What is an SBA loan? The U.S. Small Business Administration was created in 1953 to help Americans start, build, and grow their businesses. As an independent agency of the government, the SBA partners with both public and private organizations to deliver its services, including loans. An SBA Loan is not a direct loan from the...
Let’s be honest, when it comes to funding, it’s never as straightforward as business advisors, lenders, backers, and investors might have you think. And, if you’re a small business, it’s unlikely you can afford to pay someone to do all the legal research and nit-picky stuff that the big boys can. You have to get...
What is a credit line, anyway? Every small business experiences cash flow challenges. Since cash flow fluctuations are a natural part of doing business, rather than trying to avoid them, an alternative approach would be to actively manage your cash flow. In this article, we will discuss an important tool for cash flow management—the line of...
Why do so many businesses fail? According to a recent Forbes article, at the surface level, they simply run out of cash. It’s easy to get things wrong when you’re starting out and the article points out that 8 out of every 10 businesses fail within the first 18 months.
Thinking about getting a loan? Trying to grow your business but you’re unsure of where to start? Join us on Thursday, August 14 at 1pm ET/10am PT for “Five Things You Should Do With a Business Loan”—a free webinar that will help you understand how to get the most out of every dollar you get...
What do you need to know about small business loans before you apply? A lot! You have a lot of options, and there are a lot of variables in the equation that determines whether you’ll qualify for the loan you’re applying for (or whether that loan is even a good fit for you and your...
Most people understand the basics of consumer debt: if you rack up more expenses on your credit card than you can pay back, you’re in big trouble. But, for some reason, when it comes to small business debt, the picture isn’t quite so clear. Not all businesses are at a point where borrowing money is...
By Jared Hecht
If you need to secure a loan for your business, you'll want to be prepared. Check out these tips from the head of business banking at Fifth Third Bank.