In this episode of In The Money, we sit down with Andrew Barone at Rosenthal & Rosenthal, one of the leading privately held asset-based lenders. Andrew has financed hundreds of consumer and eCommerce brands through every stage of growth.

We dive deep into the real financial mechanics behind consumer brands:
inventory cycles, margin truth, receivables risk, retail payment terms, PO financing, seasonal cash crunches, and what actually happens when a brand runs out of runway.

Whether you’re a founder, CFO, investor, or operator, this is a masterclass in non-dilutive capital, credit underwriting, and how to fund growth without blowing up your balance sheet.

What We Cover:

• How asset-based lending really works for DTC & omnichannel brands

• When to use inventory financing, PO financing, or receivables factoring

• How lenders evaluate risk: margin structure, customer concentration, and operational maturity

• What causes working capital crises in consumer brands

• The biggest mistakes founders make with cash flow forecasting

• How “real margins” differ from Shopify dashboards

• Why non-dilutive credit can outperform equity for certain brands

• What lenders see in the market right now: demand, distress, consolidation