Insights into the world of small business lending and development

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Turn your bright idea into a business: Does your small business idea have legs?

Thursday, July 25, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy

This is the first post in our new series about how you can turn your dream of owning a small business into a reality. Check back each week for new posts.

Congratulations! You have a great idea for a new business and want to start your journey as an entrepreneur. But starting a business can seem like a daunting task and you might need some help figuring out if you’re ready to turn your idea into a reality. Read on for tips to help you determine if your business idea has legs.

Validate your idea

Before spending any money on starting a business, do your homework....

What Are Interest Rates For Affordable Small Business Loans?

Wednesday, June 26, 2019 | Access to Capital, Financial tools and management

This post originally appeared on the blog of our partner, CDC Small Business Finance.

If you’re on the hunt for a small business loan, how much you’ll pay in interest for affordable financing depends on several financial moving parts, from your credit score to the type of lender you work with.

Instead of going to a traditional bank, you can opt to get a business loan through a community-based lender where loan requirements are not as strict and rates are affordable. Interest rates vary from community lender to community lender. At CDC Small Business Finance, as...

How A Unique Approach to Cash Flow Has Helped This Architect Construct Her Business

Thursday, June 6, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy, Financial tools and management

This post originally appeared on the blog of our partner, Nav.com.

Leslie Saul & Associates, Inc. is an architecture and interior design firm based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that primarily services the greater Boston and Miami areas. The business focuses on renovations including offices, restaurants, retail stores, senior living facilities, private homes, universities, churches, and synagogues, among many other building types. Founder Leslie Saul says that having such a broad practice has helped her maintain a business for more than 26 years. Additionally, her attention t...

America’s SBDC and Venturize ask the tough questions about becoming loan ready

Thursday, May 16, 2019 | Access to Capital, Financial tools and management

In celebration of our new partnership with America’s SBDC, Venturize co-hosted a Twitter chat during National Small Business Week to talk about the top tips and resources to help small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs become loan ready. We were happy to be joined by our friends at Intuit QuickBooks, the New Jersey Business Action Center, Small Business Majority, BIGG Success and BizBuySell. There were also a number of SBDCs that participated, including the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center, New York SBDC, University of Minnesota Center for Economic Development a...

Finance 101: How to choose the best credit card for your small business

Wednesday, May 15, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy, Financial tools and management

This is the second post in a series on the basics of small business finances. Check out our first post on small business bank accounts, and stay tuned for future posts in this series, including information about bookkeeping.

Hopefully, you’ve read our first post about navigating your small business finances and learned why it’s important to open a small business bank account to keep your personal and business accounts separate. Just like with bank accounts, a small business credit card is an important component of establishing good financial practices for your small business.

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Business insider tips from our Small Business Council

Friday, May 10, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy

This blog was originally posted on the website of Small Business Majority.

In honor of National Small Business Week, we asked several members of our national Small Business Council to share their expert advice on starting and running your own business.

Our panel includes

Harland Henry: CEO and founder of SunBiz Showcase Alliance, an economic and community development advocacy company focused on the development of small enterprises based in Tampa, Florida.

Jessica Jolly: Founder of ALT-Enter, a Chicago-based digital...

6 Surprising Statistics About Benefits Employees Want

Friday, May 3, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy, Mentoring and networking

This post originally appeared on the blog of our partner, Justworks.

It should go without saying that most job seekers want a quality benefits package to pair with their job offer. But which employee benefits are the most desired, and how can your company keep pace with the bigger guys?

Justworks conducted an original study* to answer that question.

Below, find out about the gaps between what employers offer and what prospective employees want — and the big opportunities available to growing businesses.

Finance 101: Understanding the building blocks of good credit

Monday, April 22, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy, Financial tools and management

Finance 101: Understanding the building blocks of good credit

This is the fifth post in a series on the basics of small business finances. Check out our posts on small business bank accounts, small business credit cards, accounting software and building wealth. Stay tuned for future posts in this series.

After setting up the basics of your small business finances, like opening a business banking account or choosing an accounting system, you may be thinking about taking out a loan. Unfortunately, most banks view small business loans as a risky investment. One way...

This is your target credit score to secure an affordable business loan

Wednesday, April 10, 2019 | Access to Capital, Business planning and strategy, Financial tools and management

This post originally appeared on the blog of our partner, CDC Small Business Finance.

Think quick — what was your childhood phone number? I bet those 10 digits came spilling out without hesitation.

If you’re in the market for an affordable business loan, you should be able to recall your credit score with similar ease. That’s because your score helps lenders gauge your financial fitness and the likelihood you’ll repay your loan. So if it’s in the right range, you can increase your odds of getting a business loan with great terms.

While traditional lenders...

Popcorn, cotton candy, snow cones: Alabama business treats the world

Thursday, March 28, 2019 | Access to Capital, Financial tools and management

This post orginally appeared on the blog of our partner, The Export-Import Bank of the United States.

Summer is coming and across the country that means state and county fairs. And cotton candy. And snow cones. Or maybe a trip to the air conditioned movie theater to beat the heat. With popcorn, of course. If any of these stir your memory or make your mouth water, you, and people around the world, can thank Great Western Products.

Great Western, a 65 employee company headquartered in Hollywood, Alabama has been supplying concession products and related equipment for over 50 ye...

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