Creating an environment for growth
For Danny Farah, CEO of Chief Group Services, the turning point came when more of his clients moved to 30, 45 and even 60-day payment terms. “We pay our staff weekly,” he says, “so that model started putting pressure on our bank account.”
The business, which provides security and cleaning services in five cities, employs more than 350 direct employees and a further 150 employees via subcontractors. The growth has been steady but, as Danny puts it, “cash flow just wasn’t keeping up.” He even resorted to using personal funds to bridge the gap. “I loaned the company nearly a million dollars just to cover payroll,” he says. “It was challenging.”
Danny’s experience is far from unique. Research commissioned by CommBank in 2025 found that over a quarter of Australian small business owners dipped into personal savings, didn’t pay themselves a salary, or used a combination of both to help manage purchases or payments in the last year. But rather than scale back or slow down, Danny looked for a better way forward.
That’s when he was introduced to CommBank’s Stream Working Capital – a type of invoice financing that gives eligible businesses fast access to the funds tied up in unpaid invoices, directly through their existing accounting software. “I’ve used invoice financing before, but this is different,” says Danny. “Other systems create extra admin. With Stream, our clients experience no disruptions or notice any changes, and neither do we. It seamlessly integrates into our accounting software making banking 100 times better.”
Turning invoices into opportunities
Importantly, Danny says Stream hasn’t just eased short-term cash-flow pressures, it’s helped him take on more ambitious projects with confidence. “I don’t stress about payroll anymore,” he says. “If a large invoice comes in, I know we can handle it, and we can tender for large contracts without worrying about whether we’ll be able to service them.” The business lead also shares that the support he receives from CommBank has only added to the overall experience. “If I need something, my Relationship Manager is onto it,” says Danny.
A fresh perspective on financing
For many businesses, invoice finance has long carried a stigma – something you turn to only in a crisis. However, Danny’s experience reveals a different narrative. In fact, he is actively recommending the service to friends in business. “When I tell other business leads about Stream, they can't believe how simple it sounds. They think I'm exaggerating when I describe how it transformed our cash flow,” says Danny. “It’s been amazing. I can’t thank CommBank enough.”
As businesses across Australia continue to face challenges around cash flow and growth, the need for flexible, tech-enabled finance solutions will only grow. Stream Working Capital is already helping businesses – and over the next few years, CommBank will continue to build on their commitment to help businesses seize new opportunities. For every invoice that hasn’t been paid, there’s a business that deserves to move forward.
