Launched in 2015, the program brings together key city agencies, including NYCHA and the NYC Department of Small Business Services, with additional support from nonprofit partners. The largest donor is Citi Community Development, a Citigroup , Inc. unit, which has provided approximately $500,000. The City of New York has provided $215,000 in public funding as well.

Sandra Mathis, a graduate from last year who runs Grace Kelli Cupcakes, said the program has given her the confidence she can eventually succeed. Still, operating the baked-goods company named after her daughter is a challenge—revenue can range from $100 to $3,000 a month.

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According to Business Insider, cash-flow problems account for 82 percent of all small-business failures. That’s nearly double the second-place factor (no market need for the product). If you run a small business, you’re more likely to succeed by selling a product no one wants than you are with a weak cash flow.

Necessary expenses either make you money or differentiate your business from the competition. If you pay a lot for customer service representatives, but your company offers the best service in its niche, that’s not an unnecessary expense — it’s a market differentiator. If you spend tons of money on an automated service line that’s rarely used, that’s an expense to chop.

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“No matter how good business is out of the gate, many restaurants have to rejigger something after its initial debut. Maybe it’s revamping a menu, nixing dishes, or overhauling an entire kitchen staff. Sometimes it’s altering hours of business, or redesigning the dining room for flow. Working with an outside group can help determine those changes, but the question for many is when to bring them in. For some, it’s before a restaurant opens; for others it’s when sales start to falter. Sometimes they can help after a few short months.”

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