Fundera

APRIL 8, 2018

Deciding to start a small business is one of the most rewarding decisions of your life. But not only does it take hard work to make it successful—you’ll need money to get the company off the ground in the first place. And when you’re in debt, that can seem impossible. Although the size of your initial investment will vary based on the type of company you hope to start, the Small Business Administration estimates even home-based micro-businesses could cost several thousands of dollars to launch.

Small Businesses 99

Small Businesses Transactions 99

GoCardless

APRIL 9, 2018

The ultimate guide to getting paid on time for agencies. We guide you through practical, low-cost, high-impact tactics that will reduce your agency's average payment times and debtor days.

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Fundera

APRIL 13, 2018

As thrilling as it is to start a new small business, the stress can be just as insane. Especially if you’re worrying about money and have to start looking into sources of finance for your startup. Because beyond the creative thinking and careful planning that go into coming up with a winning business model, you as the business owner are likely also facing the arduous task of finding the money to make it all come to fruition.

Small Businesses 94

Small Businesses Credit Scoring 94

Fundera

APRIL 17, 2018

You might have had your first encounter with a prepaid debit card when your parents tried to reel in your spending as a teen. But a prepaid business debit card is nothing like what you used decades ago. These types of prepaid debit cards are much different than the ones of your youth because they’re made specifically for business owners. They’re also one of the very best ways to control spending within a team of employees.

Small Businesses 84

Small Businesses Transactions Dashboards Credit Scoring 84

Fundera

APRIL 3, 2018

Becoming a mom turns your whole life upside down. So many things change—that sometimes includes your ambitions, and certainly your day-to-day. But becoming a mom doesn’t change the fact that you still have ambitions, and days you’d like to be as fulfilling as possible. And if that means starting a small business while being a mother, make it happen.

Small Businesses 76

Small Businesses Retail Companies 76

Fundera

APRIL 26, 2018

Every business, big or small, strives for more than one-off purchases—they want their customers to become lifers. Often, establishing brand loyalty in your customers means proving to them, over and over again, that your product or service is the best they’ll find. Or, you could cut to the chase and draw in those loyalists through experiential marketing techniques… but what is experiential marketing?

Small Businesses 75

Small Businesses 75

Fundera

APRIL 18, 2018

Every small business owner knows that running and growing your business takes a lot of capital. So, when the time comes for a small business loan , and you look to a local brick-and-mortar bank for funding, your first question will be: How much will a bank loan me for a business? Well, we can’t tell you exactly how much a bank will loan you—no one can, other than the bank itself.

Credit Scoring 75

Credit Scoring Credit and Collections Small Businesses Default 75

Fundera

APRIL 25, 2018

If you’re a small business owner who needs a loan but doesn’t have a business checking account, you now have an excuse to open one on the double. According to a recent survey conducted by researchers at Nav, 70% of small business owners who don’t have a business checking account were denied a loan over the past two years. Worse yet, 26% of small business owners with no business checking account considered closing shop altogether.

Credit Scoring 74

Credit Scoring Small Businesses Transactions 74

Fundera

APRIL 18, 2018

Your small business keeps you busy all the time, you’d like to have a personal life, too—which is why the last thing you want to think about is filing your taxes… and so you don’t. Before you know it, you’re a couple of years behind in your tax filings, and now you need to know how to file past due taxes. Yikes! Although backed taxes aren’t a good thing, you definitely aren’t alone: an estimated one million taxpayers didn’t file a federal income tax return in 2014.

Credit Card Companies 74

Credit Card Companies Small Businesses 74

Fundera

APRIL 4, 2018

With all of the hats you wear running your business by yourself, it’s common to forget to take care of your books. So, before we get into the details on the best accounting software for sole proprietorships, we’ll give you kudos for taking the time to address your financials systematically. This decision will pay off. We promise. Good basic accounting practices are a key element of a successful business.

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Fundera

APRIL 21, 2018

As you’re searching for the best business credit card for your business, all the bells and whistles can easily distract you. Especially if you’ve come looking for just one thing: the best high-limit business credit card. Rewards programs, welcome bonuses, and 0% intro APR periods are fantastic bonuses, absolutely. But a business credit card’s main purpose is to give your business access to a line of credit to buy the things you need.

Credit Scoring 74

Credit Scoring 74

Fundera

APRIL 25, 2018

If you’re a business owner, using a business credit card is a no-brainer: You’ll have access to a steady stream of working capital to finance your small business , and the potential to earn great perks and rewards. But if your credit is less than stellar, you may be concerned about whether there are easy business credit cards available—especially if you have bad credit and need to rebuilt it.

Credit Scoring 72

Credit Scoring Credit Card Companies Small Businesses Bankruptcy 72

Fundera

APRIL 5, 2018

As a small business owner, you might have figured out by now that getting organized and taking good notes only improves your ability to do business well. You’re more efficient with your time, you launch into tasks quickly, and document processes that work. The same thing goes for being a good business record keeper—or a better business record keeper at that.

Transactions 70

Transactions Small Businesses 70

Fundera

APRIL 4, 2018

When you decided to finally open that small business you always dreamed of, you probably never imagined you’d have to write a long paper again. But if you need a small business loan , you might encounter a lender’s request for a business loan proposal. If it sounds like adult homework for your small business, it sort of is. Funny how life works like that, isn’t it?

Small Businesses 69

Small Businesses Credit Risk 69

Fundera

APRIL 17, 2018

Watch out, because you might just see a bump in your personal credit score on the way. That’s because thanks to Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—the three major credit bureaus—credit reports no longer include tax liens. The change went into effect April 16 , so it’s a brand new policy, and it could impact millions of Americans—especially small business owners who need stronger credit to apply for a business loan.

Credit Scoring 67

Credit Scoring Bankruptcy Small Businesses Default 67

Fundera

APRIL 9, 2018

Although everyone aims to succeed when starting a business , the reality is that some entrepreneurs unfortunately don’t. It’s not a fun thing to figure out how to close a business, but turning the page can also provide peace of mind and open opportunities for new ventures. It’s also, of course, necessary from a legal standpoint. Shuttering a company means doing more than putting up a sign that reads “Closed.

Small Businesses 66

Small Businesses 66

Fundera

APRIL 30, 2018

In every business budget, you’ll find certain expenses that can change dramatically from month to month. These are variable expenses, and they make up a large portion of small business spending (unlike fixed costs , which remain the same each month). The fluctuating amounts behind variable expenses makes planning for them in your business budget hard—but not impossible.

Small Businesses 65

Small Businesses 65

Fundera

APRIL 9, 2018

When you start your new business, you’ll have to learn a lot of skills you never imagined you would. One thing you shouldn’t take care of yourself, however, is anything legal related—which is why you need to be well versed in hiring a lawyer for small business. Law, put simply, is a complicated field. There’s a reason why lawyers have to endure three years of law school and several dedicated months of bar-exam preparation to become licensed to practice.

Law Firms 63

Law Firms Small Businesses 63

Fundera

APRIL 26, 2018

In the world of small business commerce, there’s a problem: B2B buyers and sellers want two fundamentally incompatible things. Sellers want to get paid for goods and services as soon as possible, but buyers want—and often truly need—extended time to pay. Fundbox Pay is looking to be the solution to fix this. Usually in transactions between small businesses (also called SMB2B ), the needs of buyers win out.

Dashboards 62

Dashboards Small Businesses Transactions 62

Fundera

APRIL 16, 2018

The United States government buys lots of products and services from US businesses. With the approximately $500 billion in government contracts it awards each year, nearly a quarter are legally required to go to small businesses that have navigated the process of how to get government contracts. What exactly are these highly desired opportunities for your small business, and how can you cash in?

Small Businesses 62

Small Businesses 62

Fundera

APRIL 3, 2018

Most of the time, your business credit card perks are pretty easy to discover. With a cash back business credit card , the main benefit is in the name itself—either extra money at the end of each year or a statement credit, depending on your terms. And if you’re using a travel business credit card , you might be able to fly around the world and back again if you rack up enough miles.

Credit Card Companies 62

Credit Card Companies Small Businesses 62

Fundera

APRIL 19, 2018

The US economy is doing well—but you likely already know that as a small business owner. Optimism among small business owners is historically high , and so are interest rates. The Federal Reserve hiked rates in December of last year, again last month, and signaled that further interest rate increases are on the horizon for the remainder of 2018 and the years ahead.

Small Businesses 59

Small Businesses Credit Scoring 59

Fundera

APRIL 7, 2018

You should feel great if you’ve gotten your business to a point where you have enough income to start squirreling some away. So, next, you need to know where to put it—which means understanding questions like the difference between savings accounts vs. CDs. That’s a good thing to know if you’re hoping to make your money grow. After all, both savings accounts and CDs are both for earning interest on your money, as opposed to dealing with day-to-day expenses through a business checking account.

Small Businesses 57

Small Businesses Credit and Collections Transactions 57

Fundera

APRIL 10, 2018

Many veterans and their families enjoy belonging to USAA, whose primary membership comprises current and former members of the armed forces. It’s no wonder, then, that veteran business owners might look to their usual bank to see if there’s a USAA business credit card, too. The short answer—no. USAA certainly offers lots of products that military members and their families rely on for premium rates and service, including insurance, investing, retirement, real estate, and many banking products, t

Transactions 54

Transactions Small Businesses Credit Scoring 54

Fundera

APRIL 29, 2018

Your financial history’s impact on your ability to get a small business loan is undeniable. When you have excellent credit and a record of managing your finances well, a large number of business loan options are at your disposal. But if you have bad credit or other red flags in your financial history, many lenders won’t want to work with you.

Credit Scoring 52

Credit Scoring Small Businesses Default 52

Fundera

APRIL 24, 2018

Elon Musk is an inspiring entrepreneur and pop culture icon with unprecedented career success in the tech world. He’s best known for building four multi-billion dollar companies in four separate fields by his mid-forties. His ability to create successful ventures across wildly different industries debunks the “jack of all trades, master of none” myth that is pervasive in the business world.

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Fundera

APRIL 12, 2018

If you ever wanted to apply for an SBA 504/CDC loan, there’s a whole new reason to reason to gather your application materials—the US Small Business Administration has extended SBA 504/CDC loan terms of 25 years for qualified small business borrowers. This great news just adds to the many reasons why there are so many advantages of SBA loans. For business owners looking to finance the purchase of land, office space, equipment, and other fixed assets, SBA 504/CDC loans are one of the best options

Small Businesses 45

Small Businesses 45

Fundera

APRIL 11, 2018

If you’re a small business owner who lives near one of the 6,000-plus Wells Fargo locations across the country, then it’s no surprise you’d be curious about the range of Wells Fargo business checking accounts. It’s absolutely crucial that once you’ve gotten cracking on a new business idea that you open a business checking account —so it’s fantastic that you’re taking this first step, and you’ve found a place to start.

Small Businesses 45

Small Businesses Transactions 45

GoCardless

APRIL 9, 2018

Everything your agency needs to know about collecting client fees by Direct Debit and how to get started.

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GoCardless

APRIL 3, 2018

A guide to standing order payments, including how they work, pros, cons and alternatives.

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GoCardless

APRIL 9, 2018

Energy customers in a tight corner need flexibility when it comes to payment.

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