Month: June 2022

Haven’t Got the Cash?

It’s true that to start and scale any business, you’re going to need more than just extra cash flow. You’ll likely need partners, investors and a solid plan for how you’re going to use your new business funds to grow. But, when you’re just starting out, you start out small. Even better: you can start out as small as you like.

If your plan is to open up a storefront where you sell your hand-crafted wares, you can always start by selling them to friends and family. You can build up a reputation and get initial feedback. Then, you can sell them on a third-party website online. After that, you can move on to hosting your own site and eCommerce store. You get the idea.

Ask yourself what you can do and get for free

It’s easy to come up with a list of obstacles standing in the way of you and launching your business. It’s often harder to come up with a list of opportunities that are right in front of you. If the thought of starting a business with no money scares you, stop and reflect on what you can do without right now.

What’s essential to your business? Do you need the slick, custom-designed website when you’ve only perfected three items for your new online store? Could you do with creating a Facebook page to promote your business locally, instead? Or, would it make more sense for you to post your products for sale on a site like Etsy? Would it make more sense for you to design your own marketing materials on Canva? Could you barter and trade your skills/products/resources with someone else in lieu of payment?

To say there are a lot of free resources on the web is an understatement. Make a list of what you need for your business and then research free alternatives on the web. 

Some common ways to cost save are:

  • Accounting Software and Bookkeeping: In your first year or two, you may not need both of these things. Consider family or friends, possibly even doing it yourself.
  • Business Insurance: You may not need this in the short term if there’s no liability issues in your business, or you don’t have employees. However, it is good to have in the long-run because it will protect your personal assets in case of lawsuits or faulty products.
  • Multiple social media accounts and extravagant marketing plans: While you may have outlined a rockstar marketing strategy in your business plan, managing these accounts and ad budget are jobs in themselves. Look at cost effective ways to scale your marketing (SEO, Referral marketing, word-of-mouth) to get some revenue first. Focus on one or two social media accounts that resonate with your potential customers. 

It might take time, and perhaps even require you to pick up some extra digital skills to optimize your online business, but you’ll save funds when you need them most.

Once you are ready to start expanding and getting funding, we can help. 

Thinking of Starting a New Business?

Now is the time! With our society ready to get back in action (safely), new business concepts are quickly emerging with creative flows for serving the public without the high risk of spreading the virus. Put your innovative business concepts into play, and connect with us to get the funding you need to start your newest venture!

Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!

Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.

Apply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584

It’s time to pay: What are merchant services?

TSo your business is about to be up and running: you had the dream, you created your business plan, you acquired the funding , and now you are about to open your doors. You just have one thing standing in your way – how are you going to process your payments? 

Merchant services, often labeled credit card processing, is the handling of electronic payment transactions, and it is very helpful when you want to accept money for your products and/or services. 

What is Payment Processing?

Credit card processing companies (also known as merchant services companies, merchant accounts providers, credit card processors, payment processors, or online payment processing companies) are companies that allow you to accept credit card payments. Credit card processors act as intermediaries between your business and your customer’s credit card/debit card provider, making this the quickest and best way to take credit card payments.

What are Merchant Services Companies?

Not all credit card processors offer merchant services, but all merchant services companies offer credit card processing. The top merchant services companies offer a range of services to merchants (businesses), including: credit card processing, business financing, gift card programs, loyalty programs, online payment gateways, and website design. The terms ‘merchant services provider’ and ‘credit card processor’ are used interchangeably, but it’s important to remember that credit card processing is only one of many services offered by the best online merchant services providers.

If you’re the sort of business owner who enjoys the convenience of a one-stop shop, then the best credit card processor for you may be one also that offers a variety of merchant services. But if you only need to accept credit card payments, then you can freely choose from the best credit card processor companies without having to worry about whether they offer additional services.

Check out some of the top Merchant Service Companies in 2022. 

Thinking of Starting a New Business?

Of course, if haven’t reached this step in the process yet, if your dream is still just a dream – it doesn’t have to stay that way. Obviously you are doing the right thing by researching the steps and what it takes, and your next decision is how to get the funding you need to get everything moving. We’re talking business loans, start up loans, etc. We can help you with all of that! 

Now is the time! With our society ready to get back in action (safely), new business concepts are quickly emerging with creative flows for serving the public without the high risk of spreading the virus. Put your innovative business concepts into play, and connect with us to get the funding you need to start your newest venture!

Financial restraints have been a complaint for many of the dreamers, limiting themselves to their immediate funds. There is an alternative. If you have the dreams and decent credit, Small Business Loans and No Doc Loans are available to you. Our goal is to provide you with the knowledge you need and the resources available to make your dream a reality. Give us a call – we have the education and the perspective to help you obtain the loans you need for your small business. Visit our website or give us a call to find out what financial backing is available to make your business soar!

Unsecured Finances has over 10 years in the consulting business! We specialized in educating and assisting clients on acquiring Unsecured Business Loans and Start-Up Business Specialty Loans including; Unsecured No Documentation (No-Doc Stated Income) Loans, Unsecured Business Loans, and Unsecured Start-Up Business Loans and Lines of Credit from $10,000 to $500,000 without Assets.

Apply on our website to find out if you qualify, or call today for a free consultation: 1-888-294-2584

What’s Standing In The Way Of Your Startup?

What’s Standing In The Way Of Your Startup?

Many challenges that pop up along the way to getting a startup off the ground can be avoided, or the impacts lessened, with due preparation. Not having set plans in place for all areas of your business is just begging for trouble. True, you certainly don’t need all of your ducks in a row to take the plunge and start a company, but you need a good picture of the ducks you want and where you want them to go. With a sense of direction and an understanding of your support structure, you’ll be better positioned to glide smoothly around unexpected obstacles and let would-be problems slide off your back.

What to plan for? If you’re already in business then maybe it’s time to revisit your original business plan. Look at the aspects you have adhered to and the ones that have evolved, additionally, if any initial goals have changed. As a fundamental, products and services should be working as intended. If not, this is where to find the first holes to plug. 

Improvements might be made administratively, perhaps by making updates to human resources, or consider shopping different automating platforms. There may also be lags due to lack of employees or equipment, then it’s time to scale.

Money is the most obvious hurtle that the majority of small businesses face. Before day one, an entrepreneur will have hopefully researched and compared financial options, along with worst and best-case scenarios. The SBA is an invaluable resource for low-budget startups. Traditional lenders, business lines of credit, or credit cards with generous rewards programs are a straightforward way to secure the capital needed to expand, or invest for growth. Private investors will provide freedom to move forward, but can also hamper the amount of control an entrepreneur has over business decisions.

After reviewing fundamentals and basic health of operations, it’s then time to ask how well defined is your brand? Does your company have a clear purpose and a coherent, memorable image? Embrace the factors that set you apart from your competition and echo them. Marketing strategies will be a constant conversation to be refreshed regularly. There’s always an opportunity for a new promo campaign to engage new and existing customers. If the well of ideas is running low, ask your following what they would be excited to be offered. Consumers always appreciate having a choice and a voice in creating options for themselves. 

Everyday efficiency could be hindering acceleration to the next level. Bookkeeping software can help not only automate a massive amount of otherwise tedious tasking, but it can also run analytics. This will render an overview of possible leakages of time or money, as well as show you the areas working for you and where you can capitalize or invest more. 

If you know something is holding you back but are unsure where, it’s best to take a magnifying glass and go back to basics. Look to your team for feedback on what their pain points are and how to optimize workflow, or what might boost the company overall. Make sure you’re delegating the right jobs to the right people, and that everyone is in the role that best suits their talents – without being micromanaged. 

If you do know what needs to be improved then the solution may be just to get out of your comfort zone and get out of your own way. We all fear failure and success, but in the long run the only thing worth fearing is regret. For some it’s from inaction, for others unwise impulsivity. A well-thought plan can give motivation or restraint as needed, while keeping a business on track and in sight of the goals it set out to reach.

Don’t Let Your Startup Fall Apart

Don’t Let Your Startup Fall Apart

With springtime blooming and summer just around the bend, it’s far too easy to become caught up with everyone around you winding down. But for a small business owner, especially one who might work from home, distractions can be detrimental and leave you scrambling to catch up when the next season starts.

Be aware of what your biggest derailments are and be honest about what temptations might lure you away from your important projects. If there are recreational activities you promised yourself or your family that you would not miss again this year, then make a plan and schedule the work you’ve committed to around it. Likewise, make sure the goals you have for your business and obligations to clients are met before detaching completely to have fun.

Rest is part of the work. Taking off a week or two, even just to staycation, can be like medicine for a weary soul after a year of long hours and stressful deadlines. What is the point of working all the time if you don’t take a chance to relax and revel in what you’ve built for yourself. Your family will appreciate your presence without having to look at or through a computer screen. 

Once you’ve found a balance to scheduling work and play, stick to it. When others in your life have more time on their hands it’s less likely for them to understand that you may not have the same luxury. Communication is necessary to explain your need for focus and healthy boundaries may have to be set on the days your phone keeps buzzing. If you have small children, this is obviously not an appropriate approach and your schedule may need to flex according to naps, snacks, and cartoons. If you have older kids they might be drafted to help with chores, cooking, and babysitting in order for you to have the extended periods of quiet you need to produce quality work by deadline.

Just because you’ve disciplined yourself to smash your goals, and not let business slide, while life around you seems like a party, does not mean you can’t enjoy the work you do, or enjoy yourself while you’re doing it. If you can take your laptop to a park and sit in beautiful weather surrounded by nature, then plan to regularly. Extra long hours of sun can easily extend our workdays, so take extended breaks on your own watch whenever possible. Working hard does not mean overworking. If you work smart, and find a good balance between accomplishing and rejuvenating, you’ll be on track for accelerated success the entire year, and still be able to say you had a great summer.

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