Podcast

Learn from Fast Growing 7-8 Figure Online Retailers and eCommerce Experts

EPISODE 295 40 mins

Reducing Cash Conversion Cycles with Crowdfunded Inventory Finance



About the guests

Sean De Clercq

Kunle Campbell

Sean De Clercq is the CEO of Kickfurther, the world’s first online inventory funding platform. Throughout his entrepreneurial career, Sean’s driving goal has been to create a solution to one of the most difficult problems that growing businesses face: Overcoming funding the production of their inventory. Fittingly, Sean created Kickfurther to fund inventory for direct-to-consumer and major store brands such as Target, Amazon, Aldi, and more.



On today’s episode, Kunle is joined by Sean De Clercq, CEO at KickFurther, a 7-year-old platform helping DTC and eCommerce brands raise inventory finance through crowdfunding.

 

Managing inventory levels is a perpetual puzzle for businesses dealing in physical products. Have too much and the costs eat into your profits. Too little and you risk being sold out and losing orders to the competition. Solving this problem through timely funding allows businesses to reap the benefits of placing bulk orders, being in control of their inventory, and ultimately boosting profits.

 

Kickfurther has innovated the way businesses can raise this crucial working capital, and it is through crowdfunding. Investors on their platform can fund inventory that will eventually be sold to someone else, and earn a commission along the way. This model offers a different and often quicker way for businesses to fund working capital.

 

In this episode, Kunle and Sean talk about using crowdfunding to fund your inventory. You will get to hear about the challenges businesses face with Cash Flow and Conversion cycles, and how crowdfunding could be a great way to raise working capital. This is a great episode for business owners and anyone interested in alternate sources of capital.

 

Here is a summary of some of the most important points made,

    • Kickfurther’s model allows Investors to fund inventory that they don’t take delivery of
    • Customers are no longer patient, upto 87% just buy from competitors if you’re out of stock
    • People tend to fund businesses that align with their own beliefs
    • eCom companies have more exit options now

 

Covered Topics:

On today’s interview Kunle and Sean discuss,

  • Kickfurther’s Business Model
  • Cash Flow Challenges
  • Cash Conversion Cycles
  • Retail and eCom trends
  • eCom Funding Landscape

Timestamp:

  • 08:00 – A bit about Sean and Kickfurther:
    • Launched in 2014
    • World’s first inventory crowdfunding platform
    • 70% of investors are males
  • 11:00 – Business model:
    • Fund the inventory
    • Business pays investors consignment profits (1-2% per month)
    • Fund physical inventory even without an order
    • $500-1000 is the average investment
  • 14:10 – What draws investors:
    • People support products they themselves would use
    • Re-sellability
    • Sustainable products
    • “People fund businesses that align with their own beliefs”
  • 17:10 – Cash flow issues:
    • Getting credit from manufacturers
    • Big gap between when you pay for inventory and when you can sell it
  • 19:00 – Cash conversion cycle:
    • Time it takes to convert cash to capital and back to cash again
    • “87% of customers just buy from your competitors if you’re out of stock”
    • Timely funding opens up more opportunity for businesses
  • 30:00 – Kickfurther’s fees
    • Flat 5% funding success fee
    • 1.5% withdrawal fee
  • 32:25 – Current trends:
    • The retail revolution is gaining momentum
    • Lot of eCom companies are getting bought out (at upto 3x revenue)
    • There is a clear exit path for businesses
  • 35:25 – eCommerce funding landscape

Takeaways:

  • Businesses can raise inventory finance in as quickly as 2 weeks
  • 87% of customers just buy from competitors if you’re out of stock
  • Many eCom businesses are getting bought out at upto 3x Revenue

Links & Resources

Tweetable Quotes:

“People fund businesses that align with their own beliefs.”

Facebook Group • Continue the Conversation

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Here is where to apply to join the Facebook group
>>http://bit.ly/ecommercefb<<

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About the host:

Kunle Campbell

An ecommerce advisor to ambitious, agile online retailers and funded ecommerce startups seeking exponentially sales growth through scalable customer acquisition, retention, conversion optimisation, product/market fit optimisation and customer referrals.

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