Too many agencies are working a month ahead of their money.
You deliver all of October’s work… and bill on October 31st.
Meanwhile, your team’s been paid twice and your client’s cash is still 30–90 days away.
That’s not “flexible.” That’s financing your clients.
Here’s the real issue: weak invoicing systems, not weak sales.
Lets break down how to fix it this week:
3️⃣ Bill before work starts. Switch contracts to “pay before service,” not “net 30.”
2️⃣ Use one system; Stripe. Card on file, automated subscriptions, unified reporting.
1️⃣ Delegate collections. Your VA can own AR hygiene. daily checks, weekly follow ups, monthly reconciliations.
The Fix
• Move all retainers to automated Stripe subscriptions.
• Update contracts: start of month billing, credit card only, 7 day grace period, 2% late fee.
• Standardize your billing cadence and create a simple SOP for your VA.
Protecting cashflow isn’t sexy but it’s survival.
And it’s one of the fastest ways to feel like a real CEO again, not your clients’ banker.
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If this resonated, run the free Agency Growth Diagnostic (5 min). We’ll map your biggest constraint and your first fix for free: https://www.agencyuplift.co/mini
– Sean
P.S. Most clients won’t push back on upfront billing, they’ll wonder why you didn’t do it sooner.