Inspired by a recent webinar with Amy Harper, Partner at S&W, and Felix Lundqvist, Head of Commercial at Mimo, this article explores how better habits, closer collaboration and the right tools can bring clarity, control and confidence to the cashflow challenge.

Why cashflow is the constant challenge
Ask any accountant or small business owner what keeps them up at night and cashflow is almost always near the top of the list. Despite its familiarity, it remains one of the hardest disciplines to master. Not because it’s complicated but because it depends on timing, visibility and good habits.

As Amy Harper, Partner at S&W, put it:

“You can show a healthy profit on paper and still not have money in the bank. It all comes down to when cash moves, not just what your P&L says.”

When customer payments lag, supplier costs rise and HMRC deadlines loom, the pressure builds quickly. Fortunately, as discussed in the webinar, there are practical ways to build resilience.

The one-day advantage
A small shift in timing can create significant impact. Collecting from customers a day earlier and paying suppliers a day later might sound trivial, but as Amy pointed out, it’s often the difference between smooth sailing and a shortfall.

“That one-day window on either side genuinely changes your working capital,” she explained. “And once you start thinking in those terms, you build the right habits.”

Felix Lundqvist agreed, noting that when SMEs start treating cashflow as a daily practice rather than a reactive scramble, they gain both control and confidence.

Building the right habits
So how do you move from awareness to action? Amy and Felix shared several practical steps any business can start with:

• Run a monthly financial review to spot trends early
  
  

• Maintain a living cashflow forecast, not a static spreadsheet
  
  

• Track 5-6 focused KPIs that actually drive outcomes

And perhaps most importantly, make cashflow a standing agenda item in every discussion between accountants and their clients.

From admin to advisory
Accountants have long been seen as number crunchers or compliance partners but that is changing fast. With technology taking care of repetitive tasks, firms can now focus on advisory and strategy.

Felix encouraged SMEs to reframe the relationship:

“If you feel your accountant is only chasing documents, invite them into the strategic conversation. They bring cross-industry insight and can help you plan, not just process.”

This shift turns finance from a reactive function into a proactive growth driver, one that spots risks earlier and helps businesses make smarter, more confident decisions.

Turning friction into flow
Automation underpins all of this progress. Amy highlighted the importance of digital capture tools, open banking and smart reconciliations as they reduce manual admin, improve accuracy and free time for higher-value work.

Felix added that automation is not only about efficiency, it is about security and trust. Linking payments directly to invoices prevents errors and fraud, and makes finance processes more transparent.

Mimo’s role in enabling better cashflow
While the webinar focused on habits and mindsets, one clear theme emerged: technology is the enabler. That is where Mimo steps in and help you out. As a unified payments platform built for SMEs and accountants, Mimo simplifies how money moves by combining payment automation, cashflow clarity with affordable working capital and secure, streamlined workflows.

For firms and clients alike, it means spending less time reconciling and more time building momentum.

The shared goal: turning awareness into confidence
Cashflow is a living, moving part of every business. With better habits, clearer visibility and the right tools in place, it becomes less about firefighting and more about foresight.

As Amy Harper put it:

“Good habits turn awareness into control and control into confidence.”

When accountants and SMEs build that shared confidence, cashflow shifts from being a constant pressure to becoming a quiet strength that supports smarter decisions, calmer planning and healthier growth.

Take part of the conversation and view the full webinar right here.