April, 2018

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Does Every Small Business Need an Accountant, or Can You Sometimes Wing It?

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Maybe you’ve just started your business, and you’re wondering if you need to hire an accountant. Or perhaps you’re still in the planning stages of a new business, and you’re deciding whether or not to hire an accountant before going all in. If you ask an accountant whether or not you should work with someone to help you with your books professionally, you know the answer will be yes.

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The complete guide to Direct Debit for agencies

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Everything your agency needs to know about collecting client fees by Direct Debit and how to get started.

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5 Ways to Start a Business When You’re in Debt

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Deciding to start a small business is one of the most rewarding decisions of your life. But not only does it take hard work to make it successful—you’ll need money to get the company off the ground in the first place. And when you’re in debt, that can seem impossible. Although the size of your initial investment will vary based on the type of company you hope to start, the Small Business Administration estimates even home-based micro-businesses could cost several thousands of dollars to launch.

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10 Sources of Financing for a Startup or New Small Business to Explore

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As thrilling as it is to start a new small business, the stress can be just as insane. Especially if you’re worrying about money and have to start looking into sources of finance for your startup. Because beyond the creative thinking and careful planning that go into coming up with a winning business model, you as the business owner are likely also facing the arduous task of finding the money to make it all come to fruition.

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17 Inspirational TED Talks on Motivation

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Entrepreneurs know better than anyone how hard it can be to get and stay motivated. No matter how obsessed you are with your business, maintaining motivation can be tricky due to the stress that comes with being a small business owner. Working long hours, the demands of growing your business, and being your own boss are just a few of the factors that can make sustaining motivation challenging.

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The 40 Top Small Business Ideas You Need to Know in 2018

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They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder—and, as it turns out, the same can be said for the best small business ideas. There are tons of small business ideas, and what defines a “best” small business idea largely depends on an aspiring entrepreneur’s personality and skillset (and its potential to earn you money, of course). So, when you’re considering the best ideas for your future small business, you’ll need to answer a few clarifying questions, including: What are your

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The 5 Best Prepaid Business Debit Cards for Small Business Owners

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You might have had your first encounter with a prepaid debit card when your parents tried to reel in your spending as a teen. But a prepaid business debit card is nothing like what you used decades ago. These types of prepaid debit cards are much different than the ones of your youth because they’re made specifically for business owners. They’re also one of the very best ways to control spending within a team of employees.

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Hiring Contract vs. Full-Time Workers: What’s More Cost Effective?

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Putting together the right team for your growing small business can be a daunting task—it involves trust, time, and intuition. If you’ve been considering the possibility of using contract vs. full-time workers to take on some of your projects, the decision might be lucrative—but you’ll have to figure out if it’ll actually save you any money in the long run.

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7 Experts on How to Know When a Business Idea Needs Funding

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Entrepreneurship is an inherently creative pursuit: After all, every hugely successful (and not-so-successful) company began with an innovative idea. But how did those small business owners know when their business ideas needed funding? You, too, might have come up with a great concept for a business and think the time to launch is now, but you’re not sure if potential investors will agree.

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The 8 Best Industries for Entrepreneurial Moms to Start a Business

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Becoming a mom turns your whole life upside down. So many things change—that sometimes includes your ambitions, and certainly your day-to-day. But becoming a mom doesn’t change the fact that you still have ambitions, and days you’d like to be as fulfilling as possible. And if that means starting a small business while being a mother, make it happen.

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What Is EMV Compliance Law, and Should Your Business Worry About It?

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Thanks to something called “EMV technology,” you’ve likely received new credit and debit cards in the mail sporting simple silver squares. Along with the futuristic look they add to any blasé black-striped credit card (nice!), they also come with higher-tech security—and EMV compliance regulations that all businesses must now follow to support it.

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What Is Experiential Marketing? Done Right, It’ll Win You Customers

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Every business, big or small, strives for more than one-off purchases—they want their customers to become lifers. Often, establishing brand loyalty in your customers means proving to them, over and over again, that your product or service is the best they’ll find. Or, you could cut to the chase and draw in those loyalists through experiential marketing techniques… but what is experiential marketing?

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3 Options to Get Equipment Loans for Startup Businesses

Fundera

When you’re in startup mode as a new business, you’re almost always looking for something to help ramp up your growth—and, usually, that comes down to money. If you can’t find access to lump-sum capital at the beginning of your business lifecycle, you might want to explore equipment loans for startup businesses. New business equipment financing is a great idea.

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What’s the SBA Loan Timeline? (Hint: Hope You’re Patient)

Fundera

If you’re a small business owner in search of financing, odds are that you’re hoping to get approved for a loan sooner rather than later. That makes sense—many business owners seek out a small business loan because of dwindling cash flow, or an obvious need for more working capital. And if you’re looking into a big sum of money, you’ll want to know the SBA loan timeline specifically, plus how it stacks up against other small business loans and alternative financing products.

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How Much Will a Bank Loan Me for a Business? 3 Great Options, Explained

Fundera

Every small business owner knows that running and growing your business takes a lot of capital. So, when the time comes for a small business loan , and you look to a local brick-and-mortar bank for funding, your first question will be: How much will a bank loan me for a business? Well, we can’t tell you exactly how much a bank will loan you—no one can, other than the bank itself.

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No Business Checking Account? You’re Damaging Your Loan Approval Odds

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If you’re a small business owner who needs a loan but doesn’t have a business checking account, you now have an excuse to open one on the double. According to a recent survey conducted by researchers at Nav, 70% of small business owners who don’t have a business checking account were denied a loan over the past two years. Worse yet, 26% of small business owners with no business checking account considered closing shop altogether.

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How to File Past Due Taxes (and Never Be Late Again)

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Your small business keeps you busy all the time, you’d like to have a personal life, too—which is why the last thing you want to think about is filing your taxes… and so you don’t. Before you know it, you’re a couple of years behind in your tax filings, and now you need to know how to file past due taxes. Yikes! Although backed taxes aren’t a good thing, you definitely aren’t alone: an estimated one million taxpayers didn’t file a federal income tax return in 2014.

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5 Recommendations on the Best Accounting Software for Sole Proprietorships

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With all of the hats you wear running your business by yourself, it’s common to forget to take care of your books. So, before we get into the details on the best accounting software for sole proprietorships, we’ll give you kudos for taking the time to address your financials systematically. This decision will pay off. We promise. Good basic accounting practices are a key element of a successful business.

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The Best High-Limit Business Credit Cards for Mega Spending Power

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As you’re searching for the best business credit card for your business, all the bells and whistles can easily distract you. Especially if you’ve come looking for just one thing: the best high-limit business credit card. Rewards programs, welcome bonuses, and 0% intro APR periods are fantastic bonuses, absolutely. But a business credit card’s main purpose is to give your business access to a line of credit to buy the things you need.

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4 Easy Business Credit Cards to Get Approved for ASAP

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If you’re a business owner, using a business credit card is a no-brainer: You’ll have access to a steady stream of working capital to finance your small business , and the potential to earn great perks and rewards. But if your credit is less than stellar, you may be concerned about whether there are easy business credit cards available—especially if you have bad credit and need to rebuilt it.

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7 Common Financial Mistakes New Freelancers Make (and How to Avoid Them)

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In some ways, freelancing is the dream: You get to choose clients and projects that excite you, create your own schedule, and get paid for doing exactly what you love. But without the safety net of an employer-sponsored salary, you’ll also need to be responsible for your own financial obligations—both personal and professional. Unless you’re a freelance financial pro, too, then, you’re likely to make one of these common financial mistakes as a new freelancer.

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How to Build Your Side Hustle While Working Full-Time

Fundera

Many people want to start their own business but aren’t quite sure how to make their dreams a reality. A recent study from Bentley University found that over 66 percent of those aged 18 to 24 want to start a business of their own. Yet too often, aspiring business owners give up before they get started because the task seems too daunting. . Building your business on the side can be a great way to get your feet wet, while giving you time to save money and build sustainable streams of revenue.

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6 Tips to Become a Better Business Record Keeper Right Now

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As a small business owner, you might have figured out by now that getting organized and taking good notes only improves your ability to do business well. You’re more efficient with your time, you launch into tasks quickly, and document processes that work. The same thing goes for being a good business record keeper—or a better business record keeper at that.

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How to Write the Perfect Business Loan Proposal

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When you decided to finally open that small business you always dreamed of, you probably never imagined you’d have to write a long paper again. But if you need a small business loan , you might encounter a lender’s request for a business loan proposal. If it sounds like adult homework for your small business, it sort of is. Funny how life works like that, isn’t it?

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Credit Reports No Longer Include Tax Liens (Good News, Borrowers)

Fundera

Watch out, because you might just see a bump in your personal credit score on the way. That’s because thanks to Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax—the three major credit bureaus—credit reports no longer include tax liens. The change went into effect April 16 , so it’s a brand new policy, and it could impact millions of Americans—especially small business owners who need stronger credit to apply for a business loan.

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How to Close a Business—and Make Sure You Stay Within the Law, Too

Fundera

Although everyone aims to succeed when starting a business , the reality is that some entrepreneurs unfortunately don’t. It’s not a fun thing to figure out how to close a business, but turning the page can also provide peace of mind and open opportunities for new ventures. It’s also, of course, necessary from a legal standpoint. Shuttering a company means doing more than putting up a sign that reads “Closed.

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Variable Expenses Defined, Plus 5 Ways to Make Sure They Don’t Destroy Your Business Budget

Fundera

In every business budget, you’ll find certain expenses that can change dramatically from month to month. These are variable expenses, and they make up a large portion of small business spending (unlike fixed costs , which remain the same each month). The fluctuating amounts behind variable expenses makes planning for them in your business budget hard—but not impossible.

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10 Things Entrepreneurs Can Learn From Superheroes

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Our favorite superheroes have inspired us for decades, teaching us more than a few lessons along the way. People of all ages and backgrounds have been influenced by the experiences and insights shared by our favorite heroes in comic books and on the big screen. If you are a hardworking entrepreneur, chances are you need a little inspiration now and then.

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Take These 3 Steps Before Hiring a Lawyer for Small Business

Fundera

When you start your new business, you’ll have to learn a lot of skills you never imagined you would. One thing you shouldn’t take care of yourself, however, is anything legal related—which is why you need to be well versed in hiring a lawyer for small business. Law, put simply, is a complicated field. There’s a reason why lawyers have to endure three years of law school and several dedicated months of bar-exam preparation to become licensed to practice.

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What Is Fundbox Pay? Now You Can Use Fundbox Kind of Like Venmo

Fundera

In the world of small business commerce, there’s a problem: B2B buyers and sellers want two fundamentally incompatible things. Sellers want to get paid for goods and services as soon as possible, but buyers want—and often truly need—extended time to pay. Fundbox Pay is looking to be the solution to fix this. Usually in transactions between small businesses (also called SMB2B ), the needs of buyers win out.