Trade Finance in Ten by Mainstreet MEP®

Paying bills late can quietly damage your business long before problems show up on your P&L.

In this episode of Trade Finance in Ten, we break down Accounts Payable and explain how it protects your cash position while preserving trust with vendors. You’ll learn how to read payables in plain language, why timing matters more than speed, and how poor AP habits lead to supply issues, pricing problems, and stress.

We also cover how to prioritize payments without burning bridges or creating surprises.

👉 [LINK TO EPISODE 5 SUMMARY SHEET]

👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need to talk to someone that can help? Free consultation. Click here⁠⁠⁠⁠

Trade Finance in Ten is powered by MainStreet MEP — Know your numbers. Grow your business.

Profit can look good on paper while your bank account tells a very different story. In this episode of Trade Finance in Ten, we break down the Statement of Cash Flows and explain how money actually moves through your business.

You’ll learn the difference between operating, investing, and financing cash, why growth can drain cash even when jobs are profitable, and how this report explains where your money really went each month. We also connect cash flow decisions to equipment purchases, debt payments, and owner draws so you can stop guessing and start planning.

Download the Summary Sheet here:

👉 ⁠⁠Link to Episode Four Summary Sheet and Action Checklist⁠⁠

👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Need to talk to someone that can help? Free consultation. Click here⁠⁠⁠

Trade Finance in Ten is powered by MainStreet MEP — Know your numbers. Grow your business.

Profit doesn’t tell the whole story. In this episode of Trade Finance in Ten, we break down the Balance Sheet and explain how it shows the real financial strength of your business—beyond just income and expenses.

You’ll learn how to read assets, liabilities, and owner equity in plain language, why profitable companies can still feel tight on cash, and how the Balance Sheet reveals risks that don’t show up on your P&L. You'll also learn why keeping track of owners draws and capital accounts matters.

Download the Summary Sheet here:

👉 ⁠Link to Episode Three Summary Sheet and Action Checklist⁠

👉 ⁠⁠⁠Need to talk to someone that can help? Free consultation. Click here⁠⁠

Trade Finance in Ten is powered by MainStreet MEP — Know your numbers. Grow your business.

In this episode of Trade Finance in Ten, we break down the Profit and Loss report in plain English and show trade owners how lenders actually read it. You’ll learn why revenue spikes and dips raise red flags, how job costs and overhead affect real profitability, and why profit on paper doesn’t always mean cash in the bank.

We walk through revenue, job costs, gross profit, operating expenses, and net profit, then finish with a simple month-end review routine you can use to run a more stable, profitable trade business.

Download the Episode Summary Sheet and Checklist here:

👉 ⁠Link to Episode Two Summary Sheet and Action Checklist⁠

👉 ⁠⁠⁠Need to talk to someone that can help? Free Consultation. Click here⁠

Trade Finance in Ten is powered by MainStreet MEP — Know your numbers. Grow your business.

Strong businesses run on timely, accurate numbers. In this episode of Trade Finance in Ten, we explain why having your financial reports ready by the 10th of each month matters, and which five reports every service business owner should review.

You’ll learn how simple daily routines feed into a scheduled monthly close, create clarity, prevent surprises, and help you stay in control of your business without getting buried in the details.

Download the Episode Summary here:

👉 Link to Episode One Summary Sheet and Action Checklist

👉 ⁠⁠Need to talk to someone that can help? Free consultation. Click here⁠

Trade Finance in Ten is powered by Mainstreet MEP™ - Know your numbers. Grow your business.

Welcome to Mainstreet MEP's Trade Finance in Ten. In this intro episode, host Robyn shares her background, the values that drive her work with trades businesses, and what inspired this podcast and bootcamp. Discover how the show transforms the Mainstreet MEP Bootcamp into bite-sized, practical weekly lessons that any service company owner or manager can use—whether you're just starting out or at $20M a year. Learn what to expect from the podcast, how each ~10-minute episode is structured around the bootcamp, and why this straight-talking approach to finance can help you make better decisions for your business.

** We're kicking off our new show on Monday, January 5, 2026, and a new episode and the related cheat sheet will drop every Monday morning afterwards. **

Hey there, I'm Robyn, founder of MainStreet MEP and a former commercial mechanical business owner who eventually sold to private equity. Since then, I've spent years serving as a fractional CFO to the trades. What I keep hearing is simple: Many of you feel the numbers are a mystery and cash flow feels like a moving target. Some of you never had a basic finance course, and that's okay, because finance isn't as hard as it seems. Once you know which numbers to watch and how to use them, they become powerful tools for everyday decisions.

That's why I created Trade Finance in Ten, powered by MainStreet MEP. Every week I break down one practical finance tip—no jargon, no BS, and something you can start applying right after the show ends. If you're ready to demystify the books and get your business on the right financial track, then let's dive in.

Disclaimer: This podcast offers general financial information for educational purposes only and is not tailored to your specific business needs; the host and producers disclaim any liability for losses or damages arising from its use. Please consult a qualified professional to verify that any advice aligns with your company's unique circumstances.