Business Cash Advances and Credit Card Processing Strategies

National Cash Register
Creative Commons License photo credit: Svadilfari

We are highlighting ten key difficulties to avoid when seeking business cash advances and working capital using credit card processing. It is especially important for business owners to realize that it is not necessary to accept any of the ten credit card factoring problems.

Credit card processing and small business loan strategies are closely connected in many ways. Business owners should not overlook the substantial working capital benefits which will accrue to their business by effectively coordinating credit card factoring and processing. If the ten most common business cash advance problems can be avoided, the total business benefits will be maximized.

Even thriving small businesses frequently need more working capital than they can borrow from a bank. One of the most important commercial financing needs for any business is ensuring that short-term cash requirements are successfully met. This is frequently a difficult task. Read more of this >>

Merchant Loans For 2009

La Baguetina
Creative Commons License photo credit: papalars

There are many reasons why I feel the merchant loan will be one of the most sought-out methods of business financing for 2009. Many of those reasons stem from our current economic situation.

Fact: “We are in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression,” as stated many times by President Barack Obama. It is also a fact that the issues that tipped off the U.S.’s recession ultimately have a domino or ripple affect and in the worst cases can even result in a cycle of economic hardships that is difficult to break.

Example: Banks tighten their lending standards, making it more difficult for business owners to get loans. –> Business owners have to find other ways to finance, such as increasing prices. –> Read more of this >>

A Small Business Loan Alternative For Today’s Economy

Coborn's Delivers Warehouse Tour
Creative Commons License photo credit: edkohler

You need money for your business. Under normal circumstances, you’d look into a getting a small business loan. But these are far from normal circumstances. Our economy is in a full-on recession and you need something fresh, something new, something innovative. You need a small business loan alternative.

If you own a retail and/or service-oriented business, you are in luck; because, as its name hints, the merchant cash advance is the perfect method of business financing for merchants.

Clothing stores, grocery stores, restaurants, spas, salons, etc. are all businesses that might be eligible to receive business funds through an advance.

The merchant cash advance is known as the small business loan alternative for many reasons, but mainly because many business owners who have not been able to get funds through a bank have been able to get those funds from a cash advance lender.

In addition, this type of funding typically occurs faster than bank funding, requirements for merchant cash advance eligibility are looser than requirements for bank loan eligibility as well. Read more of this >>

Why Choose a Business Cash in Advance For Today’s Economy?

Clippers demonstration
Creative Commons License photo credit: jepoirrier

By now, small business owners have learned that with the economy as is, there is little to no time to wait when it comes to making business decisions. The slightest hesitation can cause significant damage to a struggling business. That is one of the many reasons why business owners are choosing to receive a business cash in advance.

Getting a business cash in advance is easy when working with a merchant cash advance lender. The entire process can take as little as two weeks when done correctly, allowing small business owners to quickly access cash to be used for their businesses. Read more of this >>

Can’t Get a Business Loan?

old bank vault door
Creative Commons License photo credit: eob

It time again to revisit alternative financing strategies for business owners needing money. Whether your business needs capital to grow, meet payroll, or to just simply survive, there are numerous alternatives for your company when banks so ‘NO’.

Personal loans are no longer viable options for business owners. Banks have tightened their purse strings on personal credit just as they have with business credit. This tightening typically does not have anything to do with the state of your credit or the value of your collateral. But more reflects their past indiscretions with their depositors’ money. Further, most business owners, over the last two or three years, have already encumbered all of their personal assets, leaving nothing of value to collateralize.

The following lists many alternatives that may still be available to your business. These alternatives allow business owners to capitalize on their previous hard work; Read more of this >>

Protecting Your Small Business in Today’s Economy

snow day!
Creative Commons License photo credit: cory schmitz

As a financial giant files for bankruptcy protection, many small business owners may be worried about what will happen to their businesses, especially those who are already feeling the effects of an economic downturn and are in need of funds. Banks have already been tightening their lending practices and with the recent happenings, experts predict that the credit crunch will only worsen. So where does that leave your small business?

Many business magazines, websites and blogs are offering advice to small business owners for getting through this rough period of time. Businessweek.com offers “Ten Resources for Nervous Entrepreneurs,” Entreprenuer.com advises small business owners how to “Win Sales From Recession-Minded Consumers,” and Blackenterprise.com examines the problems that small businesses face during a bleak economy in an article titled “Small Business on Capitol Hill.”

In addition to these resources, another source of help for small businesses remains. As acquiring a small business loan in today’s economy may be almost impossible, small business owners can find business funding through a business cash advance.

A business cash advance is like a small business loan in the fact that a certain amount of money is lent to small business owners for small business financing, and must be repaid. But there are many differences that make business cash advances a more feasible source of business funds for small business owners than a bank small business loan, especially in today’s economy.

Children of The Revolution

First, borrowers are not required to have excellent credit scores or collateral in order to be approved for a business cash advance. Lenders purchase a business owner’s future credit card receivables. This way, the borrower gets a lump sum upfront, while only a small percentage of his/her business’ credit card sales is deducted towards business cash advance repayment until repayment is complete.

Usually, the timeline from application to funding of a business cash advance is much shorter than that of a bank’s small business loan. This is mostly due to the fact that applying for a business cash advance is very simple, and requires much less preparation, paperwork and documentation than a bank’s small business loan. Business owners are usually only required to submit a short application, at least four months of their business’ credit card statements, and a copy of their business’ lease.

Business owners who may be fighting the effects of an economic downturn may be able to save their businesses if only they could get their hands on some sort of business funding. A business cash advance can provide them with that money when they need it the most.
Creative Commons License photo credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

Read more of this >>

Maintaining a Small Business in a Downturned Economy – Merchant Cash Advance

Chulia Street/Merchant Road
Creative Commons License photo credit: Shiny Things

Many small business owners in the United States may feel like the problems of the economy have landed directly into their own laps. In this situation it is important to be both pro-active and reactive. Taking early action to offset the financial problems that have already occurred and others to prevent further financial turmoil from arising is vital.

Choosing to receive a merchant cash advance, an upfront sum of cash in exchange for a business’s future credit card sales that can be used at the business owner’s discretion, can be a smart step for a small business owner, in addition to other procedures that can promote healthy business during difficult times.

Believe or not, there are companies that existed during the Great Depression that are still around today. They found innovative ways to make their companies last during a time when the “dollar value” of international trade fell more than 60 percent, an average of 600 banks failed each year, and unemployment rates hit 25 percent.

179-year-old beer-making company, Yuengling and 175-year-old guitar-making company, Martin Guitars, were both featured in a Business Week article titled “Learning from the Great Depression.” In the article, the company’s CEO says Martin Guitars’ resiliency can be credited to remaining fair and equitable and maintaining strong relationships with dealers. He is quoted saying, “Our billing has always been routine…No shenanigans. We don’t offer discounts to high-volume retailers.”

This is advice that many small business owners may be able to benefit from, because their small size and ability to interact with and develop relationships with their customers allows them to deliver customer service that big companies just can’t provide, and can keep customers coming back for the quality service, rather than the low prices.

Also in the article, Dick Yuengling, the current Yeungling CEO, said “…the family kept the business afloat by diversifying into dairy farming, Broadway shows, and dance halls during the Great Depression instead of shutting down or selling out.”

In addition to these tactics that a small business owner can learn from history, some small business owners have tried methods such as cutting back on purchases whenever possible, decreasing employee hours, bargain hunting for the best prices on equipment, etc., and making sure to pay themselves last. But when you’ve tried all of these things and you still find that you need more money, a merchant cash advance may be the innovative step that should be taken by today’s small business owners.


Creative Commons License photo credit: Kevin N. Murphy

What makes a merchant cash advance so practical, especially today, are its unique characteristics. Borrowers do not need to have excellent credit to receive a merchant cash advance. They also do not need to provide collateral or personal financial statements. Merchant cash advance payments are deducted automatically from a business’s credit card sales. Therefore, as customers make purchases using their credit cards, a small percentage from each sale is used to repay the merchant cash advance. Read more of this >>

5 Sources of Financing For Small Business Growth

Open Design Space at EPFL
Creative Commons License photo credit: Alex Osterwalder

In the experience of many small businesses over the years, one thing is certain – no matter what type of business you start, it is going to require money from somewhere. Although many entrepreneurs are one-person companies, raising sufficient money is often overlooked seriously by many new startups. The word sufficient here is defined as the amount of money that will really make this business succeed through practical and aggressive means.

Most of the time, the passion of starting a new business overtakes common sense and a real clear idea of the startup and operating capital needed is lacking. So it is advised that when you consider shopping for money to start your business, that you do so after completing some form of a business plan. Even if you take money out of your own pocket or borrow on the equity on your home or from your credit card, it is essential that you know ahead of time that it will be well spent. Read more of this >>

Business Financing – Short – Term Working Capital Management

1911 Biplane frame
Creative Commons License photo credit: | El CaganerBusiness financing strategies for short-term working capital management are often overlooked because of an apparent preference for long-term business financing. Although long-term business loan options are frequently appropriate, there are several short-term working capital management possibilities that will be much more effective for business owners in achieving successful business financing results. Two of the most overlooked short-term working capital financing strategies are business cash advance programs and short-term commercial mortgage loan programs.

BUSINESS FINANCING EXAMPLE ONE – SHORT TERM WORKING CAPITAL MANAGEMENT – Business Cash Advance Programs

For any business that accepts credit cards as a method of payment, a business cash advance is a critical business financing tool that is often overlooked. Even thriving businesses frequently need more working capital than they can borrow from a bank. Read more of this >>

Small Business Funding

I'll say no fecking service!
Creative Commons License photo credit: MikeBlogs

One of the basic problems of small businesses is cash-flow. One of the most insidious situations is the one when you start getting long and painful late payments. Mode of payments available for us, and one of the easiest are the credit cards, and the debit cards. Another very safe way of getting paid could be by a cross-cheque, with the name of the entitled written with the account number, either mailed or provided by hand. One way to get paid on time is to even out irregularities and look for clients who can guarantee you payments on time, this will help in better cash-flow.

The best way to get assured and on time payments is by the plastic card, such as the credit or debit cards. This is due to the rapid online system created by the credit card companies. You’ll have a slight charge on the sales made by cards, but those will be negligible in front of the time and money which would have wasted due to the late payments. Read more of this >>

Powered by Yahoo! Answers