You won eleven of them. You could afford six.

Growth has a speed limit, and it is set by the gap between paying for the work and being paid for it, not by the pipeline.

By Steve 5 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for You won eleven of them. You could afford six.

A business can be profitable on every job it takes, growing its order book every quarter, and still spend Thursday afternoon deciding which supplier can wait another two weeks. This is not a contradiction and it is not poor management. It is arithmetic that the profit and loss account is structurally incapable of showing, because the P&L records the margin on a job when the job is done and says nothing about when the money moves. The mechanism is simple enough to be embarrassing once you see it. Most businesses…

Keep reading for free

Create an account to read the rest.

The whole library is free. No card, no subscription, no trial that quietly ends. An account simply lets us know who we are writing for, and opens every article from here on.

  • Every article, in full, at no cost
  • New articles published every weekday
  • Takes about twenty seconds
Create a free account I already have one

Free means free. We will not charge you for the library, and you can read as much of it as you like.

Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

More on Growth strategy

Scroll to Top