Secured Business Loans – Equipping Your Business Blueprint With Concrete Groundwork

April 5, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

Somebody once said, ‘Business is not financial science; it’s about trading, buying and selling. It’s about creating a product or service so good that people will pay for it.’ So you are full of ideas and ready to take on the world. No matter how striking your business idea is, it still needs a solid foundation to work on. Without a concrete financial plan your business plan might not be as feasible as it might seem on the pages, realistically speaking. Secured business loans give you the opportunity that you need to be financially independent. Being a homeowner will provide you with more to bank upon than you realize. A business loan by keeping your home as a warranty is the just the right way to get started.

Getting a secured business loan is a guaranteed success, if you take care to do your homework. For Acquiring secured business loans a lot depends on the loan claimant. You have to be very clear about how much money you need, why you need it and you must have a repayment plan. You should be able to convince your loan lender that you are very clear about your business and financial needs. This will go in your favour in assuring the loan lender that you are a good credit risk. There is no doubt that there is a huge market for secured business loans but there are no takers for secured business loans applications whose amortization is not secure.

Whether you are buying a business, paying off previous debts, looking for a cheaper rate of interest, expanding your business or starting a new business, business secured loans are the ideal for your plans. A secured business loan is secured over your property. If you own a property in UK then why not make use of this dormant property in your own home. Secured business loans are straightforward, undemanding and fairly simple. The loan amount can range from anywhere between £ 50,000 and £ 1,000,000. You can choose to repay in any term that befits your financial terms. Repayment time period can be from 3 years to 25 years. However, as a homeowner you must be aware that non payment of your secured business loans will lead to annexation of your consequential property or home.

Are you getting started on applying for secured business loans? Then pay a little more attention. A well written secured business loans application must include some occasional imperative information. The secured business loans application must have business name, name of principals, social security number for each principal and address. Make sure that the secured business loans application includes the objective of taking the business loan. The loan applicant must know how he will utilize the business loan. The amount required must be precise. Give an account of your business on your secured business loans request. This includes the history and nature of your business, its age number of employees and also the existing business possessions. Work with relevant agencies to present a complete picture of your business. Your secured business loans application won’t be complete without some details of your principals in your business including their education, background, skills and accomplishments. For securing a secured business loan, you must give the financial statements for the past three years. If you are launching a new business, then give projected balance sheets and income proofs.

Your ability to make repayments on secured business loans is the most emphatic point in getting your application accepted. Security agreements on a secured business loan will include the description of the collateral, the identification of the collateral. The business loans agreement will also include provision regarding the preservation of collateral and the right of the secured party’s to inspect the collateral. You must understand that in the case of default, the loan lender will look towards the collateral to satisfy the obligation.

Secured business loans are offered at highly economical rates at all leading commercial loan lenders. As it is with a secured loan, the interest rates are low and loan stipulations are flexible. A business loan can be secured at all kinds of business property in UK and also on commercial and residential properties. Secured business loans can offer upto 79% of loans to valuation or LTV. The secured business loans are available with both variable rates and fixed rates options. Secured business loans are accessible at freehold and long leasehold property. Bricks and mortar evaluation generally required to be conducted.

Secured business loans are the sustenance of any kind of business. It is important to discern that getting a secured business loan is in no way like a walk in the park. You will have to go through a lot of paperwork than you assume. But the paperwork will be basically of investigative nature. However, if you understand the market you are getting into, there is no doubt your success in acquiring a secured business loan will be secured. Comprehend your strengths and your weaknesses and try to abate your weaknesses and optimize your strength. You know the golden rule is – Before you start setting your financial goals, you need to understand where you stand financially. Decipher the rule and if you have a viable project, with a secured business loan there will be no looking back.

Amanda Thompson holds a Bachelors degree in Commerce from CPIT and has completed her masters in Business Administration from IGNOU. She is as cautious about her finances as any person reading this is. She is working as financial consultant for http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk. To find a Personal Loans, Bad Credit Loans,Debt Consolidation at cheap rates that best suits your needs visit http://www.chanceforloans.co.uk

Author: Amanda Thompson
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CIT Group – Retail Financing Business Failure May Mean an Un-Merry Christmas

April 5, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

One of CIT Group’s specialties is providing financing for apparel and furniture manufacturers and other suppliers with a long wait from procurement of supplies to manufacturing to delivery to retailers until invoice payment by retailers. Cash flow and working capital keeps the supply chain flowing. There is much anxiety on the part of retailers about an interruption in the supply chain that would come about as a result of an interruption in cash flow along the value chain. To the suppliers and manufacturers, their very business survival is at risk. The concern for many is how they can continue to meet payroll.

The big year end retail season is fast approaching. The apparel and retail industry is generally one season ahead of the actual calendar season. But months earlier, they are already planning and strategizing on how to best navigate the Christmas holiday. That’s when the majority of retail sales revenue is generated. Now is the time. And the supply chain and value chain needs to be functioning. Business cash and cash flow is crucial.

What is Factoring?

Receivables are business assets, assets which businesses can use to get cash and working capital. With factoring or accounts receivable financing, the business owner sells customer invoices in exchange for cash advance in as little as 24 hours. This is a big improvement over the 60 to 90 days that retail industry suppliers must wait to get paid. Everyone in the supply chain has already had to have sufficient cash flow and working capital to carry them through until their invoices are generated. Then it could be another 60 to 90 days until there is an inflow of money to fuel continued operations.

With accounts receivable financing or factoring the business gets qualified for cash advances by its customers. Factoring companies purchase business receivables in exchange for providing immediate cash to the business owner. As part of the factoring transaction, the factor or funder or funding source has to the right to receive the A/R invoice payment directly from the customer. After the customer pays the funder, the funding source then deducts the discount fee and remits the balance of the A/R money to the business owner.

The Good News

The cash flow industry is in the business of providing cash advances against future assets and cash flows. Invoice or Receivable Factoring is the original and probably the largest cash flow product. While banks are tightening their money and lending criteria, there is still plenty of money in the cash flow industry. Alternate ways of financing business must be considered as the US Government money dries up and the national deficit and debt continues to rise. Not sure that the fiscally fit factoring companies could absorb $42 billion worth of factoring business. Hopefully that theory won’t be tested. CIT Group, Inc is being rescued by private financing.

Does your business have a cash flow crisis?

I’d like to invite you to claim access to your free report, “Factoring: Why Factoring May Be One of Your Best Financing Options” by visiting http://www.GetCashFromReceivables.com.

Turn your accounts receivable into immediate cash! Call 404-374-3384. Although we do not provide loans, we do provide cash flow solutions to businesses that may not qualify for traditional business loans from a bank. Noble Finances offers factoring/accounts receivable financing, equipment leasing, software leasing, cash advances on future credit card sales, and pres-ettlement lawsuit and law firm funding. If your bank says no, then yes, you need to explore other alternatives. Visit http://www.GetCashFromReceivables.com.

Noble Finances: Accelerating cash flow.

Author: Sandra Noble
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The Green Business Myth Busted

April 5, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

Going Green seems a little like the infamous “bridge to nowhere.”  It starts with a well-intended commitment to the environmental cause, but then gets lost a meandering path of special interests, misguided promoters, and immense diversity of subject matter.  Ask yourself three questions that will reveal everyone’s confusion on the subject. 

1) What is the meaning of “Green”?

2) What is the methodology, path, or process to “Go Green”?

3) When do you reach a recognized level of “Green” certification”?

These are not difficult questions, but belies the problems incurred by businesses that have already agreed to the need for Green operation.  The fevered rush to become an environmentally-friendly business suddenly runs into a morass of confused information and partisan advocates that leads to limp results.  Green (in its most precise definition) refers to the “health impact on living things by the actions we practice in our spheres of influence.”  While Green has been expanded include all things environmental, it should not be a replacement for the environmental topic.  Green properly defined is about health and living things.  Yes, I know that the earth is called a living thing too, but it is in a whole different class of applications.

If Going Green starts with the health impact, we have a starting point.  That starting point can effectively be a platform to launching into other related subject like sustainability (resource management), pollution (waste) and conservation (preserving nature).  These I feel are the four major components of environmentalism, but conservation is not the single issue of our time.  The same could be said of health, sustainability, or pollution issues.  They come together to complete the full environmental puzzle.

For a business, Going Green starts with the health issues currently at work in their facility.  The health of workers is both the logical and rational starting point for any business.  Issues of sustainability follow the health in the process.  Therefore, the Green Business League has a month-by-month list of suggestions that can move any business toward an environmentally-friendly business.  So, we have a starting point and a path for the Green business to eliminate a large part of the confusion.

Some of the well-intended mistakes are the belief that installing a solar panel system, buying carbon credits, or planting green plants on the roof will make a business Green.  These are pieces of the puzzle, but they are not the singular or complete solution.   There are those businesses that  attend environmental seminars, make charitable contributions to environmental causes, or install CFL bulbs thinking that they are a Green business.  However, making the attempt to Go Green is not the same as a Green business.

If Going Green is about construction of a new business or the renovation of an existing business, what about the vast majority of businesses that rent or lease?  They should not be exempted from the Green program because they do not control the facilities, landscaping, HVAC, or greenery on the roof.  Green business is predominantly about the operation of the business and only partially about the construction of the building.  You see, it is possible to have a relatively non-Green business operation in what might be a certifiably Green Business.  Green is more a practice than it is a dual-flush commode. 

Why not allocate points for each additional Green practice incorporated the daily operation until a certain level is reached?  While allowing for a variety of applications that have point assignments, there should be a number value that indicates a level of Green Business success.  For the Green Business League, that initial level for Green Business certification is 100.  Since these points are from literal practices put in place, there are no token or isolated efforts that make instant Green businesses.  Going Green is a process, and continuous process at that.  Knowing where Green starts, the process to go Green, and when Green is certifiable is a tremendous way to be “Honestly Green.”

Earn your Green Business certification with Green Business League, or go to Green Consultant Directory to act as your outsourced Green adviser. Any business can earn a bona fide Green Business certification using a proven system of Green practices.

Author: Michael Richmond
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What to Consider for a Business in Kent

April 5, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

When you are looking to start a business in Kent, there are certain things you need to do, and in a certain order. To make your business move to Kent, England, as smooth as possible, you should be careful to get organized and do everything in the right way, when you need to do it. Failing to plan is after all, planning to fail.

First of all, you should check out the area as to the best location for your firm, if location is a factor. After all, if your field of endeavor is going to be Internet-based, location is not important. Yet, it does not matter; Kent has many fine locations throughout the county. In the event your business relies on its location to help you generate business, you have a fine place to help you. Kent is conveniently located between London and the Channel Tunnel, and both Gatwick and Heathrow international airports are an easy commute.

Next, consider carefully just what sort of business you are considering opening. Are you expanding into a new field: environmental consulting, “Green” technologies etc.? Or are you trying to break into an old and established industry: construction, engineering, landscaping etc. Look at just what sort of potential that field holds. After all, getting into the vehicle industry and building SUVs is probably not good; making hybrids is! Yet, no matter what area you want to get into, Kent has a high-skilled workforce to help you.

After that, look at your capital. Do you have enough to invest in your company and get it set up? If not, there are numerous grant programs and loans available to help you. Some will give you money outright without any repayment plan. Other only require you to pay the money back if you company is a success, and still other will take stock in your firm as a means of payment. Then you need to look at creating a business plan. How will your firm be managed, how big will it be initially, and what do you see as its potential for growth? Once you have a physical location, staff and resources, you need to look at marketing and promotions. After all, the best idea in the world will not make you any money if people do not know about it. That is why various government groups and websites have the resources to help you learn about getting your name out there. By making use of the Internet, you can create a website and thus your business in Kent can expand nationally and eventually worldwide.

When you have a business in Kent, you have access to a huge range of educational institutions. Now, that may not seem important initially, but down the road it has the potential for great growth. If you should invent something new: a new product or process, you may need research and development assistance to turn it into something marketable. Here again, money and capital is often needed, and there are grants designed to help you with that. Also, there are technology-sharing grants that can help you as well. Many times, large corporations and/or government labs will find a new technology and then make it available for small businesses to use. This is yet another area you can explore to help grow your business in Kent.

So, it is easy to see, no matter what sort of business in Kent you want to get into, there are many options available to you to set it up, staff it, market and promote it, and look to the future for growth. Check out the Kent area; you will be glad you did, as it is a growing and vibrant community.

John McLean is a Business Development Executive with Locate in Kent. Locate in Kent has helped more than 440 companies relocate to or expand in Kent. The company’s free, confidential corporate relocation service includes information about business kent, sites and commercial property in Kent and Medway.

Author: John J Mclean
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Opening for Business in Kent

April 1, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

It is often said in real estate that the three most important aspects of any property are: location, location, and location. So, why should you put your new business in Kent? Well, let us see; where to begin? Let us go back to that issue: location. Kent is in an ideal location: conveniently placed between London and the Channel Tunnel, and right on the coast. So, you have easy access to important business centers and an ideal location for your offices and manufacturing plants. Also, Gatwick and Heathrow airports, as well as the train hubs, are close by. So, going out to meet, or bringing clients in for meetings are both easy to do with situation your business in Kent.

First of all, there is the question of what business you want to set up. Here again, you are lucky in you intend to do business in Kent. If you are looking to get into a new field: “green” technology, e-commerce etc. then a business in Kent is ideal for you. On the other hand, if you are looking at something a bit more traditional: tourism, construction, engineering etc. the Kent area is still good. There are a variety of resources to help you market and promote your business no matter what area you are looking to get into.

Next, there is the question of staff. In the Kent area are quite a few institutions of higher learning. So, no matter what field of endeavor you are involved in, you can find workers to serve you. Not only does Kent have an educated workforce, it has a large and diverse population. So, it does not matter if you need twenty young workers or thirty middle-aged managers; you can find what you need in Kent.

Now, once you have settled on where you want to set up your business, there is the question of capital to invest in it. These days, unless you are independently wealthy, you will need investors to get a new business off the ground. Here again, Kent is a great area for the growth of new companies. There is the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) that is dedicated to helping a business in Kent to grow and develop. If you need startup money, they have grant programmes to help small and medium firms. If you need help in creating a management plan, and a scope of best management practices, they also have grants to assist you on that.

Then there is the issue of growth and development. These days, a company can not just remain static; you must continue to grow and change to meet the changes and challenges of the future. Here again, Kent has the resources to help you with these development. Through the SEEDA, there are grants and programmes to help you conduct research and development. The great thing about these grants is that they are tailored to the size of your business. After all, if you have a small firm of about twenty employees, and you want to develop a new manufacturing process, you will not need a huge amount of money. Well, with the SEEDA grants, they can give you enough money to help you, yet not bury you in debt.

Of course, maybe you have not invented anything new, yet you still want to grow your business. Well, the Kent area can still help you. There are technology sharing programmes from both the universities and large corporations. Here again, the SEEDA grants can make technology, inventions, best management techniques, and manufacturing processes available to you. No matter you needs, a business in Kent is a great idea.

John McLean is a Business Development Executive with Locate in Kent. Locate in Kent has helped more than 440 companies relocate to or expand in Kent. The company’s free, confidential corporate relocation service includes information about business kent, sites and commercial property in Kent and Medway.

Author: John J Mclean
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Leaving a Green Thumbprint on the Page

March 25, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

The Green Guide Girls at Plant a Tree in Cherry Hill, New Jersey sent me an email to tell me that they are developing a directory of environmentally friendly companies in the publishing industry. They asked me what my publishing company does to prevent climate change. I replied that we are an itsy bitsy teeny weeny independent publisher and that basically we printed our one and only book on 100% recycled paper. I told them I didn’t have much more to tell. Then, in the days that followed, I kept thinking about their inquiry and I realized that not only do I have more to tell, but that I am passionate about this issue, and have been my entire life. Quite frankly, I have made significant personal sacrifices to protect our delicate environment. When we founded Woza Books, my husband and I signed the Green Press Initiative. I do have something to say about green publishing. Here is my list of ways that publishing companies can help reverse climate change and contribute to the preservation of planet earth.

1) Top of the list: Print on 100% recycled paper. Here’s a tip. Because the Canadian government provides subsidies to printers who use recycled paper, Canadian printers offer better pricing for printing on recycled than American printers. Look into Canadian printers for reasonable price quotes. The bottom line: Recycled paper costs more than virgin paper. Are you willing to make the sacrifice? Recycled paper uses 60% less energy to produce than new paper. Make a responsible choice.

2) Join the Green Press Initiative to draw attention to the issue and the use of recycled materials. Print the Green Press Initiative calculation of savings in the back of your books. Visit http://www.greenpressinitiative.org for more information.

3) Use recycled supplies in your office. Recycle paper, use the back of paper again for notes, and recycle ink cartridges, plastic shopping bags, and everything that is recyclable.
4) Reduce the amount of paper used and mailed by utilizing the internet for promotions, marketing, advertising, communications, financial transactions, etc.

5) Turn your computers off at night. If you have a flat screen monitor, turn it off when not in use, even during the day. Turn off DVD players, TVs, monitors, and other electronic devices at night (remember that equipment also uses power when on standby).

6) Reconsider the author tour model. Sending an author flying all over the country burns a lot of airplane fuel. Why not schedule a regional tour and send the author in a fuel-efficient car, like a hybrid? (I am doing a 12-city tour for my book, but I’m driving to all locations in my little fuel-efficient car.) Use technology to do a virtual tour with webcasts, teleconferences, and podcasts. Set up a “blog tour” (see Steve Weber’s article in the April 2007 issue of PMA’s Independent). Consider creative solutions that use technology to bring the author out into the world without fuel-guzzling, carbon-emitting travel. If air travel is essential, book direct flights to use less fuel. A note of interest: Some cities offer hybrid car rentals. Check out EV Rentals or Fox Rentals.

7) Make adjustments and utilize technology to allow employees to work from home to reduce travel. In fact, get rid of the office and let everyone work from home. One less location to heat/cool, light, and commute to. Concerned about meeting? Use a conference bridge to allow meetings by phone.

8) If you are still attached to the office, readjust work hours to reduce the need to heat, cool, and light the office. (Or better yet, run the office on alternative energy.) Do an energy efficiency audit of the office and make a plan for improvements (such as better weatherizing, improved heating/cooling system, purchasing more energy efficient appliances, and installing a ceiling fan-check out http://www.energystar.gov/home for tips). Turn the office lights off at night.
9) Use compact fluorescent light bulbs. This is a big energy saver.

10) Don’t shrink-wrap books in little bundles for shipping. Reduce packaging and use lightweight recycled paper as packing material.

11) Do business with other green businesses and environmentally conscious vendors. Reward them for their efforts by buying from them.

12) Grow a company garden. On the roof. In the yard. On the windowsill.

Woza Books is not my bread and butter. I earn a living as a grant writer. I have worked from my home office for nearly eight years, with clients in over 20 states. I simply do not travel. I use my phone, e-fax service, overnight delivery, satellite internet access, and conference calling. I have tuned in to webcasts and audiostreams on my computer and teleconferences on my phone to gather information from the federal government and other sources. Clients send me podcasts, DVDs, links to web content, and PowerPoints to fill me in on details. When we founded Woza Books and published The Call to Shakabaz, we had very little money for marketing, so we have utilized the internet and web-based resources as much as possible. Free or cheap. Fuel-efficient.

No one says going green is easy. It is a challenge and it requires creativity. The hard truth is that we need to think differently. We need to think about consuming less and conserving more, to think about working together with others to protect this beautiful planet that we call home. Don’t just talk about it, do it. Start today. And always remember that reading a good book is an old-fashioned, excellent, and very green way to entertain yourself while treading lightly on the earth.

[Note: This article was originally published in "The Independent," an IBPA trade journal.]

Amy Wachspress is the author of The Call to Shakabaz, a children’s and young adult fantasy adventure featuring all Black characters that demonstrates the fundamental principles of nonviolence. She is also a grant writer who has raised over $100 million for initiatives that benefit children, youth, and families in more than 25 states. For more information visit http://www.wozabooks.com

Author: Amy Wachspress
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The Green Audit Requirement

March 18, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

Every business fears the day when a scandal breaks out and the company finds itself sucked into a wave of bad publicity. Years of work and hundreds of thousands of dollars in marketing effort can be wiped out in a breaking scandal that catches the public eye. We already know that bad news spreads much faster than good news. Public loyalty is not easy to build, so businesses must be alert to the potential downside for any number of decisions that are made in the normal course of business.

One of those decision is the need to take the business Green. At this point, no one is so blind as not to see the value of an environmentally-friendly business. The practical impact of business on the environment is multiplied millions of times as businesses everywhere step forward to make a difference as well. The fundamental concern is environmental. Businesses are also learning that Green and sustainable issues are have a pretty good Return on Investment when they are applied correctly. Other than the time and money required to Go Green, the rewards for making the effort simple are all positive.

The choices to obtain Green business certification are easy to identify. The easiest method of Green certification is to buy a logo off the Internet. The price usually ranges between $400 to $1200 and requires only a few voluntary self-assessments. The pitfall is fairly obvious. The display of a Green certification logo is purposely designed to convince the public that the company has installed a Green program. The fact is that most companies will not take the project seriously or frankly cheat the system. Voluntary programs are unreliable at best and totally worthless in a worst case situation.

Fast forward a year or so to the day when an investigative reporter decides to investigate “Green Certifications.” Because the abuse is so widespread and affecting the public at many levels, the scandal of these abusive systems spreads like wildfire throughout the news media and Internet. In this example, your company also displays the now-embarrassing logo on its website and promotional material. It is now too late to change courses and prevent the public backlash of being involved with an “easy Green” website logo scheme.

The second option is one of the many city-wide free Green business certifications. They seem like an excellent idea because they have the aura of credibility, and the price is more than affordable. Of course, these certifications are free because there is a grant or interim funding for the project from a source that is of little concern at the moment. So, the decision to embrace the city’s Green business program is almost too simple.

Step forward in time again to a point where the temporary funding dries up or the volunteers no longer champion this local project. The best of intentions cannot always run on good will for long. Of course, these other concerns mirror the issues of the “Easy Green” website programs because compliance is voluntary and unaudited. Willing members are given a several page Xerox check list, occasionally the utility company stops by for a few “green Tips,” but there is no professional audit of the program.

The third choice is a more difficult standard of certification because there is a national standard for any business to reach prior to Green business certification and a mandatory audit to insure compliance. This level of certification carries a higher price tag than the other choices and the standards are higher than a token effort. For this reason, short-sighted companies will tend toward the “Easy Green” solutions.

The Green Business League is presently the only company in the United States and Canada with a standing team of trained Certified Green Consultants capable of providing the guide and audit for an authentic Green business certification. However, if the Green certification is subjected to the same future evaluation of an investigative reporter, what will be the result? The reporter will find actual Green practices in place that support the Green certification and an audit trail of annual reviews. Live audits and a nationally standardized checklist will provide bold evidence of a truly Green operation that merits the certification awarded.

It can be argued that we must applaud any effort to encourage environmental improvement, and that is true. But, Nonetheless, there is a great deal of deception afoot as greenwashing has become the most popular form of Green promotion. TerraChoice did a survey to find the 98% of Green products on the shelf were greenwashed in some fashion. The public is being deceived, and the deception is being aided by an Easy Green attitude by businesses anxious to talk the talk without walking the walk.

The astute business will resist Easy Green tactics by applying environmental practices that do not offer a Green certification from a spurious source. The more serious approach of an audited Green certification is the obvious future for any Green business. The backlash of an angry and resentful public is not worth the moments of Green charade that come from the Easy Green programs.

Michael Richmond is the director of the Green Business League, and primary trainer for the Certified Sustainability Officer program that trains in-house Green or Sustainability officers.

Author: Michael Richmond
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Finding a Federal Small Business Grant

March 11, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

Grants from the Federal government are given only to non-profit organizations and those that are set up as educational institutions. You may be able to find grants available at the state or local level. Obviously these will differ from one area to the next and you will need to look into what grants are available. If you have not already started your business, you may consider the nature of the business as certain industries are favored. These would include things like child care, green technology or tourism.

Even though you will not be able to find a Federal small business grant, you can often get a grant at the state level that will be dependent on you matching the amount of capital that they put up or somehow securing a loan to obtain the rest of the capital.

Many places will advertise that there are millions of dollars available in the form of many kinds of Federal small business grant. Whenever something sounds too good to be true, it likely is. This is the case here. Money rarely comes for free, and even when you get a grant at the state level there are usually many stipulations that you will need to adhere to.

Something that you should look into is getting backing from the Federal or state government for a low interest loan. They may provide this support or venture capital financing assistance so that you can get your small business up and running. It may not be as enticing as a Federal grant but it may still allow you to get your business started and that is really the most important thing.

You should check with the Small Business Administration to see what is available for you and it would not hurt to talk to other small business owners who have recently been in the same situation that you are now. It may help you to avoid people that are only looking to take your money.

For more information on a federal small business grant, Go to http://federalsmallbusinessgrantsandloans.com

Author: Susan Amato
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Social Business – 9 Tips to Writing a Rock Star Social – Green Business Plan

March 4, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

So you’re thinking about starting a social business (i.e. a business that helps a social or environmental cause in some way), or adding a social business element to your existing business? Awesome! And congratulations. If you take action on that intention, you’re well on your way to financial freedom and making a positive impact on the world.

Writing a business plan is one of the first tasks on your list. Well the, what makes a great social business plan? It’s both an art and a science, and there are hundreds of books, websites, and other resources on business plans in general. Here are nine great tips specific to writing social business plans, tips that you won’t find in any traditional business plan how-to.

1. Tell your story. How will your company benefit a social or environmental cause? Why start this particular business, why now, and why you? Do this in the synopsis and subtly throughout the whole plan. As a social business, this story is where you can really shine.

2. Keep it brief. No one wants to read a 50 page business plan, and in fact, no one probably ever will, no matter how special or amazing your cause is. Ideally, keep your plan to ten pages, and most certainly under 20.

3. Continually update it. A business plan is a living document that must be reviewed and adjusted on at least a monthly basis. As your company and your cause grow and change, your business plan should evolve in lockstep.

4. Include a brief Envisioned Future section. What will your company look like in 20 or 100 years? How will the world have benefited from its existence? Your business is an organization with a good cause, so spell out your vision. It will help you keep your eyes on the prize in hard times, and the visual will also help sell the idea to investors, bankers, donors, employees, customers, and everyone else.

5. Show how and why you will be competitive and profitable in a market that doesn’t really care whether your products are made of recycled materials or if you’re empowering poor women beekeepers in Africa. If everything else is equal (i.e. price, brand recognition, quality, shelf location), you might have a slight edge because of your cause. But probably not. You’re providing a product or service to the world, and you must make a profit doing so. Use your plan to legitimately prove that you will. Remember: you can’t help anyone if you go bankrupt.

6. Don’t get too crazy with the use of words like sustainability, green, social business, good cause, fair trade, and so on. Unfortunately, many traditional business people have negative connotations for all those words, left over from extreme environmentalists of the 70s (think off-the-grid communes and lack of deodorant). Unfair images, but we all still have to deal with that for the time being. Use those words when you must, but keep it to a minimum. If you can, use words like “efficiency,” “improved safety standards,” and “increased profit” instead.

7. Do ample research. As a social business, your company will likely undergo more scrutiny from everyone involved than a traditional business model would, which is unfair but true. Back up everything you say with piles of credible research, some of which you may even include in the Appendices to your plan, where appropriate.

8. When compiling your financial projections, make sure to include a Social Return on Investment, or SROI. Explain how you plan to quantify, measure, and analyze your SROI. Quantification is how you will show the world the good things you’ve done, and how you can decide what your biggest and best levers for change are.

9. Use a template business plan to get started. No need to reinvent the wheel. There are lots of free or cheap business plans out there that can help you write your own amazing plan. Granted most of them are not specifically geared to social businesses, so you may have to improvise a bit.

Or, you could just click here:

http://SocialBusinessCentral.com

to download a social business plan template/how-to manual from Social Business Central, possibly the single best resource for small business entrepreneurs with a conscience. You’ll also find loads of other resources, a social business blog, and much more. It’s a really great website.

About the Author

Matt Sparks is a successful entrepreneur, both offline and on, having launched over 25 businesses (some notable successes and some colossal failures, both of which are important). He is a small business mentor and counselor for SCORE-a division of the Small Business Administration (SBA), Micro-Business Development, and other organizations. He has written books, articles, and blogs about social business, small business, real estate, finance, New Urbanism, and sustainable cities.

(c) Copyright – Matthew R. Sparks. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Author: Matt Sparks
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Grants For Profit – Where’s the Free-For-Profit Business Grant Money?

February 25, 2010 · Posted in Angel investor · Comments Off 

The Problem

So the United States economy is struggling. Everyone is trying to figure out what will pull us out of the current recession.  In February 2009 U.S. Congress passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), also known as the stimulus bill. Its purpose was to provide a stimulus to the U.S. economy in the wake of the economic downturn. I don’t agree with everything our Congress and the Obama administration is doing. But I trust they are getting wise counsel. Hopefully people / advisors who are well versed in the field of economics. But we are sailing in uncharted territory. Academics won’t reveal the solution, only the tendencies and trends. Creativity applied to financial wisdom and judgment will bring about and / or accelerate our recovery.

At the business level, the struggle is similar. The business challenge is how to increase revenues and reduce costs. (The government is apparently not concerned with the cost reduction side. We already had a budget deficit before the stimulus bill.)  So what can companies do to survive? Marketing in uncertain times has to continue, so the business can be positioned and in the minds of its customers and clients when the recovery happens. Sales people have a unique challenge, when prospects and customers are dealing with tight and contracting budgets. The initial sale and the add-on sales is more difficult.

Who is Spending?

The one sector that is spending money is the federal government. Much of the money allocated in the Stimulus Bill / Recovery Act is targeted at governmental entities. So there is a layer of government involvement in between the money source and the business community and also individuals. Apart from the Recovery Act, the government has been and continues to provide money for many projects. The federal government buys just about every product and service. The military does the same. There is money for green initiatives. But how does the business community get access to this money and funding?

Businesses can get on GSA schedules to do business with the government. Some state and local governments are also making use of the pre-approved vendors on the federal GSA schedules. There are special programs and set asides for businesses which qualify for the 8(a) program or for those in minority owned, woman owned, veteran owned and small business categories.  To get access to this money and these contracts, the business must respond to requests for proposals and requests for quotations.

An Alternative

There is one more alternative: grants. For the most part these are for governments and non-profit organizations. But, there are instances where for-profit businesses can apply for and receive this free grant money.

Want some free grant money for your business? I’d like to invite you to claim access to your *FREE* Report, “Grants For Profit: 5 Steps For Successfully Getting Business Grant Money”, by visiting http://www.GrantAndProposalExpert.com

Sandra Noble, President and CEO, Noble & Associates Consulting offers expert proposal and grant writing. We help you create successful responses to bids and RFPs. We help you apply and receive government grant money. Get started with your grant application today. Get government contracts by responding to RFPs and bids today. Stop what you’re doing and call the grant and proposal writing experts at 404-374-3384 or visit http://www.GrantAndProposalExpert.com right now!

Author: Sandra Noble
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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