Cassandra’s working 50+ hours a week, supporting five staff, while I try to tighten systems and find efficiencies.

On the surface, we should be fine — the team’s busy, suppliers say it’s our busiest ever. But working harder won’t fix thin margins and unpredictable cash flow.

This is the space between grit and growth: uncertain, exhausting, but real.

It’s a tough time for small businesses in New Zealand. With rising living costs, a slowdown in construction, and big industry changes like the Bremworth acquisition, every month feels like a balancing act. Here’s what it’s really like on the ground for a flooring business trying to stay afloat.

Cash flow is one of those things that can look fine on paper but feel very different in reality. Over the last few months, our Profit and Loss statement said we were in the green, but our bank account told another story. By digging into our invoices, we discovered a clear pattern: households are split between fast payers and very late ones, while commercial jobs consistently take a month or more to settle. This timing mismatch is why the 20th of the month feels like a crunch point — and why we’re trialling new ways to smooth out our cash flow.