Fundera

AUGUST 21, 2018

Nobody starts a business because it’s easy. On the contrary, every new business comes with its own set of unique challenges, and small businesses are no exception. For newly minted entrepreneurs, it’s those quintessential “small business problems” that can break their operations—or make them, if navigated properly. In fact, according to the US Small Business Administration, only half of small businesses will survive past their five-year mark ; and that small business success rate falls to just o

Small Businesses 107

Small Businesses Credit Scoring Deductions 107

GoCardless

AUGUST 2, 2018

68% of people abandon a checkout at payment. Here's how to boost conversion.

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52

Fundera

AUGUST 29, 2018

32 Ways to Advertise Your Business for Free. Reward social media sharing. Cultivate brand ambassadors. Encourage positive word of mouth. Try interactive content. Give your customers a behind-the-scenes look. Offer free giveaways. Try Facebook live video. Get visual on Instagram. Try engaging on Snapchat. Cultivate your Pinterest board. Join in on Twitter chats.

Small Businesses 100

Small Businesses 100

Fundera

AUGUST 9, 2018

Big, multi-national corporations like Google, Facebook, and Twitter regularly hire interns, but your small business can develop an internship program too. Internships are beneficial for both parties. The intern gets real-world experience, and the company gets a fresh perspective and an additional set of hands. The number of employers offering internships increased 7.3 % from 2016 to 2017 , and with a strong labor market , that growth can be expected to continue in 2018 and beyond.

Small Businesses 93

Small Businesses 93

Fundera

AUGUST 11, 2018

If you’re thinking about starting a service business, you’re part of a growing workforce demographic. Experts disagree on the exact size of today’s gig economy, but research from Intuit suggests that the population of independent, service-based business owners made up as much as 34% of the total US workforce in 2017. That’s a huge volume of individuals looking for new, independent ways of earning an income.

Small Businesses 92

Small Businesses 92

Fundera

AUGUST 24, 2018

Owning a restaurant is challenging but rewarding work. You have to juggle ordering ingredients, streamlining your menu, and keeping your food options fresh and exciting—and that’s just to start with. On top of these logistics, there are tons of other hats you have to wear on a regular basis: chief among them is managing social media for your restaurant.

Small Businesses 85

Small Businesses 85

Fundera

AUGUST 15, 2018

Like many freelancers, your business might have seemed to happen spontaneously—in fact, your freelance work may not seem like work at all to you. But no matter how much you love what you do, make no mistake about it: If you are being paid for your services, you have a business. That means you must keep accounting records to make sure you’re correctly reporting your income and tracking your deductible business expenses.

Credit and Collections 81

Credit and Collections Small Businesses Deductions 81

Fundera

AUGUST 31, 2018

When you start your own company, you’re in for a marathon rather than a sprint. You’ll hit tons of milestones—some of which are more challenging than others. Writing a business plan for funding, be it for a loan or an investor, can seem like one of the more daunting tasks for an entrepreneur. This is especially true if you’re doing it for the first time (or if you don’t consider yourself to be much of a wordsmith).

Credit Scoring 81

Credit Scoring Small Businesses 81

Fundera

AUGUST 7, 2018

Maybe you’ve mulled over the perfect business idea for a while, or maybe inspiration struck just yesterday. Either way, you’re eager to jump in with both feet. But the process of starting a business can be daunting, especially if you’re hoping to open within a few months. Not to worry—we’re here to help. We’ve pinpointed the key steps that aspiring—and impatient!

Brokerages 81

Brokerages Small Businesses Credit Scoring 81

Fundera

AUGUST 16, 2018

SBA loans are among the best financing options for small business owners. They come with low interest rates, long repayment terms, and manageable monthly payments. SBA loans are designed to offer a path to affordable financing when an entrepreneur’s other options haven’t panned out. The problem for small business owners is that SBA loans are actually highly selective—lenders end up denying hundreds of applications.

Credit Scoring 80

Credit Scoring Bankruptcy Small Businesses 80

Fundera

AUGUST 10, 2018

In the early days of your company, you’re more likely than not the captain of a one- or two-person operation. And when that’s the case, it often makes sense for you to deal with admin tasks as they come—after all, you’re just trying to find your footing. But if you’re growing and finding you need more hands on deck, the best thing you can do for your company is look into HR software for small business.

Small Businesses 80

Small Businesses Dashboards 80

Fundera

AUGUST 25, 2018

If it seems like you’re hearing more news about digital security breaches these days, you aren’t imagining things: In 2017, the number of cyberattacks worldwide more than doubled , according to a cybersecurity report issued by the Online Trust Alliance. Even more alarming? The 2018 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report indicates that 58% of cybercrime victims are small businesses. .

Small Businesses 75

Small Businesses Cybersecurity Default 75

Fundera

AUGUST 23, 2018

Opening a business checking account should be top of mind for anyone starting a business. A business checking account is essential. It’s from this account that you pay suppliers, vendors, and anyone else you do business with. Beyond this functional use, a business checking account also lets you separate your personal and business finances. And if you plan on applying for a small business loan in the future, you’ll likely need a separate business checking account to qualify. .

Transactions 76

Transactions Small Businesses Credit Unions 76

Fundera

AUGUST 19, 2018

To take on the challenge of running a winery, you need to be determined, fearless, and passionate about your craft—although owning a vineyard seems romantic, the wine-making business is a tough one. . Just take a look at the success story behind Russell Bevan of Bevan Cellars. Bevan bought his first 10 acres in Napa Valley’s Sonoma County in 2004, but it wasn’t until 2013 that he got his first 100-point Robert Parker score , the numeric wine rating system, for his 2011 Cabernet Sauvignon.

Credit Scoring 76

Credit Scoring Credit Unions Small Businesses 76

Fundera

AUGUST 26, 2018

DBA Meaning: What Is DBA? DBA means “doing business as,” and is also referred to as your business’s assumed, trade, or fictitious name. Filing for a DBA allows you to do business under a name other than yours, or the name under which your business is legally registered. If you’re starting a business for the first time, you have important decisions to make.

Credit Scoring 75

Credit Scoring Default Small Businesses 75

Fundera

AUGUST 5, 2018

Thanks to the high-functioning, intuitive business accounting software on the market today, many small business owners opt to save their resources and do their own bookkeeping, especially in the earliest stages of their businesses. But as your business grows, your numbers might become too unwieldy to wrangle on your own—and your attentions might be better served elsewhere.

Law Firms 75

Law Firms Small Businesses Transactions 75

Fundera

AUGUST 4, 2018

If you’re reading this, you probably know that SBA loans are among the best small business financing available. And you can probably imagine that these desirable, government-backed loans aren’t necessarily easy to secure—nor are they necessarily easy to apply for in the first place. With so many forms involved, it can be hard to know which are the most essential SBA forms to focus on. .

Bankruptcy 71

Bankruptcy Medical Billing Credit and Collections Small Businesses 71

Fundera

AUGUST 4, 2018

If you’re reading this, you probably know that SBA loans are among the best small business financing available. And you can probably imagine that these desirable, government-backed loans aren’t necessarily easy to secure—nor are they necessarily easy to apply for in the first place. With so many forms involved, it can be hard to know which are the most essential SBA forms to focus on. .

Bankruptcy 71

Bankruptcy Medical Billing Credit and Collections Small Businesses 71

Fundera

AUGUST 31, 2018

By definition, a nonprofit organization is a business that has received tax-exempt status from the IRS. But when you look below the surface, you see a group of people who believe strongly enough in a particular cause or ideal that they’re willing to work hard for little pay and even less praise. Regardless of where their profit ends up, nonprofits often still need to secure business financing to keep championing their cause.

Nonprofit Organizations 70

Nonprofit Organizations Credit Scoring Transactions 70

Fundera

AUGUST 24, 2018

What Is a Blanket Lien? A blanket lien, also called a UCC-1 lien, gives a lender a legal claim to all of a borrower’s business assets if the borrower defaults on the loan. In the event of a default, the lender can seize all of the business’s assets up to the value of the debt, and sell them to repay the debt. When you get approved for a business loan , both you and the lender hope that the capital will help your business grow and generate more profits.

Default 68

Default Credit Scoring Credit and Collections Small Businesses 68

Fundera

AUGUST 17, 2018

Retailers need to sell as much as possible. That means knowing how much inventory to carry, but without having to cut prices or offload surplus stock. But the retail business fluctuates by nature, and demand changes from day to day and week to week. So, is there a good way to figure out how much inventory to carry? It’s a little complicated. In retail, it’s generally considered better to sell out than have leftover stock—no business owner wants to see old inventory piling up and cutting into sto

Transactions 66

Transactions Small Businesses 66

Fundera

AUGUST 17, 2018

Whether you’re a B2B or a B2C company, you’re in the business of convincing customers to spend with you. But the biggest difference as a B2B business is sometimes how you land those customers—and that usually involves a business proposal. Learning how to write a business proposal that’s effective is core to your business’s survival if you need to dependably secure new clients.

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66

Fundera

AUGUST 26, 2018

Business credit cards are essential financing tools for both new and established business owners alike. When you’re just beginning, they can be your main financing lifeline and how you build your business credit. And, even when you’re eligible for a small business loan later on, they’re instrumental for everyday purchases. Without careful use, though, you could spend faster than you can pay, and need to recover from business credit card debt.

Bankruptcy 65

Bankruptcy Chapter 11 Credit and Collections Credit Card Companies 65

Fundera

AUGUST 14, 2018

Social media is an invaluable tool for marketers, advertisers, and businesses looking to go viral—and, in turn, attract new customers. To achieve this, many small businesses turn to influencers for help. A survey from Collective Bias found that 30% of consumers have made a purchase based on sponsored content. While working with influencers can be a great business move, you’ll need to ensure that you handle your collaborations ethically to avoid raising red flags with the Federal Trade Commission

Small Businesses 64

Small Businesses 64

Fundera

AUGUST 12, 2018

Regardless of your business’s age, size, or industry, one of the simplest and most attainable methods of financially supporting your company is signing up for a business credit card. But how do business credit cards work, exactly? Truthfully, business credit cards work much in the same way that personal credit cards do: This little piece of plastic gives you access to a line of credit directly at the point of sale, as well as perks, rewards, and benefits.

Credit Scoring 63

Credit Scoring Credit Card Companies Small Businesses Transactions 63

Fundera

AUGUST 5, 2018

In the past year, the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have brought lots of issues around gender equity into mainstream conversation, including the gender wage gap. Hollywood actresses aren’t the only women earning less than their male counterparts for the same work. On average, according to the Department of Labor, women with full-time, year-round employment earn 79.6 cents for every dollar earned by men with the same employment conditions.

Small Businesses 63

Small Businesses 63

Fundera

AUGUST 5, 2018

In the past year, the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements have brought lots of issues around gender equity into mainstream conversation, including the gender wage gap. Hollywood actresses aren’t the only women earning less than their male counterparts for the same work. On average, according to the Department of Labor, women with full-time, year-round employment earn 79.6 cents for every dollar earned by men with the same employment conditions.

Small Businesses 63

Small Businesses 63

Fundera

AUGUST 18, 2018

With the immense number of business startup costs involved in launching a company, founders are always concerned with financing their ventures. But securing traditional financing as a startup is among the most difficult challenges within small business lending, so many startups turn toward equity investors, instead. Companies aren’t always in a position to give up more ownership, though, which is when venture debt financing can be a crucial instrument.

Credit Scoring 59

Credit Scoring Default Small Businesses 59

Fundera

AUGUST 13, 2018

The ability to secure debt financing for operating costs, or to simply access additional working capital, can be the difference maker for many companies. If you’re preparing to apply for a business loan and want to ready yourself for the sometimes paperwork-intensive process, the best thing you can do is go through a commercial loan documentation checklist.

Credit Scoring 59

Credit Scoring Credit Card Payments Small Businesses 59

Fundera

AUGUST 12, 2018

When Oxford Dictionaries coins “vape” word of the year , you know the industry is blowing up mainstream culture. And the numbers suggest that this isn’t a fad that’s going away anytime soon— by 2025, the vaping industry is projected to be worth $61.4 billion. It’d make sense for entrepreneurs, both new and established, to want a piece of this lucrative industry and start a vape shop. .

Credit Scoring 59

Credit Scoring Insurance Companies Small Businesses 59

Fundera

AUGUST 2, 2018

Turning a small business from a dream to a reality is a lot like turning a house into a home. Both require drive, passion, and plenty of equity—both of the financial and sweat variety. And more often than not, it’s tough to get the cash you need to embark on either of these journeys. Applying and securing small business loans can be tricky, and poor credit can complicate matters further by narrowing your options.

Small Businesses 59

Small Businesses 59