The Cash Flow Crisis Isn't Coming. It's Here.

New data from PYMNTS Intelligence reveals a stark reality for SMBs (small to medium businesses): roughly half are relying solely on cash in their bank accounts to survive, with no financial buffer against economic shocks.

The numbers paint a challenging picture:

• Only 44% of SMBs have access to financing or working capital solutions

• 45% of small business owners are forgoing their own paychecks due to cash flow shortages

• 22% struggle to cover basic bills, putting nearly 1 in 5 at risk of closure

• With 90%+ of revenue consumed by operational costs, far too many businesses are operating with razor-thin margins

Hotels, restaurants, and entertainment businesses are particularly vulnerable, highly dependent on limited cash reserves with little room for error.

The survey of 560 SMB owners conducted just weeks ago shows something else: businesses without access to financing are 75% more likely to have no plan to offset costs from tariffs and economic uncertainty. They're operating in survival mode, not growth mode.

This is where fractional CFO services become mission-critical. When you're running lean with minimal cash reserves, you can't afford financial leadership that drains your working capital. But you also can't afford to operate without strategic financial oversight.

At Trackline Partners, we see this reality every day: portfolio companies and middle market businesses that need sophisticated financial operations, accurate reporting, and strategic cash management, but don't have the runway for a full-time CFO's salary, benefits, and overhead.

Our fractional model delivers investor-ready financial leadership without the six-figure commitment. We handle monthly close, system optimization, and cash flow forecasting—the operational precision that keeps your business moving while tariffs, consumer pullback, and economic headwinds create uncertainty.

Because when half your competitors are relying on hope and a checking account balance, having actual financial strategy is the competitive advantage.