Over 80 business owners and fintech experts gathered at Tech Listens: Smart Finance – Strengthening SMEs’ Cash Flow, an event designed to help SMEs navigate their financial challenges, optimize cash flow, and leverage smart financing strategies. Held at Common Ground Rockwell, the session featured industry speakers who shared actionable insights on building financial resilience through digital tools and strategic planning.
Financial Transparency in the Digital Age
Mickael Cardoso, CEO & Co-Founder of CloudCFO Inc., emphasized that digitalization alone can’t fix financial mismanagement.
Businesses must first understand their financial systems and compliance obligations before implementing digital solutions. Many SMEs adopt accounting software without proper integration, resulting in fragmented financial data, while regulatory challenges in the Philippines further slow digital transformation.
Turning Assets into Growth Opportunities
Aian Guanzon, Financial Inclusion Advocate & Financing Expert from GoodDeal, highlighted how SMEs can refinance existing assets like vehicles, equipment, and real estate to unlock liquidity for expansion. Many business owners overlook these options, preventing efficient scaling. Understanding financing alternatives beyond traditional loans can significantly impact business growth and sustainability.
Cash funding:A Key Indicator of Financial Health
EJ Bergara, Partnerships Manager at First Circle, explained why cash flow—not revenue—determines business sustainability.
Many SMEs struggle with liquidity due to dependence on rigid traditional bank loans. He introduced alternative solutions like revenue-based and invoice financing, which offer more flexible funding structures without fixed repayment schedules that could strain operations.
Collaborative Learning and Networking
Beyond the talks, attendees actively engaged in question and answer sessions and networking, exchanging insights and learning from one another’s experiences. The event reinforced the idea that strong financial processes and proper funding can significantly impact an SME’s ability to scale and sustain operations in a competitive business landscape.
ADVT.
This article is brought to you by Symph.
