Articles
Content Marketing: An Interview with Industry Guru Joe Pulizzi
I met Joe Pulizzi shortly after he published his first book, Get Content Get Customers. The company I was with did a two-day workshop with him to develop a content strategy in 2009. This was in the very beginning of what would become a content marketing revolution and eventually lead to the creation of the…
Improving a Good Credit Score to Make it Great
There’s no question, in many situations a business owner’s personal credit score has an impact on his or her ability to get a small business loan. While your personal credit score is not the best proxy of the health of your business and is only one of many factors we consider to evaluate your business’…
Facebook Page vs. Website: Which Should You Use?
A strong digital presence is key to success in our tech-oriented society. Maintaining a website, however, requires time and money that small business owners don’t always have in great supply. If you’re looking for ways to simplify your online efforts, Facebook’s recent updates might seem pretty appealing. But are they good enough to stand in…
The OnDeck Score: Making Targeted Small Business Lending Decisions in Real Time
Since 2007, OnDeck has been transforming the way small businesses access capital, using our proprietary technology and small business credit scoring system, the OnDeck Score®, to efficiently evaluate a business’ creditworthiness and make targeted lending decisions in real time. So how do we actually do this? Keep reading to learn more about our OnDeck Score…
4 Important Questions to Ask Before You Apply for a Business Loan
There’s no question the notion that it takes money to make money isn’t lost on small business owners looking for capital to fuel growth or fund other business needs. And, for many business owners, a small business loan is where they find it. Although borrowing capital from traditional sources like the bank is still a…
6 Ways to Make Working with an Independent Contractor Successful
For certain tasks and projects at your business, it may make sense to find a contractor to get the job done. Follow these common-sense guidelines to get the most value out of the experience. 1. Use a Contract Every time you work with a contractor, use a written contract that both you (or a representative…
Young Wizards Academy Launches ‘Cauldron Creations’ Party
To celebrate our recent expansion into Canada, we held contests in Toronto and Vancouver to give small businesses the opportunity to win $5,000 (CAD) by answering one simple question: Why Do You Love Being a Small Business Owner? We’re checking in with Young Wizards Academy (YWA), our Vancouver-area small business winner 60 days after the…
Thanks, NASA: How Space Inventions Help Small Businesses
What does the recent exploration of Pluto have to do with your small business? Well, the research and development investment that the United States makes in the name of sending a spacecraft like New Horizons to discover that there’s flowing ice at the heart of the dwarf planet, that often trickles down to technology that…
Loan Stacking is Bad for Your Business
Have you heard of loan stacking? If you’re unfamiliar with the term, loan stacking is where a loan or cash advance is approved on top of a loan or advance that is already in place with similar characteristics and payback terms. While many business owners may have not heard of the term, there are a…
Is it Time for a Business Pivot?
Pivoting is a popular term for making a quick, often dramatic change from your original business focus. It’s often associated with venture capital-backed startups. But there are lots of ways to pivot, and your small business may be able to improve business or fend off a slump by learning how to be flexible, making small…
Business Credit Cards: Why Your Small Business Should Have One
If you’ve been using your personal credit card for business use, it’s time to take a look at how a business credit card can benefit your small business, and make your life easier. Don’t think of adding a business credit card as one more task on your list; think of it as opening up a…
ACH Payments and Small Business Loans
I vividly remember the last time I wrote a check. It was yesterday. What I can’t remember is the time before that. In fact, it had been so long that I had to search through my desk to even find a check. If you’re like me, and many others, you seldom use checks anymore. In…
Is Your Small Business Prepared for Disaster? How to Make Sure You’re Ready for Anything
Small business owners can control what they sell, whom they hire, and how they do business. Having the power to make decisions is one of the reasons many business owners like running the show, rather than working for someone else. All that still doesn’t give owners power over outside events. Natural disasters, financial crises, and…
Underdog’s Brewhouse Making a Case for Better Beer
To celebrate our recent Canadian expansion, we held contests in Toronto and Vancouver to give small businesses the opportunity to win $5,000 (CAD) by answering one simple question, Why Do You Love Being a Small Business Owner? Underdog’s Brewhouse, based in Oshawa, Ontario, is our Toronto-area small business winner. We’re checking in 60 days after…
3 Small Business Payroll Mistakes to Avoid
Handling payroll can be one of the most stress-inducing responsibilities of a small business owner. However, neglecting payroll–or doing a poor job of it–can bring your business down, and fast. Here are some of the most common payroll mistakes, and how you can overcome them. Mistake #1: Doing Payroll on the Fly As a small…