BFM 89.9

HIGHLIGHTS 
Podcast  >  Enterprise  >  P&L  >  Is Your Startup Burning Cash Too Fast? 3 Red Flags To Watch

Is Your Startup Burning Cash Too Fast? 3 Red Flags To Watch

Chan Qi Yang, Co-Founder, FinKnight | Chang Lih Yen, Co-Founder, FinKnight

23-Jun-25 11:00

Is Your Startup Burning Cash Too Fast? 3 Red Flags To Watch

Most startups don't fail because of a bad product; they fail because they run out of money. In a tough funding climate, maximising cash flow, and optimising burn rate and runway is no longer optional, it's essential for survival. So, how can founders balance the need for growth with disciplined financial management?

Chan Qi Yang and Chang Lih Yen, co-founders of the financial advisory firm FinKnight, join us to share a practical playbook for early-stage startups. They demystify critical concepts like core burn rate, cash conversion cycles, and flux analysis to help founders gain control over their numbers.

We discuss:

  • The critical difference between being profitable and being cash-flow positive.

  • How to properly calculate and manage your core burn rate.

  • Key strategies for optimising your cash conversion cycle ("money in fast, money out slow").

  • How to balance growth spending with cost control by treating every dollar as a test.

  • Common financial mistakes and how early-stage founders can avoid them.

For founders and entrepreneurs navigating the challenges of scaling, this conversation has crucial lessons in financial discipline and strategic cash management.

Produced by: Roshan Kanesan

Presented by: Roshan Kanesan


This and more than 60,000 other podcasts in your hand. Download the all new BFM mobile app.

Categories:  CorporatesmanagingentrepreneursSMEinvestmentsfinancial wellness

Tags:  burn ratestartup financecash flow managementfundraising





Play / Pause

Listen now : Enterprise Explores: The Economy: Strong 2025, but Pain in 2026? Pankaj Kumar...

Today’s Shows



6:00 AM

The 6AM Stretch

Thought-provoking discussions on ideas, people and events shaping our lives.

7:00 AM

World Market Watch

Kingsley Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Jevons Global tells us where international markets are heading.

7:15 AM

Morning Brief

We recap global and local headlines from today's papers and portals.

7:30 AM

Morning Brief

Chen Zheng of CITIC Securities shares his outlook on China’s economy.

7:45 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Wong Chin Huat, Political Scientist at Sunway University, weighs in on whether the Madani Government can deliver key reforms with less than 24 months remaining.

8:00 AM

The Breakfast Grille

Hannah Pearson of Pear Anderson, and Nigel Wong, President of MATTA discuss Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

8:30 AM

Morning Brief

Dr. Kathryn Robison of University of Sydney discusses the legality of the US incursion into Venezuela and the plans for interim governance following Maduro’s arrest.

8:45 AM

Morning Brief

Dr Elsa Satkunasingam, Director and Senior Lecturer at Iclif, Asia School of Business, on governance across Malaysia’s sovereign wealth funds.

9:00 AM

Opening Bell

Kingsley Jones, Chief Investment Officer, Jevons Global tells us where international markets are heading.

9:15 AM

Opening Bell

Royce Tan of MBSB Research discusses which companies stand to benefit from Malaysia’s push toward net zero emissions by 2050.

9:35 AM

Pinnacle Perspectives

Andy See, Founder and Managing Director of Perspective Strategies and former President of the Public Relations Global Network, talks about PR trends in 2026 and AI being the new KOL.

10:05 AM

Open For Business

Joseph Chin discusses the rise of AI Tinkerers KL, a community of nearly 2,000 members moving past the "AI hype" to focus on real demos over pitch decks. He also shares his journey bootstrapping DocuAsk to 250,000 users and $40,000 in monthly revenue.

11:05 AM

P&L

The End of Co-Founders? The Rise of AI & Seedstrapping. Indelible Ventures’ Kevin Brockland explores why solo-founded startups spiked to 36% in 2025 & unpacks how AI is powering this trend.

12:00 PM

Enterprise Explores

The Economy: Strong 2025, but Pain in 2026? Pankaj Kumar grades Malaysia’s 2025 GDP performance, explores the realism of Ringgit to 3.80, and the concerns from US & China slowing down.

2:05 PM

Discovery Hour

An eclectic selection of BBC shows, curated with variety in mind.

3:05 PM

Earth Matters

Fireflies in Bukit Kiara signal ecosystem health under urban pressure. We explore why they matter, and how a new intiative called The Glow Campaign is driving collective action.

4:05 PM

Health & Living

Life after cancer treatment means constant vigilance against the possibility of recurrence. A cancer patient talks about how she lives with hope, instead of fear.

5:00 PM

Top 5 at 5

A countdown of the 5 biggest stories of the day, to catch you up on all you need to know!

6:00 PM

Today I Learned

7:00 PM

Just For Kicks

8:00 PM

A Bit of Culture