Will your small business thrive? Here's a quick way to know

When you first started your small business, you probably felt it was a scramble to pay every bill. A few years in, you may have found that your cash flow settled into a groove—or maybe it didn't. The pattern of your cash flow may not be something you think about often. Yet, the way money comes in and out of your accounts can tell you a lot about the health of your business, and your prospects for thriving over the long term. According to research from the JPMorgan Chase Institute, based on an analysis of 3.1 billion transactions in business banking accounts, there are seven common cash flow patterns—from regular revenues and expenses that occur weekly, to volatile expenses or sporadic revenues with a heavy dependence on financing. Irregular cash flows are normal in the first years of a business. Over time, however, you should attain more consistent and regular cash flow—because businesses that don't, likely won't last.