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CONCEPT
"Financing" usually refers to getting money ahead of time for expenses you know you will have. A business might "finance" the purchase of equipment, or for working capital to pay wages and such until the business generates sufficient income.
But you don't have to use the bank's money and pay interest on it. You can get your customers to "finance" your business by asking for a deposit.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION
A roofing contractor specializes in repair and renewal work. He always asks for a deposit from a homeowner. This deposit is enough to cover the cost of the materials needed for the new roof. The roofer uses this money - the customer's money - to purchase the materials. He thus avoids having to borrow from the bank.
He could use his own money (if he has it) but by using the customer's money, he can put his own to work elswhere. And he saves in having no interest to pay on the "loan."
To protect the customer, the roofer has the materials delivered directly to the jobsite, lets the customer sign for them, and makes sure the customer understands that these are his (the customer's) materials.
The customer is comfortable with getting materials for the up-front money he has spent, and the roofer is comfortable with not having a loan to contend with.
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