Introduction To Types Of Small Business Finance
Small businesses form a vital part of a healthy national economy. The most value contributions of small businesses are widely acknowledged by all sectors of society.
Despite the current state of increased awareness, access to capital continues to be the most difficult challenge for small business owners. Banks, by the very nature of their business, are resistant to the high-risk loans which many small businesses represent; potential entrepreneurs may lack the network to access private investors; and inexperienced business owners may find themselves needing to cover unplanned contingencies.
Positive Cashflow
Positive cashflow is when you receive more income than you pay out in expenditure, it must be maintained if you are to stay in business. If you have positive cashflow, this will allow your business to pay its bills, maintenance costs and allow you to make your payments on time if there are any unexpected costs that arise.
Negative Cashflow
There may be periods where you experience negative cashflow. This can arise in situations such as when you buy a new piece of machinery or a payment from a customer is overdue. Potentially, you may have to rely on a bank overdraft or short-term loan to cover this cashflow shortfall. You can even take out payday loans for bad credit if your credit score is not the best that it could be. However, as long as the negative cashflow has been planned for and your business reverts to a positive cashflow position, it should not cause a serious problem for your small business. Cashflow is usually tracked over a standard reporting period such as a month, a quarter or a year, so as long as you can manage your finances between each period, no serious issues should arise in this respect.
Small Business Decisions
You should always attempt to understand the risk involved with starting a new business, and develop business and/or finance plans appropriately. Understanding entrepreneurial risk involved and effort required in starting a new business involves, developing business and plans, placing one’s existing business in the best financial position possible by effective financial management in the day-to-day operations of the company, considering network contacts and non-traditional sources for funding and obtaining competent legal and financial counsel.
Acquiring seed money and initial capital for start-up is likely to be only the beginning of an on-going process of financing one’s business; the need to acquire financing becomes especially critical for the survival of existing and growing companies as they move beyond seed money and start-up, and seek other types of financing. Moreover, while some businesses may go through only one or two phases in their search for financing, others may go through multiple phases of the process more than once as the company grows. Whatever the right route is for you, understanding your finances is key to success.
If you are unsure what route to take when it comes to your finances, we would always advise you to seek legal counsel in order to figure out what the next best steps are for you and your individual circumstance.