Insolvency does not have to be the end of your business

When an SME encounters cash flow difficulties and cannot pay its bills many owners assume that their business is bust and should close.
It does not have to be the case. If the core of the business of a company is offering a genuinely useful and saleable product or service, it can normally be saved.
A detailed look at cash flow and accounts is the first step in the process of turning around a struggling business although this needs the help of a business doctor plus commitment, realism and honesty on the part of its owners.
The business doctor will help to identify the profitable activities that should be saved and also has a number of techniques in the toolbox to help deal with the pressing debts that impact on cash flow.
An increasingly useful tool provides a way of dealing with debt by reaching agreement with creditors to repay all or part of the debt in an affordable way that allows the business to focus on building its strengths for the future.
This is a Company Voluntary Arrangement also referred to as a CVA.  The CVA is a binding, formal agreement that is agreed with creditors but needs the help of a business doctor or turnaround adviser. To find out more, K2 Business Rescue has published a useful guide to the steps that need to be taken: K2 CVA Guide 2013. A copy along with other useful guides is available as a free download via the Resources section on the K2 website.