According to a recent Forbes.com article, over a half a million small businesses get started each month while more shut down than start-up. With this statistic, it’s not a surprise that some would be leery in joining the almost 30 million small businesses in the United States. It may also come as a surprise that over half of the working population works in a small business and that most small businesses are home-based. Why then do people start small businesses with these kinds of odds? Because many of us are still deciding what we want to be when we grow up. And once we’ve learned that, we choose to make a go of it on our own.Starting a small business or a home-based business is not something that should be entered into lightly. More often than not you’ll go through a long period languishing while trying to make your business viable. As with many big decisions in life, starting a business is a very big risk. There’s never an assurance of success. Rather, it is expected and statistically likely that you’ll fail. However, if you’re willing to work at beating the odds and fulfill a professional goal, this may still be the route for you.I’d worked in libraries for over a decade. I spent the majority of that time in library administration. I knew a good deal about how to run a small business because I’d essentially been doing so for quite some time. However, when you go out on your own there are many pitfalls that can be made in your businesses’ infancy. Contrary to the popular song lyrics, the best things in life aren’t free. Shortcuts will likely come back to haunt you and so too will not putting in the sweat equity needed to not only financially succeed, but to also feel emotionally and psychologically empowered.If you want to start a small business it has to be a deliberate process. However, it doesn’t have to be an expensive one. It doesn’t hurt for you to do some research. The Small Business Administration is a great free resource. So too are the books. Really, there are any number of tools to help you start-up or navigate the waters of small business. If you’re like the almost 75% of all U.S. business who are non-employers (self-employed with no additional payroll or employees), then you can be sure that there is plenty of information to help you achieve your goals.Running a small home-based business can be inexpensive, not cheap. Don’t scrimp on the stuff that can really make you appear more professional without breaking the budget. Here are a few startup tips for your business:1. Get a domain name.You may not need to register your business’s name with the state. The fact is, that process may be unnecessary and It can be costly depending on the nature of your business. However, it helps if you have a domain name so that you can have a traditional online storefront and presence. That isn’t to say that you need to sell products through your site, it just means that you have a place that you can send people to online to find out more information about you and your products and services.2. Use social media.No longer can people lament about how they don’t use Facebook or Twitter, being on social media also lends an air of credibility and savviness to your business. Using social media is inexpensive and easy. There are plenty of online tutorials on how to use social media and by getting yourself out there by using the social media networks, it opens you up to more clients and the ability to interact in real-time with them as well. Also, don’t simply have a presence on social media, depending on your demographic, there are still some people who simply aren’t using social media. Thus, you must also have an easily accessible webpage as well.3. It doesn’t hurt to use old school marketing tools.Professional business cards as well as marketing items are now nominal in cost. Don’t just settle for free cards, pay that little extra to brand your items. This way you can be fully in charge of the message you’re putting out there. Think about it, what did you think of the person who handed you a business card that were clearly free ones?!4. Use accounting software.Quickbooks, Freshbooks, Nutcache and the list goes on. You can even use Excel if you’re so inclined. Regardless, it’s imperative that you start consistent and accurate record keeping from the very start. Make sure that all of your transactions, big and small, are in a place that will make it easy for you come tax time.5. Work in the cloud and back it up.Cloud-based software is available for everything. It also doesn’t hurt to use free ones in this case. Google is the gold standard when it comes to free. However, document creation and retention aren’t the only things you can do in the cloud. Accounting software, website administration, almost anything you can think of can be done in the cloud. Plus, it makes your data accessible anywhere that has an Internet connection. And don’t forget to backup your work. If you’re saving your work to your computer or saving it to a virtual drive in the cloud, be sure that you have a backup. Redundancy is key and it can also be very economical. A good rule of thumb is to have a physical and virtual off-site backup because Murphy’s Law always happens.6. Be virtual.Depending on the type of services you offer, there are companies out there that can assist you in getting jobs/projects. Companies like Upwork provide you with a place to offer your services to others and provides you with an online workplace. Being a freelancer has never been so easy. As a freelancer, you don’t have to limit how and how many clients you have.7. You have to pay some to get some.Yes, you can start a new business with no cost, however, by investing just a little money upfront you’ll almost ensure a return on your investment. Pay for a virtual fax service, marketing materials and other little things that will go a long way in ensuring that your business isn’t like every other “mom and pop” business. Just be careful not to go all in too fast. Recurring costs, though small, can add up fast. If you have recurring costs it means that you have to earn at least that much money per month.8. Be tax savvy.You must be cognizant of what kind of tax impact there will be as a result of your business. It’s common, depending on the type of business you have and if you don’t have employees, for you to not withhold any taxes during your first year. Getting a baseline for what your business will be like is important, just don’t forget that Uncle Sam may hit you with a large tax bill at tax time. Visit the IRS website or speak to a tax professional to help you with getting this sorted out before it becomes a very expensive mistake.9. Make time for yourself.When you commit to owning a small business the one thing you’re guaranteed is that it’s going to be hard. Despite how challenging it is, you have to take time for yourself. It’s easy to work long hours and to forget that we aren’t machines. Even if it’s just a 15-minute walk each day or something else that will break up your workday, you must not forget that sometimes it’s best to literally walk away to clear your head. This will do wonders for your mood and your process.10. Be disciplined.Sure, we all think that working for ourselves would be the best job in the world. But it’s not until you’re actually doing it that you realize just how easy it is to be trapped by the pitfalls of having no other boss than yourself. That quick television break inevitably turns into a television marathon, sleeping in one day turns into not setting the right habits you need to be successful. It’s easy to say that you’re going be disciplined and fully devoted to the success of your business, but old habits do die hard.Each day brings challenges and uncertainties. You have to be willing to fail spectacularly. But you also have to be willing to love and nurture your business even on the days when you just don’t feel like it. If you don’t work, you don’t get paid. Despite that, the sky’s the limit and your earning potential is limitless when you’ve devoted yourself to doing what it is that you are passionate about. It’s important to remember that you’re not to give up when it gets hard. Those are the times you have to really dig in and remember why it is that you’re doing it in the first place.
Monthly Archives: March 2023
Places Where You Can Still Get A Business Loan Today
Let’s look at some of the recent news headlines regarding small business lending:”Why Aren’t Banks Lending to Small Business? Ask Bernanke.” – The American.”Are the Big Banks Keeping Their Commitment to Small Businesses?” – The Wall Street Journal.”Banks keep lending standards tight for small firms.” – CNNMoney.So, the obvious conclusion for those starting new businesses or looking for ways to access capital to grow their existing business is that you or your small business can’t get any financing – right.Not so fast.Banks may not be lending (or are only lending to large businesses who don’t really need the capital) but banks are not and have not always been the best options for small businesses or startups.Most banks won’t touch a startup business – regardless of the economy and very few banks will fund growing businesses as most growing businesses have short-term cash flow issues (something that banks say is too risky and shy away from).Therefore, banks really don’t matter to your small business when it comes to lending.So, what can smaller firms do to gain the money they need to get off the ground or expand?The simple answer is to do what every other business has done since the start of history – find another way. So, put on your entrepreneurial hat and look into these 4 alternative sources of capital.4 Places To Find Business Capital Today1) Private Business Loans:Did you know that there are other businesses out there (big and small) that all they do is lend to small businesses? It is their business (how they make money) and they are pretty good at it.In fact, in order for these private lenders to stay in business and make profits (just like you want to do) they have to make business loans to companies just like yours – banks do not have to as they have clearly shown.You are their targeted customers and they are there for you. Private lenders have more leeway as they don’t have regulators watching their every move and as such have created more products (more business loan programs) to fit your individual needs. Plus, most decisions of these lenders are made right there on the spot – no waiting weeks or longer.How do they do this? Well they don’t look at your entire business or your overall cash flow or your overall profitability. They look to the next event in your operating cycle – where your business earns revenue.It’s all based on the conversion of assets. Your business lands a new customer, completes that job and waits to get paid. The lender knows that you will get paid and will provide your business needed working capital until that point. Then, you start the process all over again. Thus, these private lenders will lend against your outstanding accounts receivables – not based on your overall profits or the long-term cash flow prospects of your company.Or, let’s say that your business has orders coming in but doesn’t have the capital to even get those jobs started. Well, these private lenders will fund 100% of what you need to start and complete those orders or jobs allowing you to satisfy your customers and earn that all coveted profit.Now, clearly these seem like a great option for existing businesses. But, if you are a startup, you just have to work a little harder to either get yourself in that position (i.e. getting orders in hand) or use some of these other options (see below) to position your business to generate the needed accounts receivables or purchase orders required by these lenders.2) Personal Loans:Most business owners hate to use personal resources to get business capital. But, when all is said and done – money is just money after all. However, personal loans have been the catalyst for growing new businesses since the beginning of time.For a business loan, banks want business cash flow, profitability and commercial collateral. Items that most new or small businesses don’t have.However, personal loans don’t have such stringent requirements.Home loan rates are at record lows opening up the possibility to tap into home equity for money to start or grow your business. Build your business and use the business to pay off the home equity loan. No different than taking a business loan, building your business and paying the loan off. But, with a home equity loan, you get a lower interest rate and longer term for a lower payment and more flexibility. Plus, these loans are so much easier to get approved.Or, utilize your retirement funds. Roll over your 401(k) or IRA into your business. Not much difference than in investing in your business or investing your retirement funds into someone else’s business. Plus, since this is not a loan – NO interest, no terms and the ability to pay it back when it is best for you and your business and not in the best interest of the bank or lender.Lastly, use your personal income to make a business loan to your business. This means keeping your day job (or getting one) and running your business part-time until it is strong enough to support you and itself – all being funded from the money you make from your job.3) Alternative Loans:Since banks have not been lending to small businesses over the last four plus years, other lenders have been stepping up to fill some of the gap left behind.Some alternative lenders are finding new ways or better ways to provide those old tried and true methods of business financing – like Business or Merchant Cash Advances. If your business is earning revenue from customers who pay via credit or debit cards, your merchant processor can advance cash against those future customer payments. As this is now becoming one of the leading ways to finance small businesses today, many of these lenders have innovated new ways to provide these loans – programs that can meet nearly any business in any stage of development.Or, following those merchant cash advance lenders, other, new alternative loan programs have cropped up that, instead of just focusing on credit card and debit card payments from customers, they just simply look at the volume of cash that flows through your bank account. These so called bank statement loans are great for businesses that take all forms of customer payments from cash and checks to credit and debit cards.The only real requirement with these types of alternative loans is that the business has to actually be conducting business and generating some revenue. But, the business does not have to be profitable or met many of the other rigorous requirements that banks and similar lenders require.Additional alternative business loans resources to look into are micro credit loans that have programs for both startup business – up to $35,000 in loan amounts – and existing businesses – up to $50,000 in loan amounts. And, never forget about other resources that by-pass bank and traditional lenders all together like peer-to-peer social lending where other people, just like you, become your small business lender.4) Friends and Family Loans:Lastly, tap those that know you best. Most lenders or investors in small businesses don’t necessary focus on the business itself but on the people who run it. If you can demonstrate a track record – that you can run a business and make money – then you stand a better chance of getting your loan approved.But, if you don’t have the track record and cannot convince a lender about your abilities, you may still be able to convince those that know you best – like friends and family. If you believe in your business and your friends and family believe in you – then you have the perfect match – everyone wins.While personal loan resources are the number one way that most small businesses fund themselves, friends and family loans are a close second.As stated, banks are not usually the best option for new or small business when seeking capital. And, as shown here, banks are not your only option either.Business is about using the set of assets and resources that it currently has and employing them in such a way to get the biggest return from whatever opportunity that arises. Thus, if your resources are limited – you just have find new ways tackle those new opportunities with what you have at hand.You will find that in marketing your business, you will face many challenges and obstacles in getting customers in your door. In managing your business, you will face many challenges and obstacles to ensure that your business is profitable and growing. And, in financing your business, you will find many challenges and obstacles in ensuring that your business has the money it needs to succeed.To overcome all of these challenges and obstacles, you cannot always use the same old tried methods that worked for other people or businesses. You have to find your own way – and, in this market – financing your business is no different.So, if you are sure that your business cannot get a business loan from a bank – then you are probably right and should not be in business anyways. But, if you are willing to turn over every stone or look under every rock – you are already on your way to success. Start here with these 4 methods to finance your small business and see where or how far they can take you.
Importance of Online Business Data Listing Management for Small Business
The entrepreneur who really wants to be successful with his or her small business should be ingenious to look for new and innovative ways to advertise products and services to reach a wider market share. It has been found credible by many research studies that it is worth the time of any creative entrepreneur to build his or her business online. Particularly, the Internet has today offered remarkable ways an entrepreneur can build any business online and generate revenue.Recent available statistics speak positive about the fact that, over 81 percent of small business owners are reported to have their presence known online and over 30 percent are reported to generate over 25 percent of their revenue online. The ingenious entrepreneur cannot therefore ignore the fact that the Internet has been found in many important ways to help improve the image of small enterprises in a greater scale. Company websites, for instance, have been found relevant by most businesses and does underscore the importance of online business data listing management.Essentially in this respect, the Internet has become a way of proven enterprise management for small business development and growth through which an entrepreneur can also provide information about products and services online. Online business data management listing has become a very efficient way entrepreneurs provide good customer service and support that help businesses retain customers and build the enterprise with increased customer satisfaction and profitability.Benefits of a Wider Market ShareFurther importance of online business data listing management is the possibilities it offers by growth in terms of a wider range of market share and the ability to promote products and services at any given time. Other benefits associated with online business data listing management are reflected in the effective use of low startup costs to build an enterprise online and the ability an entrepreneur has with no-cost social marketing advertising. With online business data listing management an entrepreneur can literally benefit from small business branding on a limited budget. An entrepreneur’s business name and logo are tools he or she can effectively use to project the visible face of the products and services the entrepreneur is going to provide to potential clients.Benefits of Small Business AppsAlso, there are small business apps an entrepreneur can integrate into his or her online business data listing management framework to enhance enterprise development and success. Some of these capable business applications focus on financials and accounting fundamentals an entrepreneur can use to manage business general ledger data, accounts payable and receivables.There are also business apps with the principal focus on tracking billable work processes and productivity. With productivity apps an entrepreneur can generate and organically manage documents with business data in a very efficient way and can secure sensitive and high profiled data sufficiently protected within the company’s virtual domain.Also, the utility and support in communication and collaboration among employees, customers and external contacts can be a resource within any online business data listing management framework.There is also availability of the more traditional business apps such as office suites online, payroll and small business accounting software or invoicing and expense software-all are varied enterprise applications a capable online data listing management framework can be built upon as business solutions tailored for successful business management and growth. In this case, there are leading business accounting software packages such as QuickBooks and Peachtree which can make business accounting and tax filing purposes simple for any entrepreneur. These software applications can also allow import of data into one or more tax preparation programs.There are as well free accounting applications such as GNUCash software-a free open source accounting program with a simple interface but with load-full of in-depth accounting functions and features; and BizFusion which is another accessible online small business accounting system with nine modules all on a single interface that works just like Microsoft Outlook 2007 and focuses on inventory, project and asset management with a full built-in small business accounting solution that can provide the entrepreneur with a more complete business picture (including an analysis of competitors) in a single system.Any entrepreneur can therefore be resourceful and ingenious to implement an online business data listing management for his or her business to improve business efficiency and effectiveness. Even with smaller steps an entrepreneur can take over time to build a full online business data listing management program for his or her small business will see growth benefits accrue. Auspiciously, hardware and software costs are today quite affordable and the processing capacity and performance for both servers and networks have literally opened up a variety of opportunities for small business automation entrepreneurs looking to start their own business and small business owners that have limited budget can work with to build and grow their businesses.