A client once told me:
“We’re growing, but I still don’t sleep before payroll.”
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.
Even agencies doing $2–$10M in revenue often struggle to see what’s coming next week, not next quarter.
When you’re running on a line of credit, managing multiple retainers, and juggling team utilization, cash visibility isn’t optional — it’s survival.
That’s why every agency we advise builds and runs a 13-week cash flow forecast — not once, but every week.
It’s the simplest, most practical tool to stay profitable, pay your team, meet your tax deadlines, and grow with confidence.
Why Agencies Need a 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast
Agencies move fast — invoices go out late, clients pay slower than promised, and retainers shift with scope creep.
Without a clear cash forecast, you end up reacting instead of planning.
A 13-week cash flow (one business quarter) gives you the short-term visibility you need to:
- See exactly when cash will be tight.
- Anticipate client payment delays before they happen.
- Decide when to draw or repay your line of credit.
- Keep payroll, vendors, and taxes covered — stress-free.
Think of it as your radar: it doesn’t stop the storm, but it tells you how to steer through it.
The Weekly Cadence That Keeps It Alive
The power of a 13-week cash flow isn’t the spreadsheet — it’s the rhythm.
Every successful agency we work with follows a weekly cash cadence:
1. Keep your books current.
You can’t forecast what you can’t see.
Your accounting needs to be updated daily (or at least weekly) so all invoices, payables, and payroll are accurate.
2. Run your forecast before paying bills.
For example, every Tuesday, hold a 20-minute cash huddle.
Review:
- Expected inflows (client payments, project invoices, new retainers)
- Planned outflows (payroll, ad spend, subcontractors, software, rent)
- Net cash position for the week
Forecast first, then decide which bills to pay.
It’s the difference between proactive and reactive cash management.
3. Compare actuals to forecast weekly.
Close the feedback loop.
Check which payments came in late, which expenses slipped, and adjust the next 13 weeks.
That rhythm — forecast, decide, adjust — is what turns data into control.
The Order of Priorities
Once you can see 13 weeks ahead, your cash decisions become strategic, not emotional.
Follow this sequence every week:
- Cover operating expenses.
Protect your team, your tools, and your core delivery costs first. - Set aside tax obligations.
Build tax payments into your forecast so nothing sneaks up on you. - Service debt and LOC.
Pay down principal and interest as planned — no more surprises. - Build a cash reserve.
Aim for a two-month cushion of operating expenses.
It gives you freedom to handle downturns or take risks without sleepless nights. - Then consider owner distributions or reinvesting in growth.
Profit funds choice — distributions when stable, reinvestment when strategic.
This hierarchy keeps agencies financially strong through busy and slow seasons alike.
What the 13-Week Cash Flow Tells You
When updated weekly, your forecast becomes your CFO’s dashboard.
You’ll instantly see:
- Shortfalls before they happen. Know which week cash dips below your comfort zone.
- Who’s paying late. Track client receipts vs. due dates.
- Vendor flexibility. Identify which suppliers you can request extensions from.
- Borrowing needs. Know exactly how much to draw from your line of credit — and when to pay it back.
For agencies that often run payroll before collecting client payments, this clarity is everything.
How to Build a 13-Week Cash Flow Forecast
Here’s what you need to make it work:
- Accurate, up-to-date books.
Garbage in, garbage out. Forecasts only work with real numbers. - Defined categories.
Split inflows and outflows into buckets like client receipts, payroll, contractors, vendors, software, ad spend, taxes, and owner draws. - One source of truth.
Use your accounting system — all bills must be entered and the banks/credit cards recorded up to date. - Consistency.
Make it a recurring meeting. Every Monday morning: update, review, decide.
After four weeks, your forecast will feel less like “reporting” and more like a weekly operating tool.
The Weekly Cash Huddle: 20 Minutes That Change Everything
Your weekly cash huddle should include the agency owner or ops lead, and finance partner (bookkeeper or CFO).
The agenda:
- Review last week’s forecast vs. actual results.
- Identify which clients haven’t paid.
- Confirm cash on hand and upcoming payables.
- Adjust the next 13 weeks.
- Approve this week’s payments — with confidence.
This meeting creates alignment across leadership. Everyone knows what’s true, and no one’s guessing.
The Long-Term Goal
When your 13-week cash flow runs smoothly, you’ll start seeing progress in stages:
- First, you cover operating expenses without using your line of credit.
- Then you consistently pay taxes and debt on time.
- Next, you build a two-month cash reserve.
- Finally, you can plan owner distributions and reinvestment intentionally — not impulsively.
That’s how great agencies scale — not just with revenue, but with control.
The Bottom Line
A 13-week cash flow is about knowing — week by week — how your decisions today shape your next quarter.
And once it becomes habit, your agency will stop reacting to cash flow and start commanding it.
Ready to See 13 Weeks Ahead?
At Argento CPA, we help marketing agencies between $2–$10M in revenue gain clarity and control with simple, actionable systems.
In 30 days, we’ll help you:
- Build your first 13-week cash flow forecast
- Establish a weekly inflow/outflow cadence
- Lead your first cash huddle with confidence
Book your free Cash Flow Review →
We’ll map out your inflows, outflows, and short-term borrowing needs — and show you how to turn your cash flow into your agency’s most reliable strategy tool.
About the Author
Michael Argento, CPA, is the founder of Argento CPA, a fractional CFO and remote accounting firm helping marketing agencies and tech companies scale profitably.