Finance/Capital Access

By Connor Wilson –

While summer won’t officially begin until June 20, the warm weather is already here and school is already out in most places. Depending on the type of business you run, this is either good news or bad news. Some businesses see significant dips in income in the summer months, while some seasonal businesses operate exclusively in the summer.

With millions of Americans preparing to travel, beautify their yards, or just head out to enjoy the season, this is the time for summer businesses to make money. For some, it’s the time to buckle down and strategize so their businesses survive the slow months. There are a number of strategies your business can use to stay afloat and continue to innovate, but one in particular is the tool that every summer business needs to stay on track and meet its goals. (more…)

By Jason Steele –

Credit cards can be an indispensable tool for small businesses. These products offer companies a secure and convenient method of payment, while providing a valuable means of financing and being more readily available than other options like a small business loan.

But with a small business credit card, its balance and payment information will be recorded on the credit histories of the primary account holder, just like a consumer credit card. This isn’t a problem when your small business cards are managed responsibly, but it causes issues when they are are not.

Here are five ways that a small business credit card can hurt your credit. (more…)

By Jason Steele –

It seems like America has gone crazy with fees. It’s now standard practice in most industries to quote prices that fail to include several mandatory extra charges, often intermingled with government imposed taxes.

But in the credit card industry, fees are actually under strict government control. All fees must be clearly disclosed in advance, and card issuers aren’t even allowed to use the fine print.

This makes it easy to avoid most fees when it comes to choosing a business credit card. Here are six business credit card fees you should always avoid: (more…)

By Jason Steele –

Did you know that there’s a right way and a wrong way to close your small business credit card? If you do it the wrong way, you could miss out on rewards and benefits, and possibly even incur late fees and interest payments. Use these steps to make sure that you close your credit card account the right way.

Consider Alternatives to Closing Your Account

There are some good reasons why you may wish to close your small business credit card account, but many of them can be addressed by your card issuer. The market for small business credit cards is extremely competitive, and card issuers are willing to go to great lengths to retain existing their customers. For example, if you are closing your account because the annual fee is too high, and you let your card issuer know, then it may waive your annual fee to keep your business. Likewise, if the standard interest rate is not competitive, then your card issuer might be able to offer you a lower rate. (more…)

By Eric Rosenberg –

Business ideas come easy to some, but what happens when you have a good idea but no money to get started? Countless entrepreneurs have run into funding challenges when looking to found and build a new business. Here are ten ideas to get you started when looking to get money for your business.

1. Personal Savings

The first place to look for capital when starting a new business is your own bank account. If you are smart with your personal finances and keep good habits, you should have an emergency fund and retirement savings, but you should avoid tapping into those whenever possible. (more…)