Cash Flow and the 5Cs of Credit - Overview

Contractors need strong financial partners, including banking, surety, and insurance to grow sustainably.

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They are putting their capital at risk, making a calculated bet on the business generating consistent financial returns at the lowest risk possible.  

Cash Flow: 5C's of Credit. Character, Capital. Capacity, Collateral, and Conditions.

Whether you are an equity owner in a contracting business, plan to be or are choosing to invest your professional “career equity” into the business, you should look at the same factors an outside financial partner does. This will truly align everyone’s interests and make the business run more successfully.  

Greg Martin does a great job of describing the 5 C’s of Credit in a series of articles below.  

Effectively managing cash flow is about balancing what you can do internally while building and maintaining strong external financial partner relationships.  

  • What are your internal capital management policies? 
  • Are they in alignment with your outside financial partners?  
  • How does this look over the next 5 years or during succession if that is on the horizon for you?

Cash Flow
Great cash flow is a key driver of valuation and successful successions. Running out of cash is is the #1 reason contractors fail. Improving cash flow improves your Return on Equity. Protect yourself and never let cash flow be the limitation to your profitable growth....

Cash Flow
Great cash flow is a key driver of valuation and successful successions. Running out of cash is is the #1 reason contractors fail. Improving cash flow improves your Return on Equity. Protect yourself and never let cash flow be the limitation to your profitable growth....

Prepare Your Business - Capital
In times of uncertainty, the best strategy is to do everything possible to preserve your capital and ensure credit will be available as needed.
Weekly Design Meetings and Protecting Finishes
Finishes and other key design elements are important for both the project owner and architect. A contractor providing preconstruction services must focus on protecting these throughout the design-development process.
Field Productivity Grand Slam
When contractors are truly successful at improving their field productivity it is like Mickey Mantle’s pivotal Grand Slam during game 5 of the 1953 World Series. The bases are loaded. You are at bat. The Big Four productivity home runs: