The Camarillo Acorn 

SCORE Ventura County Chapter will present a small business event from 6 to 9 p.m. Thurs., March 29 at the Grant Brimhall Library, 1401 E. Janss Road, Thousand Oaks.

The topic, “ Financing for Your Business,” will cover small business startup, micro- mini loans, alternative financing, angel loans, operating loans for existing businesses, loans for growing business and Small Business Administration-backed loans.

Panelists will be Patrick Rodrigues, economic development specialist, SBA; Gonzalo Fernandez, SBA group manager, First California; David Sussman, founder and CEO, Valcor; Robert Holguin, director/business services, VEDC; Michael Panesis, president-central division, Tech Coast Angels; Dennis Bays, senior vice president, AeroFund; and Bob Machon, SCORE moderator. (more…)

By Stephen Troy

At the turn of the 19^th century, major wealth was being accumulated by such great men as Morgan, Carnegie, Astor, Guggenheim, Vanderbilt and many others. These men controlled the financial wealth of a nation and many times did so by manipulating stocks and bonds. Or did they?

One name absent from almost everyone’s list was Hetty Green.
Hetty was well known by her male peers as “The Witch of Wall Street.” She was a miserly woman who dared to play in an all male game. In fact her large cash war chest and cunning brought many of these same men close to financial ruin. Hetty’s knack for figures and her keen eye helped her build a fortune estimated at over $100,000,000 ($2 billion in today’s dollars). Her estate was almost double that of the great financer, JP Morgan. Hetty loaned money, several times bailing out New York City with million dollar loans, controlled railroads (enabling her to rob the robber barons), invested in Real Estate as far away as Texas and of course manipulated stocks and bonds. (more…)

Most companies occasionally experience cash flow shortages. This article will explain how to address this common problem and will also suggest strategies to solve it. Please note that this article is not meant to replace the advice of a qualified professional. If your company is experiencing serious cash flow problems, you should consider contacting a financial specialist immediately since cash flow difficulties can be serious and seldom resolve on their own.

The most common cash flow problem occurs because customers exceed their credit terms and take longer to pay. Companies routinely give customers 30 days to pay their bills, but due to economic conditions, some clients may stretch their payment terms to 60 days. If a company has to wait almost two months to receive payment for invoices, it needs to find funds to meet current expenses. Usually, these payments are generated from reserves which are replenished by paid invoices. Problems start when reserves dwindle as expenses mount. (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/05/alleviate-cash-flow-shortage-invoice-factoring/

Financing a business in today’s economic climate is certainly a challenge. With banks and credit unions limiting access to working capital, a number of businesses have found it difficult to finance their day to day operating expenses. Companies that would otherwise be considered financially sound are having a hard time managing cash flow and securing the business credit so vital to their needs and growth aspirations. However, one financing option is allowing companies to use their existing assets to finance their business. It’s a financing solution that goes back over 4000 years and it’s one that empowers business owners to use the liquidity built up within their own assets to finance their day to day needs. Invoice factoring is that one financing solution companies can turn to when conventional lending institutions are no longer an option. However, the question then becomes, how does a company integrate invoice factoring into their business? (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/integrate-invoice-factoring-business/

According to the IRS, over 50% of businesses in the United States face some kind of fine for late or incorrect payroll tax filings. Small businesses that are unable to pay these fines face astronomical interest rate charges. Aside from charging exorbitant interest rates, the IRS has a number of additional avenues to pursue which could include seizing company assets, or putting a lien on those assets. Even with companies moving away from manual payroll processes, there are still mistakes being made and these mistakes are becoming more and more costly for small business owner. In order to avert these fines, small businesses must remain up-to-date on the most recent government rules and 2011 tax laws. Unfortunately, many small businesses lack the manpower needed to keep abreast of recent changes in federal regulations. So, what can small businesses do to avert such costly IRS fines? (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/factoring-small-businesses-pay-2011-taxes/

Traditionally, most entrepreneurs use business plans to raise funds and kick off their businesses. However, the current economic situation has forced banks to institute budget cuts and credit constraints, meaning entrepreneurs have to think of new ways to raise business funding. Such has been made possible by use of new solutions like factoring invoices once the business has taken off. Other than this strategy, some entrepreneurs have raised funding from family and friends. Let’s face it, raising funds for business certainly isn’t an easy undertaking. It can take longer than an entrepreneur had estimated. Strategies such as bootstrapping, and raising some cash Plus enable entrepreneurs actually raise business funding faster.

Fact is, most venture investors are attracted to businesses that generate impressive revenues without necessarily having borrowed money from investors. Therefore, it pays to prepare yourself for some tough investment decisions, such as ceding some stake of the business to the investor. The trick is, if you can sustain your business for quite some time without investor funding, the business actually gets more value when an investor suffices. But, when your business has already taken off and is doing fine, factoring invoices are a strategy of enabling your enterprise stay afloat from cash flow problems. Factoring invoices allow you to maneuver problems that can arise from your business suffering cash flow challenges. (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/04/entrepreneurs-factoring-tactic-recession/

If you own a business, you know the heartburn that can ensue when a customer does not pay you in a timely fashion. Often these delinquent accounts go to collections. That rarely helps. With customers who are chronically late in paying, nothing tends to change their habits. If you have a customer who is usually on-time with payments who has had a bad month or two, collection action can disturb the business relationship.

How can you minimize such difficult scenarios? First, check the credit of a business who wants to purchase goods or services from you, before deciding to accept that business as a client. Then, implement a sound strategy for billing and handling late bills efficiently.

Companies such as Edgar Online and Equifax can provide important financial information. Knowing a company’s payment history can show you how that company pays other vendors…and how the company is likely to pay you. (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/how-to-manage-your-companies-accounts-receivable/

As the media talking heads and politicians begin to declare an economic recovery at the behest of the market makers, the small businessman is far from feeling its effects. Through both recession and recovery, the decisions that the small businessman makes and the strategies that he employs alone will determine the fate of his business. Below are five proven strategies that have been proven to help small businesses thrive not only in good economic times, but in times of economic recession as well.

1. Survival of the Fittest. A recession can be viewed as proof of Darwin’s theory, as businesses without tight structure, excess capital, and plans for rainy days will inevitably fail, leaving those that remain the ability to expand among a much minimized pool of competition. To be the one on top, service oriented businesses would do well to strive for efficiency in fulfillment of their service. Product oriented companies will survive if they provide their buyers with the easiest system for purchase. (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/member-bbb-bounce-back-businesses/

On Feburary 22, 2011, Barack Obama spent his 12th visit to the state of Ohio speaking to small business owners. Addressing the entrepreneurs and new independent professionals, the President claimed that “The big companies generally get most of the attention in our economy…” further remarking that “it’s small businesses like yours that help drive America’s economic growth”

Speaking at a promotional event at Cleveland State University, Obama’s visit follows on the heels of an exclusive private dinner last week. Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Eric Schmidt were in attendance, among other huge US technology executives. Whether the President’s subsequent switch to playing to the needs of small business owners will be well-received is yet to be seen. His pro-education, pro-infrastructure, pro-research plans are intended to provide these small American companies with advantages that will boost them ahead of stiff foreign competition. (more…)

Article source: http://www.aerofund.com/blog/index.php/2011/03/according-to-obama-small-business-drives-us-economics/