Hupspot Guide to Cash Flow for Growing Businesses
Healthy cash flow is the lifeblood of any company, and many teams use Hubspot-inspired systems to track money coming in and going out. When you understand how cash moves through your business, you can cover expenses, invest in growth, and avoid unpleasant surprises.
This guide explains what cash flow is, how it works, and the practical steps you can take to manage it more effectively.
What Is Cash Flow?
Cash flow is the net amount of cash and cash equivalents moving into and out of your business over a period of time. It shows whether you have enough money on hand to meet your obligations.
Key points:
- Cash inflows: money coming into the business (sales, investments, loans).
- Cash outflows: money going out (rent, payroll, inventory, loan payments).
- Net cash flow: inflows minus outflows for a set period.
Positive cash flow means you have more money coming in than going out. Negative cash flow means the opposite and can signal trouble if it continues over time.
Why Cash Flow Matters More Than Profit
A business can be profitable on paper but still run out of cash. That is why cash flow is often a better day-to-day health check than profit alone.
Cash flow matters because it allows you to:
- Pay employees, suppliers, and taxes on time.
- Invest in marketing and sales activities.
- Weather seasonal downturns.
- Negotiate better terms with vendors.
- Respond quickly to opportunities.
Sales teams that rely on CRM tools and structured processes similar to those in Hubspot often track not just potential revenue, but also the timing of expected payments to forecast cash flow.
Hubspot-Style Breakdown of Cash Flow Types
In a modern, data-driven setup similar to Hubspot reporting, cash flow is usually organized into three major categories. Understanding each will help you pinpoint where money is generated and where it is consumed.
Hubspot-Inspired Operating Cash Flow
Operating cash flow is money generated by your core business activities, such as selling products or services.
Operating cash inflows might include:
- Customer payments for invoices.
- Subscription or retainer revenue.
- Refunds or rebates from suppliers.
Operating cash outflows include:
- Salaries and benefits.
- Rent, utilities, and office expenses.
- Inventory purchases and shipping costs.
- Software subscriptions and tools.
This type of cash flow shows whether your everyday operations can sustain your business.
Hubspot-Style Investing Cash Flow
Investing cash flow captures money spent on or earned from long-term assets.
Examples of investing cash outflows:
- Buying equipment or machinery.
- Purchasing property or vehicles.
- Investing in new technology systems.
Examples of investing cash inflows:
- Selling equipment or property.
- Receiving returns from long-term investments.
This category helps you understand how much cash is being tied up in strategic assets that should generate value over time.
Hubspot-Aligned Financing Cash Flow
Financing cash flow is related to how you fund your business through debt or equity.
Common financing cash inflows:
- Bank loans.
- Issuing shares or bringing on investors.
- Owner capital contributions.
Common financing cash outflows:
- Repaying loan principal.
- Paying dividends or distributions.
- Buying back shares.
Tracking these items lets you see how external funding affects your overall cash position.
Hubspot-Level Cash Flow Formula and Example
A simple way to understand overall cash movement is to use a period-based formula similar to what you would find in structured financial dashboards.
Basic net cash flow formula:
Net Cash Flow = Total Cash Inflows − Total Cash Outflows
For a slightly more detailed view, you can break it down:
Net Cash Flow = Cash from Operations + Cash from Investing + Cash from Financing
Example:
- Cash from operations: +$40,000
- Cash from investing: −$10,000
- Cash from financing: +$5,000
Net Cash Flow = $40,000 − $10,000 + $5,000 = +$35,000
A positive result indicates your cash position improved during that period.
How to Analyze Cash Flow Like a Hubspot Dashboard
Sales and finance leaders often use dashboards that resemble Hubspot reporting layouts to monitor cash health. You can follow a similar structured process.
Step 1: Gather Your Data
Collect information for a specific period, such as a month or quarter.
- Bank statements.
- Accounts receivable aging reports.
- Accounts payable lists.
- Loan schedules.
Be sure to separate operating, investing, and financing items so you can analyze them individually.
Step 2: Organize Inflows and Outflows
Create a simple table or spreadsheet that lists:
- All sources of cash (customer payments, loans, asset sales).
- All uses of cash (expenses, purchases, loan repayments).
Label each item as operating, investing, or financing. This structure mirrors how most professional financial statements are built.
Step 3: Calculate Net Cash Flow
For each category, sum the inflows and outflows, then calculate the net:
- Net operating cash flow.
- Net investing cash flow.
- Net financing cash flow.
Add these three results to find your total net cash flow for the period. Compare it to prior periods to spot trends.
Step 4: Interpret the Results
Use your findings to answer key questions:
- Are operations consistently generating positive cash flow?
- Are you over-reliant on financing to stay afloat?
- Are large investments stressing your cash reserves?
If operating cash flow is negative for several periods in a row, you may need to adjust pricing, reduce expenses, or improve collections.
Hubspot-Style Strategies to Improve Cash Flow
Once you understand your numbers, focus on levers that can quickly improve cash flow, just as you would optimize a CRM-driven sales pipeline.
Accelerate Cash Inflows
- Send invoices immediately after delivery of work or product.
- Offer small discounts for early payment.
- Shorten payment terms for new customers.
- Implement automated reminders and follow-ups for overdue invoices.
Control Cash Outflows
- Negotiate longer payment terms with suppliers.
- Reduce non-essential expenses and subscriptions.
- Buy inventory just in time rather than far in advance.
- Refinance high-interest debt where possible.
Plan Cash Flow Proactively
- Create a rolling 13-week cash forecast.
- Model best-case, expected, and worst-case scenarios.
- Set minimum cash reserve targets.
- Align sales, marketing, and finance around shared revenue and payment goals.
When your teams share a single view of pipeline, revenue, and payment timing, you can make faster, smarter decisions about hiring, marketing campaigns, and investments.
Learn More About Cash Flow
For a deeper look at cash flow, examples, and formulas, you can explore the original resource here: cash flow guide. If you need expert help building systems, dashboards, or strategies around cash, marketing, and sales operations, consider working with specialists at Consultevo.
By treating cash flow with the same discipline you apply to structured sales and marketing platforms like Hubspot, you can keep your business funded, flexible, and ready for growth.
Need Help With Hubspot?
If you want expert help building, automating, or scaling your Hubspot , work with ConsultEvo, a team who has a decade of Hubspot experience.
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