Cash flow issues can come up for many reasons when running a business, including timing gaps, rising costs, or external disruptions. Fortunately, entrepreneurs in Eau Claire, Wisconsin have access to local resources that can help you understand what’s happening and take practical steps to improve your cash position. The sections below outline actionable ways to help you stabilize now and plan ahead.
Disclaimer: The guidance published here on the City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division website is meant to be a helpful starting point as you navigate business support in our community. It’s not the final word on what’s best for your unique situation. We always recommend checking in with legal, financial, or other professionals for advice tailored to your business.
When cash feels tight, it’s easy to feel like everything needs fixing at once. Instead, start by focusing on clarity and control. Use the next 48 hours to get a clear picture of your cash situation and give yourself some breathing room to think through next steps.
🎯 Goal: To understand how long your business’s cash will realistically last and relieve immediate stress.
Next Steps
List what’s due in the next 30 days.
Start by writing down every payment coming up in the next month—payroll, rent, utilities, loan payments, taxes, key vendors, and so on. Don’t worry about prioritizing yet; just get everything out of your head and onto paper.
Flag the payments that keep the lights on.
Look at your list and highlight the payments that are critical to staying open and compliant, like payroll, rent, utilities, and required taxes. These usually need attention first.
Get clear on the cash you have and what’s coming in.
Take note of how much cash is available right now and what money you realistically expect to receive in the next few weeks, such as customer payments or deposits. It’s better to be conservative here and assume some payments may come in late.
Follow up on unpaid invoices.
Review any outstanding invoices and overdue accounts, and start reaching out. Even partial or delayed payments can help relieve short-term pressure.
Hit pause on non-essential spending.
If there are expenses that can wait—subscriptions, travel, non-urgent purchases, etc.,—pause them for now until you have a clearer picture of your cash situation.
Be cautious with quick, high-cost financing.
It can be tempting to take out a fast loan or cash advance to buy time, but high-interest, short-term debt often makes cash flow problems worse. Try to understand your options before committing to anything new.
Now that you have a clearer picture of where your cash stands, the next two weeks are about steadying things and reducing surprises. This is where you shift from reacting day by day to being a little more intentional about what’s coming in, what’s going out, and where small adjustments could make a difference.
🎯 Goal: To stabilize your business’s cash flow over the next month or two and avoid unexpected shortfalls.
Next Steps
Sketch out a short-term cash flow forecast.
Put together a simple view of what you expect cash to look like over the next 60 to 90 days. It can be weekly or monthly—whatever feels easiest. The point is having enough visibility to see potential gaps before they catch you off guard.
Take a fresh look at pricing, payment terms, and invoicing.
Pay attention to how and when money comes in. You might find opportunities to invoice sooner, require deposits, tighten payment terms, or make small pricing adjustments to better reflect your costs.
Trim costs where you can without hurting the business.
Look for expenses that can be reduced or paused in the short term without affecting customers or staff. Even small savings can help relieve pressure while things stabilize.
Start conversations early if flexibility is needed.
If cash is still tight, consider reaching out to landlords, lenders, or key vendors sooner rather than later. Many are more open to temporary adjustments when communication happens early.
Learn about financing options that fit your situation.
If additional cash is needed, begin exploring working capital or stabilization-focused financing options. Focus on options with clear terms and realistic repayment, rather than quick fixes that could add stress later.
Get another perspective on your numbers.
This can be a helpful time to talk through your situation with a trusted advisor or local support organization. A second set of eyes can help confirm your assumptions and point out options you may not have considered.
Once cash flow feels more stable, the next few months are about fixing what caused the issue in the first place and putting simple habits in place to make things more predictable. By making steady improvements, your business will be able to better handle future ups and downs with less strain on your finances.
🎯 Goal: To make your business’s cash flow more predictable and reduce the chances of ending up back in the same situation.
Next Steps
Revisit pricing, margins, or what you offer.
Take another look at what you charge, what it costs to deliver, and which products or services actually help cash flow. Even small adjustments to pricing or your service mix can make a noticeable difference over time.
Find easier and faster ways to get paid.
Look for ways to shorten the time between doing the work and receiving payment. That could mean setting clearer payment expectations, asking for deposits, billing in stages, or following up more consistently.
Make sure staffing and hours match demand.
Step back and see whether your staffing levels, schedules, or operating hours still line up with how busy you are. Adjusting earlier can help prevent cash pressure from slowly building again.
Explore longer-term financing if it makes sense.
If cash flow challenges are tied to bigger structural issues, it may be worth looking into longer-term financing, refinancing, or restructuring options that better match how money moves through your business.
Start building a small cash cushion.
You don’t need a large reserve right away. Even setting aside a small amount over time can give you breathing room when something unexpected comes up.
Create a simple routine to check in on cash.
Set aside time weekly or monthly to review cash flow, upcoming expenses, and trends. Regular check-ins make it much easier to catch issues early—before they turn into emergencies.
Find local experts and support organizations that can help with cash flow challenges.
The UWEC Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is a business advising center that provides free, confidential one-on-one support that can help businesses understand cash flow issues, build short-term forecasts, review pricing and expenses, and identify practical steps to stabilize finances and plan next moves.
🔗 wisconsinsbdc.org
Western Dairyland Economic Opportunity Council (EOC) is a regional economic development nonprofit that can help businesses address cash flow pressure by assessing financial viability, adjusting operations, strengthening budgeting and planning, and connecting owners to technical assistance or capital when appropriate.
🔗 westerndairyland.org
SCORE West Central Wisconsin Chapter is a volunteer-driven mentoring organization that pairs business owners with experienced professionals who can help diagnose cash flow challenges, review financial decisions, and think through practical strategies to regain stability and reduce financial strain.
🔗 score.org
The Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce is a regional business membership organization that can help supports businesses through cash flow challenges by helping them build connections, access referrals, identify cost-saving opportunities, and navigate local resources that can ease financial pressure.
🔗 eauclairechamber.org
The Hmong Chamber of Commerce is a statewide cultural business chamber that provides culturally responsive training, advising, and connections that can help Hmong-owned and immigrant-owned businesses strengthen financial management, improve cash planning, and navigate capital or support options.
🔗 hmongchamber.org
Get in touch with the City of Eau Claire Economic Development Division for connections to confidential business support from local partners.