Cash flow becomes important when technologies and markets are stable, when the business reaches some level of maturity and when it has some competitors. Sometimes it's never fully reached. Frankly, I think your own vision and gut are better tools for evaluating these companies. Yes, they want a quick exit. Not sure what topic you mean.
Strategy is everybody's business today.
Those firms that best succeed in tapping the strategic thinking of lower levels. As well as the sharp eyes and ears of those folks, are those that sincerely act on what they hear from below. You have to show how those ideas make some kind of difference. The Japanese have been exemplars of this. I confess not.