NOSH Live Video: Cash is Like Oxygen

At NOSH Live last week, entrepreneurs hailing from a variety of companies and backgrounds gathered to network and learn from successful industry leaders. As part of the event’s slate of speakers,  T.J. McIntyre, currently CEO of Bobo’s Oat Bars, shared lessons from a career spent working with high growth companies and managing cash flow in and out of their businesses.

The reason to pay attention to cash flow, he told the crowd, is “that when cash goes away from you it really starts to hurt in ways that maybe you didn’t anticipate.”

McIntyre highlighted three key lessons from his decades of experience. First, reflecting on his time at Frontier Natural Products Co-Op, he explained why brands must always have realistic forecasts for sales, revenue and growth. Second, pulling from his time at Boulder Brands which acquired Glutino and Udi’s gluten-free brands, he explained the importance of recognizing when a brand has hit its peak (and realistically may want to consider exiting) — or at least when it has hit its current limits. And three, inspired by Bobo’s most recent product launches, when to prioritize and when to hold back on innovation.

McIntyre also explored key tenants to keep a healthy bank balance, such as prioritizing revenue and “continuously achieving cost excellence.”