In order to better serve their rural patients, Drs. Greg and Don Kaye (brothers) began giving safety seminars. Especially popular were their “emergency-preparedness” talks given to farmers. Many people asked whether the “kit” of materials the doctors recommended for common farm emergencies was commercially available.

   After checking with several suppliers, the doctors realized that no other company offered the supplies they recommended in their seminars, packaged in the way they described. Their wives, Jo and Jan, agreed to make a test package by ordering supplies from various medical supply companies and assembling them into a “kit” that could be sold at the seminars. When these kits proved a runaway success, the sisters-in-law decided to market them. At the advice of their accountant, they organized this venture as a separate company, called First Aid Products (FAP), with Jo Kaye as CEO and Jan Kaye as Secretary-Treasurer.

   FAP soon started receiving requests for the kits from all over the country, as word spread about their availability. Even without advertising, FAP was able to sell its full inventory every month. However, the company was becoming financially strained. Jo and Jan had about $100,000 in savings, and they invested about half that amount initially. They believed that this venture would allow them to make money. However, at the present time, only about $30,000 of the cash remains, and the company is constantly short of cash.

   Jo has come to you for advice. She does not understand why the company is having cash fl ow problems. She and Jan have not even been withdrawing salaries. However, they have rented a local building and have hired two more full-time workers to help them cope with the increasing demand. They do not think they could handle the demand without this additional help.

   Jo is also worried that the cash problems mean that the company may not be able to support itself. She has prepared the cash budget shown below. All seminar customers pay for their products in full at the time of purchase. In addition, several large companies have ordered the kits for use by employees who work in remote sites. They have requested credit terms and have been allowed to pay in the month following the sale. These large purchasers amount to about 25% of the sales at the present time. FAP purchases the materials for the kits about 2 months ahead of time. Jo and Jan are considering slowing the growth of the company by simply purchasing less materials, which will mean selling fewer kits

   The workers are paid in cash weekly. Jo and Jan need about $15,000 cash on hand at the beginning of the month to pay for purchases of raw materials. Right now they have been using cash from their savings, but as noted, only $30,000 is left.

Instructions
Write a response to Jo Kaye. Explain why FAP is short of cash. Will this company be able to support itself? Explain your answer. Make any recommendations you deem appropriate.