A few months ago, I met a textile trader from Surat. His sales were rising, his order book was full, and yet he was constantly scrambling for cash. He did not know why. A closer look revealed the problem: he was extending 90-day credit to buyers while paying suppliers in 30 days, mixing personal and business accounts, and had skipped goods and services tax (GST) filings for two quarters. His business was not failing, it was leaking. Slowly, steadily, and entirely avoidably.
