Author
Andy Cagle
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Managing early growth and overcoming cash flow obstacles.
Four decades working in security services has earned Felix Cabreja a reputation for quality temp staffing throughout New York and New Jersey. He previously served as joint owner of a well-known guard and patrol staffing firm that regularly provided hundreds of personnel to government and private organizations.
This experience and notoriety paid dividends when Felix decided to launch his own business, A&H Security Services. A&H began winning contracts and building its book of business right away. But despite these early tailwinds, the company’s longevity was in jeopardy from day one, and for a good reason. A&H launched in July of 2020— mid-pandemic in the U.S.
“No one was providing working capital,” said Cabreja. “Banks were focused on PPP loans. I couldn’t even reach a representative at that time.”
Uncertain of how he would fund his rapidly growing staffing firm, Felix contacted several alternative financing providers. He found LSQ refreshingly easy to work with and quickly established rapport with his LSQ representative, who provided information on the immediate and long-term benefits of accounts receivable financing, or AR financing for short.
“The information that LSQ required was straightforward. I learned their solutions would generate instant funds to finance payroll, insurance, and things like that,” Cabreja recalled.
After listening to Felix and understanding A&H’s needs, it was clear that the startup was experiencing a high-growth stage and required working capital to scale quickly. LSQ’s team worked hand-in-hand with Felix, well aware of the urgency to expedite his access to capital.
“It was so important, and it actually saved me. Because of LSQ, I am where I am today,” explained Cabreja. “We submitted our documentation, and LSQ’s team advanced our invoices for each client. Everything happened very quickly.”
Leveraging AR Financing to support longevity.
LSQ’s cash flow management platform and built-in back office services proved to be a perfect pairing for A&H. Invoice verifications helped avoid payment errors and reduced the company’s cost of capital. Concurrently, real-time credit reporting mitigated the risk of unpaid invoices, and the late payment collections team saved Felix time while maximizing his access to liquidity.
“When I first started, it was like a rollercoaster because my clients were dealing with the financial impact of the pandemic,” recollected Cabreja. “LSQ was very proactive, and I appreciate it because at that stage I could not afford for individuals to go without paying on time. LSQ was there with the resources to make sure that did not occur.”
Felix was equally impressed with the relationships he formed with LSQ’s staff and the flexibility it afforded him.
“What’s incredible was the amount that LSQ was able to finance. If I needed it, they continued funding me. My account manager and I had very close communication. They never said ‘no’ or gave up on me. I was able to get through those tough times because of that.”
While A&H’s cash flow troubles subsided, the business continued to experience explosive growth after partnering with LSQ. Having more than doubled revenue, expanded his client base, and fortified the company’s balance sheet, Felix transitioned to traditional financing within twelve months of submitting his first invoice to LSQ.
What’s next for A&H Security Services?
Of A&H’s future, Cabreja said, “My goal is to get to the volume I was doing before the pandemic with my previous company. It’s thanks to LSQ that I have the possibility of doing that in two or three years. I’m now financially capable of handling that volume, and I plan to grow by four or five hundred percent in the next 18 months.”
Discover how LSQ can help your business fund growth by visiting lsq.com or emailing [email protected].
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