As of 2016, there were 28.8 million small businesses in the US, which represented 99.7% of US businesses. Only about 24.1% of small business loans were approved by big banks, and smaller banks approved about 48.9%. Alternative lenders approved 58.2% of loan requests. In less than 20 years, the merchant cash advance (MCA) industry has gone from $0 to $10.7 billion by 2015, and is expected to account for $15.3 billion in 2017. Are you faced with the problem of whether you should take out a business loan or a merchant cash advance? Below you can find some important information […]

Woman-owned businesses are making more and more economic contributions at rates that are higher than the national average. As of 2016, there were over 11.3 million woman-owned businesses in the US (a 45% increase since 2007), according to The 2016 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report from American Express. These businesses employed about 9 million people and generated more than $1.6 trillion in revenues. Getting officially certified as a woman-owned business has its advantages. For female business owners, there are certifications like the Woman-Owned Small Business (WOSB) and Economically Disadvantaged Woman-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB), which give women entrepreneurs access to resources […]

Merchants who have bad credit are viewed as riskier borrowers by small business loan providers.  Creditors who lend money to bad credit merchants usually shy away from these borrowers since they aren’t sure high risk merchants won’t miss their payments or default. The Fair Isaac Corporation (FICO) calculates credit scores and provides the famous FICO score. The Corporation uses information from the 3 credit bureaus, Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax, and calculates the score. Be aware, your bad credit can cause a number of problems such as higher interest rates. According to FICO: Maxed-out card costs 10 – 30 points for […]

64% of small business owners start with $10.000 or less. They’re primarily self-funded. If you, as a small business owner, need access to working capital, be aware it may be challenging to get approved for a small-business loan. So, you need to prepare well so that to increase your chances of getting a loan. What do you need to focus on? Reason You Need Funding Lenders would like to know the reason you’re applying for a small business loan. Determine whether you need it to start your business, manage day-to-day expenses, grow your business, or maybe to have a safety […]

Estimated taxes are periodic advance payment of taxes based on the amount of income you earned and the amount of estimated tax liability to be incurred as a result. Assessment of estimated taxes is based on income that isn’t subject to any type of withholding such as self-employment income, dividend income, rental income, interest income, and capital gains. As a rule, you’ll be required to pay estimated taxes on a quarterly basis. Paying Estimated Taxes Individuals such as sole proprietors, partners, and S corporation shareholders, are generally required to pay estimated taxes if they anticipate owing tax of $1.000 or […]

The holiday shopping season doesn’t technically begin until Black Friday, so it’s never too early for you, as a retailer, to discover what new and exciting retail trends are waiting for you in the 2017 holiday season. Black Friday and Cyber Monday offer a huge business opportunity. Online shoppers spent about $3 billion on Black Friday weekend in 2016, including almost $1 billion in mobile sales alone. In 2017, the top 3 retail trends that will impact the holiday shopping season are: Shopping from home The mall as you once knew is gone Companies are focusing on customer senses to […]

By following “nature’s business principles,” your business can be resilient, optimizing, adaptive, systems-based, values-led, and life supporting. Nature is a rich, yet largely unexplored source of technologies that process and manage information, materials, and energy. The idea of looking to nature for solutions is increasingly becoming more accepted in innovation circles. Of course, it’s not easy to bring an innovation from inspiration to commercialization. However, innovative companies are abstracting ideas from nature for technological breakthroughs and creating profitable products. All this serves as a basis for establishing a business that can become one with nature. For this, you just need […]

Applying for business loans is one way to fix disturbing issues and keep operations running in your business. As an entrepreneur, having supplementary funding can help you move forward and set things straight in areas where you face challenges. However, it is wise to weigh different options when looking for lenders and financing options. While going for traditional banks may look like a feasible possibility, it is important to inquire the details of their loan options, application procedure and the overall process. Find out a few things a bank will not share with you when discussing a loan. On top […]

Natural disasters are a simple fact of life. You should do your best to respond to a disaster before it happens. Pay enough attention and effort so to prevent severe damage and be able to easily mitigate the effects of a hurricane-related disruption of your business in the future. Have a hurricane survival and recovery strategy. The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recommends the following 5 basic steps: Develop a comprehensive plan Determine procedures and individual crisis management responsibilities Coordinate with others Prepare employees. Review emergency plans annually Remember that you can easily get approved for a merchant loan […]

Are you interested in a startup business loan? Do you know what’s your credit score? Or maybe you don’t have a credit history? What about small business startup loans with no credit? Credit Scores Many Americans aren’t even aware of their credit score. In fact, apart from your Social Security number, your credit score is one of the key numbers you need to know. Your credit score determines whether you can be eligible for loans and what interest rates you’ll be required to pay. Issued by Fair Isaac Co., FICO scores are the gold standard of credit scores. As of […]