The Worst Ways To Use Debt In E-Commerce (Avoid These Mistakes)

Описание: Welcome to the Ecom Scaling Show, brought to you by Free To Grow CFO and Aplo Group! Join hosts Jon Blair (Founder, Free To Grow CFO) and Dylan Byers (Co-founder, Aplo Group) as they dive into the high-stakes world of business leverage and debt financing.

In Episode 41, Jon and Dylan play a game called "Should You Finance This?" to determine exactly when e-commerce brands should use debt versus when it becomes a dangerous trap. With platforms like Shopify Capital making debt accessible to almost everyone, the hosts break down the specific rules for financing Ad Spend, Inventory, R&D, Hiring, and even Equity Buyouts.

They explain the critical difference between "float" (trade payables) and actual debt, why you should never finance assets you can't hand back to the bank (the collateral rule), and the behavioral danger of using debt to "go bigger" than your data supports. If you are considering taking a loan to grow your business, this episode provides a strict CFO checklist to ensure you don't over-leverage your future.

Timestamps:
00:20 - The "Should You Finance This?" Game
01:55 - Round 1: Should You Finance Ad Spend?
04:00 - The Difference Between "Float" (Credit Cards) and Debt
05:40 - Round 2: Financing R&D and New Product Launches
06:00 - Why Inventory is the Most Common Use of Debt
09:00 - The "Collateral Rule": Can You Hand the Asset Back?
10:55 - Round 3: Financing CapEx (Equipment & Machinery)
13:45 - Round 4: Should You Use Debt to Hire Staff?
16:55 - Round 5: Financing Equity Buyouts & Acquisitions
19:50 - The SBA Loan Trap: Undercapitalizing Working Capital
22:45 - Best Practices: The Behavioral Trap of "Going Bigger"
25:15 - Final Thoughts: Matching Debt to Confidence Levels

Free To Grow CFO: https://freetogrowcfo.com/
Aplo Group: https://www.aplogroup.com/
Jon Blair on LinkedIn:   / jonathon-albert-blair  
Dylan Byers on LinkedIn:   / dylan-byers-046010149  

#ecommerce #dtc #finance #agency #podcast #shopify #ads #scalingyourbrand #demandplanning #inventory #shopifyplus