Practical takeaways for founders to protect and grow their cash.

Sponsored by Highbeam – The financial platform built to protect and empower modern brands. Highbeam is a founder-focused cash and banking platform. With FDIC-insured accounts, high-yield cash management, and real-time financial visibility, Highbeam helps CPG brands stay liquid, secure, and ready for anything.

A Turning Point for Founder Finances

In March 2023, the unexpected collapse of Silicon Valley Bank raised an important question for many founders: Is our cash as secure and well-managed as it could be?

Here’s the good news, the FDIC ultimately protected all deposits—covering even those above the standard $250,000 insurance limit (pbs.org). As a founder, it raises the question, how should you manage the cash in your business?

What Founders Learned

The SVB collapse revealed a few common gaps in how startups and growing brands manage their money:

• Too much cash in one place
  
• No backup plan for quick access to funds
  
• Limited visibility into cash balances and risk exposure
  

Many businesses were parked in a single bank account, with balances far beyond FDIC coverage. While everything worked out in the end, the event underscored the value of building stronger systems for financial security and planning.

Founders need tools that do more than store cash—they need platforms that help them manage it intentionally.

A Smarter Way to Manage Cash

Rather than a one-time reaction, the SVB moment has led many founders to take a fresh look at their financial setup. It’s not about panic—it’s about proactive planning. I used to only have one business bank, but I’ve since diversified to multiple bank accounts and institutions to make sure no single bank collapse can cause cashflow issues. Starting this year I am using Highbeam both as a bank account, and as a bank aggregator, as it allows me to connect all my accounts and view them in a unified dashboard. Here are the steps I took to manage my cash:

1. Diversify my accounts – Spread my cash across accounts or institutions to stay within FDIC limits.
   
2. Separate funds – Keep operating cash and reserves in different accounts, using high-yield options for idle funds.
   
3. Plan ahead – Building a 60-day cash access plan so I know where funds are and how to quickly move them.
   
4. Setup Highbeam – Use it as a unified banking dashboard to oversee all my accounts, and get up to $3M in FDIC insurance on my cash.
   

Final Thoughts

The SVB collapse didn’t result in lost funds for customers—but it did prompt an important conversation. Founders now recognize that banking isn’t just a back-office function—it’s a foundational piece of building a secure, flexible business.

If you’re looking for a better way to manage your company’s cash, we’d be happy to introduce you to the team at Highbeam. Their platform was built to help founders stay one step ahead—and it shows. Get your free Highbeam account and build a banking and cash management strategy today.