Here's the uncomfortable truth: neither is lying. They're just telling different stories.

Profit is a story about what happened. Cash is a story about what’s possible.

82% of businesses that fail aren’t losing money on paper. They’re profitable and broke. The average U.S. small business has just 27 days of cash reserves.

For service businesses, it’s closer to 19 days. That’s less than three weeks of oxygen.

Imagine your business as a diver under water. Cash is the oxygen tank strapped to your back.

With 3–6 months of expenses in the bank, you’re in the green zone. You can dive deeper, explore opportunities, and come up for air on your own terms.

With 1–2 months, you’re in yellow. Any delay, a slow client payment, an unexpected bill, and you’re gulping for air.

With less than 30 days, you’re in red. One payroll cycle away from panic.

Quick runway check: Take your current bank balance, divide it by your average monthly expenses. That number is your oxygen.

💬 What’s your oxygen level?
Reply with your number of days of runway. I’ll send you our:

Cash Flow Disconnect Toolkit — a one-page guide.

If you’ve ever felt the disconnect, it’s not just you. Cash flow breaks in sneaky ways:

• You book a “profitable” quarter, but the money’s tied up in unpaid invoices.

• You hire ahead of revenue, paying staff before clients pay you.

• Your loan repayment quietly drains cash even though it doesn’t show on your P&L.

• Tax season hits, and the IRS doesn’t care that your biggest client still owes you money.

It’s the cruelest founder paradox: the faster you grow, the more oxygen you burn.