Process AutomationvsBurn Rate

Process automation replaces manual, repetitive tasks with technology-driven workflows. Every hour spent on automatable tasks costs 3-5x more than the automation itself over 12 months. Companies that automate key processes see 30-50% efficiency gains within the first year. McKinsey estimates 60% of all occupations have at least 30% automatable activities — the question isn't IF you'll automate, but WHEN.

Burn rate is the speed at which your company spends cash reserves before generating positive cash flow. Gross burn is total monthly spending; net burn is spending minus revenue. A startup with $50K/month expenses and $20K/month revenue has a $30K net burn rate and needs $30K from savings every month to survive. VCs use burn rate to calculate runway and assess financial discipline — a startup burning $200K/month with $10K MRR will be scrutinized much harder than one burning $200K with $150K MRR.

The biggest mistake is automating bad processes. If your process is flawed, automating it just means you produce bad outcomes faster. Also, trying to automate everything at once leads to 'automation fatigue' — teams lose trust when automated systems produce errors, and the cleanup work exceeds the original manual effort.

The trap is tracking burn rate from your P&L instead of your bank account. Accrual accounting can show $50K net burn while your bank is actually losing $80K/month because of delayed client payments (accounts receivable), prepaid annual subscriptions expiring, and vendor invoices coming due simultaneously. Many founders have been shocked to discover their 'calculated' 12-month runway was actually 6 months when measured by actual cash in the bank.

Start with a 'Process Audit': list every recurring task your team does weekly. Score each on time spent (hours/week), error rate, and automation feasibility. Automate the top 3 tasks that score highest on all three dimensions. Use a framework like: if it takes > 2 hours/week AND has < 5% decision-making involved, automate it. Measure ROI after 30 days.

Calculate both metrics and track them separately: Gross Burn = Total Cash Out per Month. Net Burn = Cash Out − Cash In. Then compute Runway = Cash Balance ÷ Net Burn. Set alerts: if runway drops below 6 months, initiate cost cuts or fundraising immediately. Review burn rate weekly (not monthly) — cash surprises kill more startups than bad products.