Not how to make it.
Not how to invest it.
Today, I want to talk about something much simpler.
Collecting it.
Recently, someone told me a story that honestly left me speechless.
They had been supplying food to another business on a regular basis. The other business wasn’t making the food,they were simply selling it on.
Over time, the unpaid invoices added up to £2,000.
Think about that for a second.
If they owed the supplier £2,000, they had probably made around another £2,000 themselves in profit from selling those same products.
That’s roughly £4,000 worth of business built on someone else’s hard work… while the person who actually supplied the products wasn’t getting paid.
Let’s put aside how unfair that is for a moment.
Instead, let’s look at what we can learn from it.
A Business Lesson Worth Learning Early
Let’s imagine you’re just starting your business.
Perhaps you don’t have enough money to buy stock yourself, so you agree to supply someone’s first batch of products on trust.
Personally, I would still be cautious, but let’s assume you decide to do it.
Here’s where things should change.
Once they sell that first batch, they now have enough money to buy the next one.
So before you even think about making another batch…
Send the invoice.
If they don’t pay…
Don’t make it.
Don’t package it.
Don’t deliver it.
Simple.
The Rule I Follow In My Own Business
This is one rule I rarely break.
Most of my event clients pay in instalments because larger events can be expensive.
That’s absolutely fine.
But I make sure every payment is completed at least two to three weeks before the event.
If I haven’t been paid…
I don’t continue.
No hard feelings.
No awkward conversations.
Just business.
The only exception I make is for one long-term client who has worked with me consistently for years and has built that trust over time.
Trust is earned.
It shouldn’t be assumed.
Even Repeat Clients Can Forget
In fact, let me tell you something that happened to me recently.
A repeat client booked me to create personalised placemats and a balloon setup.
Everything went well.
Then, at the last minute, she asked if I could add another balloon display.
“No problem,” I said.
She asked me to send the invoice.
But honestly?
I was exhausted.
It had been one of those incredibly hot days, and by the time I got home, I just wanted to sleep.
So instead of sending the invoice first…
I went ahead and created the extra display.
After all, she was a repeat client.
A few days later, I sent a message saying I hoped the children had enjoyed the party, along with the outstanding balance for the additional display.
Her response?
“Outstanding balance?”
Thankfully, I’d taken a photo of the extra display.
Funny enough, I almost didn’t.
I was so tired that day I nearly drove home without taking any pictures.
That one photo reminded her of the extra work she’d requested.
She immediately apologised and paid.
But imagine if I hadn’t taken that picture.
Would I have had to argue my case?
Would it have become my word against hers?
Probably.
And this is someone I genuinely trust.
She wasn’t trying to avoid paying.
She simply forgot.
That’s an important distinction.
Sometimes clients don’t deliberately refuse to pay.
Life happens.
People forget.
Which is exactly why systems matter more than good intentions.
Your Invoice Is Your Safety Net
Whether you’re selling balloons…
Making cakes…
Supplying food…
Decorating venues…
Designing websites…
Or offering any service at all…
Send the invoice.
Get paid.
Then deliver.
Not the other way round.
Because once you’ve delivered the service, the balance of power changes.
Suddenly the excuses begin.
“I only have £200.”
“Can I pay you next week?”
“I’ve had an emergency.”
“I forgot.”
If you’ve already done the work, what happens then?
If you’re a balloon stylist, are you going to pop the balloons?
If you’re a caterer, are you going to take the food back?
If you’re supplying fresh products, are you going to throw them away?
Of course not.
That’s why it’s much easier to protect your business before you deliver than to chase your money afterwards.
My Advice
If you’re standing at that crossroads, wondering whether you should just “go ahead” and collect the money later…
Don’t.
Protect your business.
Protect your cash flow.
Protect your peace of mind.
Collect first.
Deliver second.
It’s one of the simplest business habits you’ll ever build and one of the most valuable.
With Love,
Ayo
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