• Send invoices the same day every week or month
• Include clear payment terms in your contracts
• Don’t be afraid to follow up personally, a kind nudge goes a long way

If you’ve moved from founder-led sales to a client success team, make sure someone owns the
invoicing and collections process. It’s not “extra admin”. It’s money you already earned.

3. Audit Your Subscriptions & Vendors (It Adds Up Fast)

Marketing agencies are especially prone to software overload: Canva, Figma, Adobe, Slack,
project management tools, time trackers, CRMs… You name it!

I once helped a firm uncover over $2,000/month in unused software tools. That’s someone’s
part-time hours or a good chunk of your next campaign budget.

Do this quarterly:

• List all recurring charges
• Cancel or downgrade what’s unused
• Negotiate with vendors for better terms (they do negotiate)

4. Rethink Your Payment Terms (and Don’t Be Shy About It)

If your client doesn’t pay you for 60 days, but you’re paying your contractors in 15, you’re acting
as the bank. That’s a fast way to feel broke.

Here’s how to shift that dynamic:

• Require retainers before work begins
• Break up large projects into milestone-based billing
• Offer ACH and/or credit card payment options (faster than checks)
• For long-term clients, consider adding late fees or early pay incentives

You don’t need to overhaul your pricing model. Just realign the timing of when you get paid vs.
when you pay others.

5. Automate Wisely, But Stay Involved

Marketing firms often scale fast, and manual financial processes can’t keep up. But automation
without oversight creates blind spots.

Some tools I love:

• QuickBooks Online for agency-level bookkeeping
• Gusto for managing payroll and contractors
• BILL for scheduling vendor payments without losing control
• Fathom, DryRun, or Float for creative-friendly cash flow forecasting

Remember! The tech is amazing, but you still need to own the big picture. Block off time each
week to review cash flow and upcoming financial obligations.

6. Hire the Financial Support You Deserve

If your business is in the $1M–$5M range, chances are you’ve outgrown basic bookkeeping, but
you don’t need a full-time CFO.

That’s where fractional support comes in.

I work alongside founders like you to:

• Set up smart financial systems
• Create forecasts that actually reflect how you do business
• Build a custom dashboard that tracks KPIs you care about (like campaign ROI, project
profitability, and cost per lead)

With the right support, your financials go from a source of stress to a strategic advantage.

Final Thought: You Didn’t Build This Business to Worry About Cash Every Week

You built it to make an impact, do creative work, and lead a team you believe in.

Let’s make sure your financial systems support that vision, not sabotage it.

Want clarity on your firm’s cash flow? Visit my website to learn more about how I help women-led agencies streamline their accounting and financial operations.

You can also download my free self-assessment to spot gaps and opportunities in your systems.

You deserve financial peace and a bank account that reflects your hard work.

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