The “Friday Payroll” Problem: How to Bridge the 60-Day Gap Between Work and Payment
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It’s Tuesday and payroll is due Friday, fuel cards need topping up and suppliers are chasing payment.
You check the bank balance and it’s tight, even though you’re sitting on $100,000 in unpaid invoices.
If you run a Labour Hire, Transport, or Manufacturing business, you’ll know that this isn’t unusual, it’s simply the reality of operating in a B2B environment where weekly costs collide with slow-paying clients.
The maths behind the cash flow gap
Most growing B2B businesses operate inside the same equation:
You pay staff weekly. -> Your client pays in 45 to 60 days.
That means your business is effectively funding your client’s operations for more than 50 days.
You cover wages, fuel, materials, insurance, super, repairs, and tax, all before a dollar lands in your account. The faster you grow, the more cash gets trapped in receivables.
This is why many profitable businesses still feel cash-poor. Growth increases revenue, but it also increases the amount of money tied up waiting to be paid.
Why the gap holds businesses back
When cash is locked up in invoices, decision-making changes. Over our years of operation we’ve noted that owners hesitate before taking on new contracts, supplier payments get stretched, hiring is delayed and growth opportunities are passed over because they require upfront spend.
Banks don’t solve this problem well as traditional loans and overdrafts are slow to be approved, fixed in size, and often tied to property security. Most notably they don’t address the timing mismatch between when costs are incurred and when revenue is received.
The solution: Turning invoices into working capital
Invoice finance addresses the timing problem directly, instead of waiting 60 days for payment, financing advances up to 80% of the value of your invoices immediately. When the client eventually pays, the remaining balance is released to you, less a fee.
Our process is simple:
You issue an invoice.
Brunswick advances the funds.
You pay wages, fuel, suppliers, or tax.
The client pays later.
There’s no need to offer property as security and no requirement to wait weeks for approval. You’re unlocking cash that’s already owed to your business. The result is predictable cash flow, even when your clients pay slowly.
How this works in real businesses
For Labour Hire operators, payroll is non-negotiable. Staff must be paid weekly, regardless of when the client settles their invoice. Invoice finance ensures wages, super, and insurance can be covered without stress, allowing businesses to take on larger placements confidently.
In Transport, the challenge is keeping vehicles moving. Fuel, repairs, tyres, and driver pay does not wait for 60-day payment terms. Invoice finance smooths cash flow so operators can maintain fleets and accept more work without cash constraints.
For Manufacturing and Wholesale, growth depends on being able to purchase materials and stock ahead of the next order. When cash is stuck in receivables, production slows. Invoice finance frees up working capital so orders can be fulfilled on time and larger contracts can be accepted.
In each case, the benefit is the same: cash flow keeps pace with operations
Invoice finance is often misunderstood as something businesses turn to when they’re in trouble, in reality, it’s most effective for businesses that are growing.
Brunswick works with profitable companies that are winning work but constrained by payment terms, companies where their problem isn’t performance, but timing.
Invoice finance removes that friction and allows businesses to operate based on the work they’re doing now, not the cash that happens to be in the bank today.
When payroll is due, speed matters
Cash flow pressure doesn’t build slowly, it shows up mid-week when commitments are fixed and payments are delayed.
That’s why Brunswick focuses on speed and flexibility. For eligible businesses, funding can be assessed and released quickly, often within 24 hours.
No rigid bank-style processes.
No property security.
No drawn-out approvals.
Just a practical solution to a common problem.
The takeaway
Profit is an opinion. Cash is a fact.
If your business is growing but weekly costs keep creating pressure, the issue isn’t how hard you’re working. It’s the delay between delivery and payment.
Invoice finance bridges that gap so cash flow doesn’t hold your business back.
Payroll due this week?
If you have invoices sitting unpaid and commitments landing fast, Brunswick can help.
Talk to our team today and see how quickly you can turn invoices into working capital.