What should I do first when my business is losing money?

Get control of cash before anything else. Build a short 13-week cash-flow view, stem non-essential spending, and chase receivables. You cannot out-sell a cash crunch, so the first 30 days are about control, not growth.

How long does an SME turnaround take?

The first 90 days are decisive for stabilising, but a full turnaround to sustainable profitability usually takes longer. A staged approach, stop the bleed, stabilise, then rebuild, is what makes it stick.

Can a business turnaround be funded by a grant?

Often yes. Turnaround and business-strategy work can fall within what the EnterpriseSG EDG supports for eligible SMEs, up to 50% of qualifying cost. A diagnosis confirms the scope and funding fit.

When should I bring in outside help for a turnaround?

When the picture is unclear, when the same problems keep recurring, or when you need to move faster than internal capacity allows. External help is usually cheapest early, before a crisis forces decisions.

How to Turn Around a Loss-Making SME in Singapore: A 90-Day Action Plan

A turnaround is not one big move; it is a sequence. When a business is losing money, the first 90 days set the trajectory. Here is a practical plan.

The instinct when a business is bleeding is to chase more sales. Usually that is the wrong first move. You cannot out-sell a broken cost base or a cash crunch. A turnaround works in stages: stop the bleed, stabilise, then rebuild. This maps directly onto the Survivability stage of the 3S model.

Days 1–30: Stop the bleed

The first month is about control, not growth. Get a clear, current picture of cash and stem the outflow.

Build a short cash-flow view so you know exactly what is coming in and out over the next 13 weeks.
Cut or pause non-essential spend. Separate what keeps the business running from what is nice to have.
Chase receivables hard and slow non-critical payments where you can, without damaging key relationships.

Days 31–60: Stabilise

With cash under control, fix the reasons the business was losing money.

Find where margin is leaking — underpriced work, discounting, waste, or unprofitable lines or customers.
Renegotiate the big fixed costs (rent, key suppliers) from a position of a clear plan, not panic.
Protect the core: the products, customers and people that actually make money.

Days 61–90: Rebuild

Now you can plan forward from stable ground.

Set a simple, focused plan for the next two quarters with measurable targets.
Fix the process and pricing issues that caused the losses so they do not recur.
Rebuild toward a sustainable, repeatable model rather than a return to firefighting.

The businesses that recover fastest act on the early signs and work the stages in order. The ones that struggle skip straight to chasing revenue on an unstable base.

When to get help — and can grants fund it?

If the picture is unclear or the same problems keep returning, external help pays for itself quickly. Turnaround and business-strategy work can fall within what the EnterpriseSG EDG supports for eligible SMEs. Watch for the early warning signs so you act before a crisis forces the issue.

The short version

Turn around a loss-making SME in stages: days 1–30 stop the cash bleed, days 31–60 stabilise margins and costs, days 61–90 rebuild a sustainable plan. Do not chase revenue on a broken base. Turnaround work can often be part-funded by the EDG.