Almost all businesses, big or small, need to borrow money at some point. Whether it is for large assets such as land and buildings, or simply for supplies to keep a business running, debt financing plays a major role in modern business. Put simply, debt financing is the borrowing of money to keep a business running, to expand a business, or to acquire assets. Long term debt financing is usually associated with larger assets such as machinery, equipment or real estate, and it is paid back over many years. Short term debt financing, on the other hand, is most often used for business operations such as supplies or payroll, and it is often paid back within a year.The alternative to debt financing is equity financing, which involves the acquisition of money from investors and/or savings. However, we will focus on debt financing in this article.While most companies in Britain receive their financing from internal finance, 39 percent rely on external sources of finance, usually debt financing in the form of a bank loan. The business will agree the term of the loan and the interest rate, whether variable or fixed, with the lender. As with any loan, companies will have to show the bank how it is going to repay the money and secure the loan against an asset. The asset will usually be a premises or a piece of equipment that covers the value of the loan. In addition, a bank may require that some kind of personal asset is offered as security.Financial institutions tend to favour companies that have good management, a reliable projected cash flow and good growth potential. The business may have to demonstrate that it can meet the monthly payments from projected revenues in its business plan. Of course, the company will have to comply with the payment schedule specified by the lending institution, and it may run into trouble if it deviates from this. Longer term loans are usually provided in this manner.Debt financing productsCompanies looking for debt finance to cover day to day running costs often opt for an overdraft instead of a long term loan, although these are falling in popularity because of high interest rates, steep fines and the obligation to repay on demand.There are many options currently available for companies looking to avail of debt financing. Factoring and invoice discounting allow small businesses to take loans out against sales, while leasing allows for the borrowing of money to buy machinery or equipment. However, term loans remain the most popular with businesses and with banks. From the point of the view of the financial institutions, it allows them to impose regular repayment schedules over fixed periods, which is less risky than overdrafts. Many companies are known to have fallen foul of the banks because they were unable to repay overdrafts when asked. This provides an overview of the debt financing products available.Every lending institution has its own products, rules and rates so it is worth while for any business to shop around for an arrangement that suits its needs. Some companies even offer credit cards designed for small businesses to pay for day to day incidentals. However, these can become an expensive luxury if the balance is not cleared every month.Debt over equityDebt financing remains more popular than equity financing for a number of reasons. Interest paid on loans can often be deducted against taxes, and debt finance is available in small, accessible amounts, whereas equity finance tends to be in large amounts. Also, with debt financing the lender has no say in how the business is run and has no rights to any ownership or profits of the business. Another advantage is that business profits can be kept within the company while the loan is used for day to day running or the acquisition of assets.Debt financing is not a suitable option for all businesses. However, for small businesses where equity financing is not an option, it can be a valuable service in the day to day running of operations and the purchase of equipment. While loans often tend to be short term and at high interest rates, debt financing remains a popular choice for many companies.
Ready to Start a Home Based Business? Whoa! 2 Red Flags That Say NO
So, you want to start a home based business. Well, you are certainly not alone. Millions of individuals scour the internet every month searching for legitimate home based businesses with the dream of making it big and leaving their jobs. Every day, someone is thinking, “There must be a better way,” or “Please help me quit my job,” or “I want to work from home.”Today, many people are afraid. They are fearful of their economic futures, and the term, “This Economy” is spoken everywhere, and not in a positive light. What this means is that there are a lot of people struggling to make ends meet. Many are hoping for an economic miracle. Others have decided to start a home based business to help improve their situation.Before you act on the impulse to start a home based business, there are a few things to consider. Let’s examine two major “red flags” indicating that you are NOT ready to venture into the world of the home based business entrepreneur – and what you can do to change the situation.Red Flag #1: You feel desperate. You don’t make enough money. Perhaps you hate your job, and you’ll do anything to leave your current job situation. Or, you may be afraid you are about to lose your job.Why this indicates that you are not ready: If you are feeling desperate and miserable, this is not a good time to start a home based business because you will carry that feeling of desperation into your search for a legitimate home based business opportunity. And instead of calmly weighing the pros and cons of various serious and profitable opportunities, You will be more likely to act out of desperation, falling for “get rich quick” scams – probably more than one – and spending your already hard-earned money on something that you feel will be a quick fix to your situation – that “magic bullet” that, frankly, does not exist.How to change the situation: The first thing to do is calm yourself, and look at where the feelings of desperation come from. What can you change in your own attitude to make your job more bearable while you search for a profitable home based business? Instead of feeling angry and desperate, can you teach yourself to see the positive in your situation?For example, if you already have a job – even if it’s not a great job – you could be thankful that you have a source of income that can help you save up for the right opportunity. You could sit yourself down and take full responsibility for where you are – after all, you made the decisions that led you to where you are now, and you can now make decisions to take another direction, if you choose. Just do it rationally, and without emotion. Release your feelings of desperation and hate – those feelings are not who you are. You are a lot bigger than that! There are plenty of places online to learn the techniques that can help you change your own outlook. Use search terms like “self development resources” or “self development techniques,” etc.Red Flag #2: You are broke. You have debts you cannot pay, and you think that if only you could start a home based business, that this will cure everything.Why this indicates that you are not ready: I don’t care whether you think you’ve found the Holy Grail of home based businesses. If you are already in deep debt, you will go further into debt. Why? Because being in business for yourself costs money. Even if you have a paying job, and just want to start something on the side to help pay your debts, if you are unable to stay current with your payments, you will not be able to get the credit or financing that you might need to get your home based business off the ground.Running a business costs far more than the “5 to 10 hours per week” that so many business opportunities tout as being all that’s necessary to succeed. Scheduling your time commitment is only one part of the equation. You need to schedule your money commitment (aka “budget”) too.How to change the situation: First of all, understand at the get-go that if you intend to start a home based business, you WILL need to spend money.Stop searching for “free home based business opportunities,” or “easy home based business,” and get real.You don’t get anything for nothing. Ever.So, before you decide to jump into a home based business, decide how much you can save for your start up costs which will undoubtedly include advertising, website hosting fees, months of carrying your business before the search engines begin to recognize you, and qualified buyers begin to find and visit your website.If you are truly passionate about starting a home based business, then you will do what it takes to pay down your debts and begin to formulate a logical plan to undertake a serious home based business venture.Until that day, you are not ready.Depending on the type of home based business opportunity you are looking at, you can probably find others who are already active in the opportunity what type of budget is necessary to maintain the effort until you begin to earn profits.Finally, you may be saying, “But, I really AM passionate about starting a home based business! Where can I get the money?”This oft-asked question has a relatively simple answer – but unless you have the strength, determination, and self-discipline to do this, you won’t do it.And this is where the rubber meets the road.Here is the answer (drum roll please): Sell your stuff. Get rid of it. Sell on eBay. Sell on CraigsList. Have a yard sale – have more than one yard sale. Just sell your stuff.Most people have far more stuff than they need. Do you REALLY need 10 pairs of shoes? How about that (Heaven forbid), that “Wii” you just had to have? How about your collection of collectible bears, NASCAR, purses, Goth skulls, or electronic do-dads?How badly do you want to start a home based business? How badly do you want success? Sell the TV – or at least one of them (it’s a huge time waster anyway).Sell the 4×4 SUV that you really don’t need to begin with. If you have kids, get them on board with you – kids are great dreamers and the thought of better stuff might nudge them in the right direction.What else can you do? Stop spending needlessly. Buy your clothes from thrift stores instead of the department store for a while. One person we know plans “treasure hunting” trips to thrift stores with her kids – it has become a fun game, not a deprivation. Do you really need that new handbag? Do you really need that piece of jewelry? Brand name versus generic? And on, and on…If the last few paragraphs offend you, and you cannot bear to 1) part with your stuff and/or 2) stop buying more stuff in order to realize a dream, then you are not passionate about starting a serious home based business opportunity. That’s just the way it is.But… If you felt your heart begin to pound just a little when you thought about possibilities instead of limitations, if you felt hope instead of desperation, faith instead of fear – then, my friend, you WILL find a way – not only to START a home based business, but SUCCEED.Copyright (c) 2009 Kathleen Tremblay
Business Finance Brokers: Knowing How They Can Help You
Planning to purchase a business unfortunately do not know where to start looking for finance? Are you currently a bit too busy to be undertaking some researching plus negotiating with business finance brokers? Have you been beginning to lose hope because you are always rejected by lending companies or banking institutions?When your reply is a definite ‘yes’ to these questions then it could be the very best time and also a smart idea to obtain the aid of a business finance broker who is able to accomplish all the finance arrangements in your part.It truly is significant that you get a very good business finance broker as a good broker provides a dedicated one-to-one service and keeps you fully up to date of the available alternatives, what every single option entails along with its benefits and downside. A good broker is knowledgeable in finding a wide range of suitable finance options without delay. In addition, he offers the expertise to negotiate a better deal than you can do by yourself.A business finance broker is aware of which type of financing you need. The kind of financing that you will need will depend on your financial means, your expected profit margin, the sector you want to enter plus some other factors. A broker makes the whole process simple and easy; in most cases he gathers some basic information from you via phone and provides a decision in principle within 24 or 48 hours.When you have determined which financial providers to approach, the brokers can help you tailor and present your proposals in the right way. In order to help tailor your proposals and also to avoid rejections they keep up to date with any policy changes at banks.The method that you present your proposal can often be the cause of being rejected for finance.The moment you ponder on raising funds to obtain a business, what comes first to your mind is to get finance from banks. Yet you ought to be knowledgeable that there are a myriad of lenders these days and some of which specialize in particular products or industries. For instance if perhaps you wish to purchase a garage business, it would make sense to request finance from a lender which specializes in funding garages.A finance broker is knowledgeable with the diverse market for finance provision. Odds are that you’ll find the process complicated and time intensive and find yourself land up picking the wrong business finance provider. You need the aid of a broker to get the best deal.In regards to raising finance, a one-dimensional approach can be a bad idea. Quite often, banks lend on inflexible terms and more frequently they turn down individuals who are with greatest need.Business finance brokers aid you have a whole lot more options besides banks. He will likewise tailor a financial package that suits your needs as well as resources from a wide selection of finance companies and kinds of finance.Because brokers are up to par and extensively knowledgeable of the financial provision market they are fully aware precisely how much leverage they have in negotiations. Thus the moment you have selected a number of providers, the broker can use his expertise in negotiating to obtain a deal with the terms and rates that best accommodates your needs.Bear in mind that the choice is always yours. A broker is there to offer you options and also assist you have an understanding of them to produce a well-informed choice.A business finance broker can help beyond purchasing a business – he can assist you obtain working capital as your business grows and expands. Brokers also offer assistance on business planning, consulting, management buyouts, business restructuring, and also buy-ins and turnaround finance.By simply using the services of a reliable finance broker like Enable Finance you’ll save yourself money and time plus obtain a financial deal that accommodates you best.
Are You Choosing the Right Stock Market Advisory Company
What do you do if you want to learn driving a car? You will try to find an expert teacher, isn’t it? You do not want to avail the services of a novice individual to help you out, but a professional person can provide you the vital tips and most importantly guide you efficiently. Similarly, when it comes to investing in the stock market for the first time, you require a knowledgeable advice to attain your financial goals and get profitable returns.
If you are a beginner, then it is quite obvious that you may be having no information about the process of buying the right shares in the market. In such a situation, getting the right tips from an experienced financial advisor or a registered advisory company will truly prove to be a great blessing in disguise. However, there are some of the important things that have to be kept in mind while choosing the top stock market advisory company, which are as follows:
How much assistance do you actually require?
Before you make up your mind to hire an advisor, it is imperative that you must first decide about the kind of service you require from them. You may need their help at the beginning or during the time of any issues. This is because an advisor has to formulate a map according to your requirements. Hence, it is suggested to ascertain your needs first and then take further action.
Choose a top ranked advisory company
It is a very important point that has to be taken into the consideration. Availing services of the well known advisory company or a financial advisor is an absolute necessity. Make it a point to carry out a proper background or research work about the company. Check out their credentials, reputation, experience, etc before hiring them.
Asking for a sample financial plan initially makes sense
When hiring a financial advisor, then do not forget to ask for sample plan first. It is imperative to note that there is no such thing called the perfect plan. A sample plan will help you to determine whether an advisory company is actually making sense according your requirements or not.
Conclusion
The financial planners or advisory companies can really turn out to be the greatest asset for you if you choose the best one. They are just like the professional sailors who can help you out to sail through stock investment related problems quite efficiently.
Deepak is a financial advisor who likes to provide quality tips to the people facing any issues with regard to investing in the stock market. He likes to keep himself updated about the stock market by reading articles, news and blogs, etc.