The first week of the month: where a studio's cash flow is won
Ask a studio founder about their week and the first one of the month sounds different. Client work waits while invoices go out, numbers get checked and last month's late payments get chased.
Why that week matters
Invoices sent on the first day get paid in the same payment run as everything else the client approves that month. Invoices sent on the tenth often miss it and slip a whole cycle.
What to move out of it
- Invoice creation: the same retainers every month, so set them up once
- Reminders: send them on a schedule, not when you notice
- Checking who paid: let your accounting tool match payments and show only the exceptions
What to keep
The conversations. A call with a client whose scope keeps growing, or who paid late twice, is the founder's job. Everything around it can run on its own.