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As you head into the weekend, let’s stick to the Payroll theme that we’ve touched on 2x this week. What are your thoughts on this week’s newsletters and do you feel they are helpful?
Seeing payroll as a risk in your cash forecast is uncomfortable. Ignoring it is worse and I can’t think of any time ignoring this was actually beneficial.
The moment a forecast shows payroll pressure, the goal shifts from planning to protecting. Time matters here you all!
First, confirm the numbers
Verify the payroll amount and date
Confirm current bank balance
Update expected customer payments with realistic timing
Bad data creates panic. Clean data creates options for you and your team.
Next, accelerate cash
Follow up immediately on the largest receivables due
Ask for confirmed payment dates, not estimated timelines
Prioritize customers who can pay quickly/electronically
Then, slow cash going out
Delay vendor payments where terms allow (carefully do this…)
Pause discretionary spending or push capital projects out
Review anything scheduled early that can wait (no discounts this month)
Communicate early
Internally align on cash priorities immediately
Avoid last-minute scrambling as things may not go as planned
Decisions made early are calmer and cheaper in the long run
Payroll risk is not a failure. It’s a signal. Forecasts exist to surface issues while you still have time to act.
January is about building control. Seeing problems early is part of doing it right.
If payroll risk is showing up in your forecast, reply to this email, message me in the community, or email [email protected]. Early action changes outcomes.
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Your annual review, created with Shane Parrish
Behind every successful year is a moment of honest reflection. This workbook, written by Shane Parrish and reMarkable, will guide you through that process, helping you pause, reflect, and pick out patterns.
Most annual reviews look at adding more. More goals, more tasks, more pressure. This one does the opposite. It helps you strip everything back to see what worked, what didn’t, and what to change in the year ahead.
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