The Business Owner » Finance::Business

Book Review: “A Colossal Failure of Common Sense”, Lawrence G. McDonald

Stephanie — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 02:03:57 +0000

More than an insider’s account of events that led to the collapse of Lehman Brothers, it’s also a truly amazing story of a young man’s ”by hook or by crook” determination to break into the ultra-exclusive club that is Wall Street. Although the story could have been told in fewer pages, it’s chock-full of tales of hustle, determination, greed, ego, intelligence, big bets and the chase for big bonuses. It also reveals the complexity of the world’s economic system and financial markets; how relationships and power struggles at this level can swing billions, if not trillions; and how even the smartest people can, and often do, get it wrong.

Q&A: The New SBA Loan Programs

Stephanie — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:00:34 +0000

Tanner Eckler, assistant vice president for Bank of Oklahoma, answers some key questions about the SBA’s new loan programs.

Credit Cards More Expensive, Riskier as Source of Funds

Stephanie — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:00:29 +0000

Credit cards are a significant source of capital for small businesses. In fact, The National Small Business Association (NSBA) recently surveyed 288 small businesses and found 86 percent use credit cards as either their primary or sole source of funds! Nearly a quarter reported juggling more than four credit cards used for business purposes. Pretty shocking, given the punishingly high cost. And since respondents reported using their credit cards as sources of funding, we can safely assume they carry balances. Add to this the turmoil in the credit card market today and we have at hand a real challenge for small companies.

Need to Refinance? Simply Incredible New SBA Programs

Stephanie — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 14:59:28 +0000

The U.S. Small Business Administration is trying to make it easier on small businesses with loan programs that go beyond the norm. The SBA has hiked the guarantee percentage to lenders and waived the annual fees. In addition, the SBA has started an interest-free, 100 percent loan guarantee program that benefits business owners and lenders.

Know Your Net Worth

Stephanie — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:00:30 +0000

Certain terms are important to know when calculating your net worth. The terms will help you better understand your overall financial picture as you push forward with your business.

Harvest Cash by Reducing Inventory

Stephanie — Fri, 01 May 2009 21:26:11 +0000

Need cash? Have a sale.

S&P 500 Annual Rate of Return (1929 to Present)

Stephanie — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:31:09 +0000

Ask the Editor: Auto Lease Assumptions

Stephanie — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:20:52 +0000

Dear Editor: A friend recently told me that great car lease deals are available at www.LeaseTrader.com, which facilitates transfer of leased autos and trucks to new owners/lessees. My friend also said that auto lease expenses are 100% deductible as a business expense if the lease is taken out by the business itself. Is this true?

Use of Subordinated Debt

Stephanie — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:22:29 +0000

Question: My bank has requested that I subordinate a $75,000 loan that I've made to my business. Would you please explain this to me?

How to Compute the True Cost of a Loan

Stephanie — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:17:02 +0000

If you receive quotes from 3 loan offers from three different banks. All with different terms, would you know how to determine the best deal? If you can answer this, you’re a financial savant of the highest order. But if you’re not sure how to objectively determine which offer makes the most financial sense, I hope you will take a few minutes and let me equip you with the know-how you need. It’s a skill you’ll use often as a business owner. Even so, many of your peers will spend their careers making decisions like these without the benefit of sound financial analysis and the clarity of objective results.