November, 2016

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Tips to Prepare Your Client's Business for Sale

Abrigo

The following is written by Mary Beth Koester , Manager of Business Valuations at Rae & Associates. As you prepare clients for an exit, there are a few key areas and metrics to consider. Keeping in mind that exit planning can, and should, begin years in advance, you will be able to watch as these metrics change over time. You’ll become an important advisor to the business owner, making your role critical to their success.

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35 Female Entrepreneurs Spill On What They Wish They’d Known Before Starting Their Business

Fundera

Women’s Entrepreneurship Day is coming up on November 19th—meaning this is the best time to celebrate influential females in the small business space. The number of women-owned small businesses is at an all-time high. To honor the female entrepreneurs who are changing the face of small business with innovative and valuable companies, we picked their brains for advice for other women setting forth with their own small businesses.

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10 reasons why Direct Debit makes standing orders look SO last century

GoCardless

Discover the answer to your late payment problems

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18 of the All-Time Best Business Articles Every Entrepreneur Should Read

Fundera

As a small business owner, you know how things always come up. No matter how hard you try to stay in control of everything , you’ll always hit roadblocks along the journey of growing your business. So when you need small business advice to get over a hurdle or clear your mind of unnecessary distractions, what’s your go-to resource? It could be a book , a business blog , some trusted advisors, or maybe even family and friends.

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Here’s Why Small Business Saturday Could Be the Best Day Ever

Fundera

As a savvy consumer, you probably have Black Friday and Cyber Monday marked on your calendar as the best days to score deals at almost any retail store in the United States. But did you know about an equal—if not better—shopping event that falls on that same weekend? It’s Small Business Saturday—an event that any smart shopper or small business owner should take advantage of on Saturday, November 26th.

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7 Ways for Small Business Owners to De-stress (That You Should Try)

Fundera

Stress is a reality for everyone. But as an entrepreneur running a small business, you have your fair share of stress to deal with every day. From finding new customers, managing your current customers, financing a business , keeping your employees happy, paying your small business taxes …. The list of daily stressors can go on and on. But as the owner and lifeblood of your business, all you can do is bottle up your stress and forge ahead, right?

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Important Considerations When Growing the CRE Portfolio

Abrigo

In a survey of community banks and credit unions at the 2016 Sageworks Risk Management Summit, 42 percent of respondents said Commercial Real Estate, or CRE, lending was their primary focus for loan portfolio growth. This reflects a larger industry trend. As noted in a recent American Banker article , many banks are increasing their investment in CRE loans, with many even exceeding the OCC guidance to limit CRE concentration to 300% of Risk Based Capital.

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The 52 Best Payroll Services for Your Small Business

Fundera

Do you hire, manage, and pay employees? If so, you’re probably aware of how tough payroll and HR can be. There are forms to fill, checks to sign, taxes to pay, regulations to comply with, paid time off to track, and so much more. And if you make even a single mistake, you could wind up paying off those fines and fees. ( 1 in 3 business owners experience this, in fact!).

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5 Tips for Sustaining a Family Business over Multiple Generations

Fundera

In a world dominated by ecommerce giants like Amazon and big box stores like Wal-Mart and Target, it’s easy to overlook the importance of the family business. But family-run businesses play a huge role in creating wealth and stability in today’s economy: According to the Conway Center for Family Business , they make up 80-90% of all firms in North America, account for 78% of new job creation, and are less likely to lay people off.

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The Ultimate Countdown: New Jersey’s 5 Best Cities for Entrepreneurs

Fundera

Bruce Springsteen, John Bon Jovi, Frank Sinatra, Martha Stewart, and Meryl Streep—what do they all have in common? That’s right: they all hail from the Garden State! While New Jersey is the 4 th smallest state by land area, it’s the 11 th most populous state in the USA. Being the most densely populated state in the country has helped create a great business climate for the state.

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How These Small Businesses Are Succeeding in 6 Unbelievably Dirty Industries

Fundera

Not every successful small business is glamorous. In fact, many of the small businesses in the United States are stressful, dangerous, tiring, and downright icky. But you’ve heard the phrase: “It’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it.” Well, these 6 small business owners aren’t just “doing it”—they’re doing it really well in industries you couldn’t even imagine operating in.

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The impact of lower energy prices on banks

Abrigo

Banks operating in oil and gas intensive areas of the U.S. have experienced a significant increase in nonperforming commercial and industrial loans, but not in other types of loans – at least so far, according to a recent study by Federal Reserve researchers. “Our evidence seems to back up the view that to date, the banking sector has successfully weathered the storm of low energy prices,” said researchers in the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Research and Statistics Group.

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12 Quick and Healthy Meals for the Business Owner on the Go

Fundera

As a busy small business owner, I know how hard it is to eat healthy when your schedule is crazy. Between clients, business travel, and catching up on emails, it often seems like I work 24 hours a day. So take it from me: Running a business doesn’t have to mean wolfing down cold cereal over the kitchen sink every night. Here are a dozen easy, healthy go-to meal ideas (and a couple of to-go options) for even the busiest entrepreneur.

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Here’s Your Quick and Easy Guide to the Small Business Administration

Fundera

If you’re currently a small business owner, you’ve probably heard of the Small Business Administration. If you’re thinking of starting a business, you’ve probably heard of the Small Business Administration. If you know a small business owner, you’ve probably still heard of the Small Business Administration. So what’s the deal? Why do small business owners all care so much about the Small Business Administration?

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Here’s Your Quick and Easy Guide to the Small Business Administration

Fundera

If you’re currently a small business owner, you’ve probably heard of the Small Business Administration. If you’re thinking of starting a business, you’ve probably heard of the Small Business Administration. If you know a small business owner, you’ve probably still heard of the Small Business Administration. So what’s the deal? Why do small business owners all care so much about the Small Business Administration?

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QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop: Learn How They Compare in 2017

Fundera

Psst… If you want to get straight to the meat, my friend Woody Adams at Intuit has created an amazing comparison chart for us to see all the features in QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop at once. Check it out here. Although I have most of my clients on QuickBooks Online (seriously, all but one), I think it’s always important to revisit the conversation of the main differences of QuickBooks Online vs.

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QuickBooks Online vs. Desktop: Learn How They Compare in 2017

Fundera

Psst… If you want to get straight to the meat, my friend Woody Adams at Intuit has created an amazing comparison chart for us to see all the features in QuickBooks Online vs QuickBooks Desktop at once. Check it out here. Although I have most of my clients on QuickBooks Online (seriously, all but one), I think it’s always important to revisit the conversation of the main differences of QuickBooks Online vs.

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Business? Yes. Citizen? No. The Struggles of Immigration and Entrepreneurship

Fundera

The role of immigrants in American society has never been in a more uncertain place than today. It’s inarguable that foreign-born workers, entrepreneurs, and business owners—documented and undocumented—make a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy. Immigrants account for nearly a third of all new small businesses, hold a third of internationally valid patents, and in cities like New York and L.A., they are responsible for a vital amount of the local economic output.

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Business? Yes. Citizen? No. The Struggles of Immigration and Entrepreneurship

Fundera

The role of immigrants in American society has never been in a more uncertain place than today. It’s inarguable that foreign-born workers, entrepreneurs, and business owners—documented and undocumented—make a substantial contribution to the U.S. economy. Immigrants account for nearly a third of all new small businesses, hold a third of internationally valid patents, and in cities like New York and L.A., they are responsible for a vital amount of the local economic output.

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The Expert’s Guide to Credit Utilization that Will Help Get Your Score Up

Fundera

If you’ve ever rented a home, applied for a small business loan , or taken out a personal or business credit card , then you know how important your personal credit score is. Yes, that seemingly arbitrary three-digit number on your credit report is something worth paying close attention to. So if you want to become an expert at monitoring your credit score, the first thing you need to do is get a handle on just what goes into your credit report.

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The Expert’s Guide to Credit Utilization that Will Help Get Your Score Up

Fundera

If you’ve ever rented a home, applied for a small business loan , or taken out a personal or business credit card , then you know how important your personal credit score is. Yes, that seemingly arbitrary three-digit number on your credit report is something worth paying close attention to. So if you want to become an expert at monitoring your credit score, the first thing you need to do is get a handle on just what goes into your credit report.

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Why Your Small Business Development Center Is Your Best Friend

Fundera

As an entrepreneur, you’re used to going about it on your own. And that independent, go-getter mentality is a part of what makes you a great small business owner. But another equally important quality of an effective small business owner is the ability to get help for their business when you need it. Whether you’re trying to find a business accountant to help out with your small business taxes , confused about the economics behind the business you want to run, don’t know where to look for a busi

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3 Cyberthreats to Watch Out for in 2017

Fundera

The end of the year is coming up quickly, and the time is right to make sure your small business is ready to protect itself from the world’s biggest cyberthreats. Here’s a quick look at 3 major cyberthreats facing businesses today, along with some advice on how to keep your data safe, secure, and accessible in 2017 and beyond. Ransomware Attacks.

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Verizon Small Business vs. AT&T Small Business: Which One Should You Use?

Fundera

When you first started your business, maybe you made connections by reaching out to your customers over your personal cell phone and computer, or even knocking on their doors. But as your small business grows, the time will come when you need to separate personal from business and set up a phone and internet system. When that time comes, which service will you choose—Verizon small business or AT&T small business?

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Verizon Small Business vs. AT&T Small Business: Which One Should You Use?

Fundera

When you first started your business, maybe you made connections by reaching out to your customers over your personal cell phone and computer, or even knocking on their doors. But as your small business grows, the time will come when you need to separate personal from business and set up a phone and internet system. When that time comes, which service will you choose—Verizon small business or AT&T small business?

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Worried About Getting a Loan? You Should Know Your Business Credit Score

Fundera

When you want to obtain a business loan , both your personal and business credit can be important factors. Many people, especially when they first start their businesses, rely on personal credit to obtain business loans. You need excellent personal credit to qualify for a business loan this way. Building up your business credit is an alternative that often makes it easier to get a business loan.

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How to Avoid the Financial Mistake 40% of Small Businesses Are Making

Fundera

In the next decade, you have a 40% chance of having the kind of incident at your business that would result in an insurance claim, according to a study conducted by insurance carrier The Hartford last year. And if you’re hit by one of the 10 most common such incidents, it’ll set you back somewhere between $8,000 and $50,000—not exactly the kind of pocket change most business owners have in their emergency funds.

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Your Cheat Sheet for Employee Holiday Gifts

Fundera

Do you want to give your employees gifts for the holidays? A gift from the boss is a thoughtful touch that makes your team feel appreciated. But what to get that’s memorable, useful, and affordable (and won’t get tossed in the trash the minute the employee gets home)? Here are a few gifting guidelines: Be fair. It’s very easy to seem like you’re playing favorites when you buy gifts for your employees.

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3 Excel tips to help accountants avoid common errors

Abrigo

In a recent Sageworks webinar, 3 Excel Tips for Accountants to Avoid Common Errors , Jeff Lenning, CPA and Author of Excel University, described key tips that can help accountants avoid common Excel errors and get their work done more efficiently. Lenning’s webinar is one of many resources Sageworks provides to accountants and valuation professionals regarding best practices for business advisory services and audit work.

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18 of the All-Time Best Business Articles Every Entrepreneur Should Read

Fundera

As a small business owner, you know how things always come up. No matter how hard you try to stay in control of everything , you’ll always hit roadblocks along the journey of growing your business. So when you need small business advice to get over a hurdle or clear your mind of unnecessary distractions, what’s your go-to resource? It could be a book , a business blog , some trusted advisors, or maybe even family and friends.