Inflation has been a popular topic of conversation lately, and rightly so. Over the last few weeks prices of various raw materials and commodities have surged and show no signs of slowing down.

It’s difficult to imagine that after a solid year (and then some) of a raging global pandemic, lockdowns and, in some cases, outright shutdowns, an economic boom could be waiting around the corner. But that’s exactly what history tells us is likely in store for 2021.

Given the unparalleled amount of “dry powder” currently held by Venture Capital and Private Equity firms (investors put more than €1 trillion to work in Europe's M&A market during 2020 alone for the fifth year running) many companies in the marketing tech and services industry are, for the first time, being inundated with cold outreach from prospective buyers (or their bankers).

Despite widespread fear that venture-capital investment would dry up, deal activity fell just 6% in the first half of 2020, compared with the same period of 2019.

Cash Flow from Operations (“CFO”), found on the Cash Flow Statement, can be a powerful number to analyze the historical performance of a business. It can also provide valuable insights for future decision making, especially when combined with other financial data and used in various financial ratio calculations.

It's critical to have a financial lead and infrastructure that supports the size, goals, and challenges your business is facing.  Controller? Bookkeeper? Accounting Manager? Financial Analyst? CFO? What’s the difference? Should you hire internally or outsource externally? Full-time? Part-time?

To answer these questions, and because all organizations have different financial needs, it’s important to understand the differences among roles and match them to the needs of your business, currently, and in the future. Broadly speaking, financial roles can be separated into two simple categories: backward and forward looking.

While small businesses are especially vulnerable to the financial impact of the coronavirus, organizations of all sizes are trying to stay on top of the changing economic landscape. Whether you’re battling beyond pandemic paralysis, or you’re arming yourself with information “just in case," here are 3 financial tips to help you manage cash flow: