Category: Uncategorized

Executive Summary A business checking account is an important financial tool. It will not typically appear on business credit reports, however, and will not affect business credit scores.  But a business bank account will often help a business qualify for lenders small business loans and financing, because lenders often take bank activity and cash flow into account when evaluating applications for credit.  Additionally, there is a fairly recent effort to incorporate bank account information into certain credit scoring models.  Here’s… Read More

A robust economic recovery and a recession that didn’t materialize along with the promise of lower interest rates means 2024 could shape up to be a year of opportunity for small business owners who act strategically in 2024.  Here’s what you need to know about small business financing in the coming year.  What Happened in 2023 in Small Business Finance Rising interest rates, post-pandemic business growth challenges, commercial real estate woes, and new regulations dominated small business financing news headlines… Read More

As an accounting professional, Ebe Osaigbovo, CPA, knows how important it is for small business owners to borrow carefully. “Always have a plan for the funds. Do not ‘bet the farm’,” warns Osaigbovo, president of Smart with Money CPA. He also understands how debt can be leveraged strategically. As a CPA, he works with numerous small business clients, including those who aren’t ready to hire a Chief Financial Officer but still need the types of advice a CFO can provide. … Read More

“What’s Small Business Saturday?” a shop owner asked me recently. She told me she had just opened weeks before, and I asked her if she had anything planned for Small Business Saturday. While she had a day of events and giveaways, including gift card drawings, planned for the last Saturday of November, she just hadn’t made the connection to the popular holiday that celebrates local businesses and encourages shoppers to #ShopSmall. With a little extra effort, she may be able… Read More

There were about 25,000 staffing and recruiting agencies in the US before the pandemic, and total sales grew to $168 billion in 2021, according to ASA research.  Despite the pandemic and the disruption it cased in the labor market, overall the outlook for the staffing industry is strong,  Some three million temporary and contractors work for staffing agencies (aka temporary staffing agencies, or temp agencies) each month, according to the American Staffing Association. They fill roles in all types of… Read More

Every entrepreneur looking for a small business investor has probably heard how important a pitch deck is. It offers the chance to capture a potential investor’s attention. Thousands of dollars (or more) can ride on your ability to sell your business or business concept quickly and concisely.  “A pitch deck is like an elevator pitch,” says Peter Fong Certified Mentor Entrepreneurship with Central Valley SCORE. “You have a short period of time to pitch an investor or banker to invest… Read More