Articles
5 Reasons Small Businesses Don’t Rely On Black Friday
Black Friday (a term born in the 1960s when Philadelphia cops complained about holiday shopping traffic) has become an increasingly important event for the likes of Walmart, Target, BestBuy, and other big box stores. Last year, about 141 million consumers took advantage of the day’s famous deals, with the average customer spending a little over…
6 Business Secrets From America’s Biggest CEOs
Growing and running a business at the highest level takes a wide variety of skills, many of which aren’t taught in a classroom. Here are 6 takeaways from business leaders who have used all manner of routes and abilities to rise to the top of their fields. 1. Don’t Wait for Someone Else to Create…
How to Find Your Business Credit Score
In addition to your personal credit score, if you’re a small business owner you also have a business credit score. Although personal credit scores are used to evaluate most small business owner’s credit worthiness—even those who have been around for several years – your business credit score is a key piece of being able to…
5 out of 5 Business Owners Agree: Bankers Just Don’t Get Main Street
Earlier this week we invited five OnDeck customers in for a face-to-face discussion about their experience finding a small business loan, and their experience with us. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing what the panel had to say and how it could help other small business owners on their journey. All five, before…
3 Easy Tips for Choosing a Payment Processor
With so many payment processors out there, how do you decide which one you should choose for your business? A new study from NerdWallet suggests both brick and mortar, as well as online small businesses, consider a number of factors before picking a provider. In order to narrow it down to what should work for…
The 4 Best States for Veteran-Owned Businesses
Across the country, states are finding ways to give thanks to the men and women who have served in the U.S. armed forces. From dedicated government contracts to affordable and help securing small business loans, there are certain states that are making a concerted effort to for help veterans business owners. Here are four of…
8 Celebrities You’ll Be Surprised to Know Own Small Businesses
As Us Weekly would put it, “Stars: they’re just like us!” – and that’s true in business too. These eight celebrities have created and grown small businesses by following their passions, remembering their roots, keeping an eye on the details, and being persistent – traits familiar to every small business owner. Sandra Bullock: The Academy…
Severe Weather Lurking? Know That Federal Aid Can Help
Although extreme cold is lurking in the MidWest, small businesses can rest assure severe weather damage won’t put them out of business. One vital resource to know about is the Physical Disaster Loan offered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. If your business is in a declared “disaster area”, you can apply for this type…
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What is civil forfeiture? For small business owners, it can mean persecution by a government agency – without committing a crime. And recently, small businesses have come under fire by the IRS for just this reason. Take the case of Carole Hinders, the owner of a Mexican cash-only restaurant. She had her entire checking account seized…
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Veterans make great entrepreneurs. In fact veterans own roughly 9% of all American firms and employ about the number of people who live in cities like Philadelphia, Boston, Detroit, or Dallas-Fort Worth. To honor Veteran’s Day, we asked the veteran small business owners we’re proud to call customers to share their key to success. Mike…
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Small business owners are dealing with a higher number of lawsuits related to disability access these days. Federal legislation requires certain accessibility standards be met by all businesses, including curb ramps, self-opening doors and other accommodations. Soon, the list could even grow to include requirements online, such as video and audio captions and transcriptions for…
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Although we think all small businesses are “cool,” especially these New York City businesses, Chicago has become one of the best locations in the country for small business growth. Whether you live in the Windy City or are planning on visiting, consider swinging by these six cool small businesses in the city: 1. The Boring…
7 Awesome Facts about Veteran Small Business Owners
In honor of Veteran’s Day, OnDeck is celebrating veterans small business owners all month long. Here are seven awesome facts about veteran small business owners: 1. Extremely Motivated According to the SBA, veterans are roughly 45% more likely to form their own business compared to people who haven’t served any time in the military. 2.…
Election Day 2014: How Your Vote Will Impact Small Business Owners
Monday, November 3, 2014 by Andrea Gellert For the 2014 midterm elections on Tuesday, November 4, there are a number of key issues that are on the minds of business owners everywhere. Government Shutdown: It’s rumored that we could have another one before the end of the year. A united Republican party that controls both…
Halloween Candy Tax Deductions? Yes Please!
You might have heard of any number of common business tax deductions, but have you thought about candy? Believe it or not, you can deduct your Halloween candy in three ways: 1. Promote Your Business with Candy According to the Mazuma blog, one way you can do this is by using candy to promote your…