Business Loans In Canada: Financing Solutions Via Alternative Finance & Traditional Funding

Business loans and finance for a business just may have gotten good again? The pursuit of credit and funding of cash flow solutions for your business often seems like an eternal challenge, even in the best of times, let alone any industry or economic crisis. Let’s dig in.

Since the 2008 financial crisis there’s been a lot of change in finance options from lenders for corporate loans. Canadian business owners and financial managers have excess from everything from peer-to-peer company loans, varied alternative finance solutions, as well of course as the traditional financing offered by Canadian chartered banks.

Those online business loans referenced above are popular and arose out of the merchant cash advance programs in the United States. Loans are based on a percentage of your annual sales, typically in the 15-20% range. The loans are certainly expensive but are viewed as easy to obtain by many small businesses, including retailers who sell on a cash or credit card basis.

Depending on your firm’s circumstances and your ability to truly understand the different choices available to firms searching for SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE options. Those small to medium sized companies ( the definition of ‘ small business ‘ certainly varies as to what is small – often defined as businesses with less than 500 employees! )

How then do we create our road map for external financing techniques and solutions? A simpler way to look at it is to categorize these different financing options under:

Debt / Loans

Asset Based Financing

Alternative Hybrid type solutions

Many top experts maintain that the alternative financing solutions currently available to your firm, in fact are on par with Canadian chartered bank financing when it comes to a full spectrum of funding. The alternative lender is typically a private commercial finance company with a niche in one of the various asset finance areas

If there is one significant trend that’s ‘ sticking ‘it’s Asset Based Finance. The ability of firms to obtain funding via assets such as accounts receivable, inventory and fixed assets with no major emphasis on balance sheet structure and profits and cash flow ( those three elements drive bank financing approval in no small measure ) is the key to success in ABL ( Asset Based Lending ).

Factoring, aka ‘ Receivable Finance ‘ is the other huge driver in trade finance in Canada. In some cases, it’s the only way for firms to be able to sell and finance clients in other geographies/countries.

The rise of ‘ online finance ‘ also can’t be diminished. Whether it’s accessing ‘ crowdfunding’ or sourcing working capital term loans, the technological pace continues at what seems a feverish pace. One only has to read a business daily such as the Globe & Mail or Financial Post to understand the challenge of small business accessing business capital.

Business owners/financial mgrs often find their company at a ‘ turning point ‘ in their history – that time when financing is needed or opportunities and risks can’t be taken. While putting or getting new equity in the business is often impossible, the reality is that the majority of businesses with SME commercial finance needs aren’t, shall we say, ‘ suited’ to this type of funding and capital raising. Business loan interest rates vary with non-traditional financing but offer more flexibility and ease of access to capital.

We’re also the first to remind clients that they should not forget govt solutions in business capital. Two of the best programs are the GovernmentSmall Business Loan Canada (maximum availability = $ 1,000,000.00) as well as the SR&ED program which allows business owners to recapture R&D capital costs. Sred credits can also be financed once they are filed.

Those latter two finance alternatives are often very well suited to business start up loans. We should not forget that asset finance, often called ‘ ABL ‘ by those Bay Street guys, can even be used as a loan to buy a business.

If you’re looking to get the right balance of liquidity and risk coupled with the flexibility to grow your business seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of business finance success who can assist you with your funding needs.

Ten Great Uses For Payday Loans

If you are in need of quick cash for a short-term loan to get you through to your next payday, then a payday loan may be right for you. These are different than long-term loans, which are usually needed for large purchases, such as a car or a home improvement project. Instead, these are short-term loans, or payday loans, which are designed to help individuals when their next paycheck just can’t come quickly enough.The majority of payday loans range from $100 to $500, and most payday loans have a short timeline, usually less than two weeks.Payday loans are used for a variety of household and personal expenses, and they are ideal for those individuals that may not have available credit or other means of acquiring cash for the short-term.The following list details the most common reasons individuals seek payday loans:1. Groceries – There are a few things that we simply cannot live without; groceries are one of them. Have you ever paid all of your monthly bills only to find out that you didn’t leave enough for basic, household items and food? If so, then a short-term payday loan may be right for you.2. Gas Money – With the rising cost of gasoline, many hardworking individuals have experienced a hard time paying their bills and putting gas in their cars. The bottom line for most people is that no gas equates to no job. We all need to put fuel in our vehicles so that we can get back and forth between work, pick our children up from school, and run errands, for example.3. School Lunch Money – You don’t get paid until next week and you find out that your children’s lunch money is due tomorrow! What do you do? If credit is a problem and your bank account is tapped, you may want to consider a payday loan to provide your children with money for their school lunches.4. Utilities -If your gas or electric bill is due and you don’t have a paycheck coming until next week, you may want to consider a payday loan to pay your utility bill and make sure that you don’t lose your utility service because of non-payment. This will also keep your credit report free of late payment marks.5. Car Payment – Just like gas money, you need your car to get you back and forth from work, among other things, and you can’t afford to have it taken away because of non-payment. Because of this, you may want to consider a payday loan to cover your car loan until your next paycheck.6. Rent – Don’t let your landlord continue harass you for your rent money when you know you won’t have it for a couple weeks. Instead, get your landlord off your back by taking out a short-term payday loan to cover your rent.7. Car Repair – If your car isn’t running, it isn’t doing you much good. If you car needs repairs and you simply don’t have the cash to cover it, you may want to seek a payday loan to get your car up and running.8. Medical Emergency – Medical co-pays, deductibles and out-of-pocket expenses related to a medical emergency are certainly a must when dealing with a serious situation. A payday loan will help to pay these expenses until you receive your next paycheck.9. Personal Goods – Personal goods, such as toiletries, medications and diapers, are often not thought of as necessary, except when you are without them! Payday loans are a great way to provide you with extra cash to cover these incidentals until your next paycheck.10. Household Goods – What do you do if your refrigerator breaks and you don’t get paid until next week? A payday loan can come in very useful in these types of tight financial situations.When you have an emergency or basic needs that must be fulfilled, a payday loan is a great way to manage your expenses before your next paycheck is cut.

Which Airline and Hotel Is the Best Choice for Your Asian Business Trip?

For foreigners that have a long business trip to Asia ahead of them, it’s crucial that you feel comfortable. A couple of tips for the business minded traveler going to Asia is travel light, book ahead of time and get in line early. No matter what airline you go through, the airport is going to be a nuthouse, so it’s always a good rule of thumb to be prepared by skipping the long lines, allowing for plenty of time and read that newspaper until it’s your turn to get your boarding pass. Once in Asia, you can find a cab easily from the airport and check in to your hotel. While there are many available hotels and airlines on the market, there are only a chosen few that offer customers luxury, cleanliness and with all the comforts of home.Our pick for one of best airlines for Asian business trips is Singapore Airlines. Not only does it offer luxury accommodations for First Class, Business and Economy seats, but the flight attendants are pleasant, charming and over accommodating. Who wants to sit on a long flight in teeny, tiny seats? Singapore Airlines must understand the need for spacious seats because they have more room than many other airlines out there. They also offer leather seats, dining room table and your choice of available DVDs. Another popular Asian business trip airline is Cathay Pacific Airlines. Cathay Airlines is comfortable with flat beds in business class and 81 inch beds in First Class. First class passengers can also enjoy champagne and freshly fried eggs while all passengers can enjoy a selection of snacks when the mood strikes.Asia has more hotels than you could keep up with, and the majority of them are stylish, clean, centrally located and affordable. For the top hotels for Asian business trips, consider one of the following: the Mandarin Oriental, the W Hotel and the Peninsula. The Mandarin Oriental is a comfortable and clean choice for travelers feeling fatigued after a long flight. It has a business center, stylish rooms and a beautiful bar/lounge which can be deemed a perfect location for wooing potential clients. The W Hotel in Hong Kong is another stylish hotel that is well staffed with accommodating employees who are eager to speak American to you or greet you with a smile at the door. When staying in Tokyo, guests love the Peninsula, which offers portable cell phones throughout the hotel and the Tokyo metro area. This is a great accessory to your stay when your regular Blackberry or iPhone won’t work.As business trips to Asia countries become more common, airlines and hotels in Asia are providing a comfortable alternative while you are away from home. There are endless DVDs during your flight, state of the art beds, portable phones and stylish restaurants and bars to schmooze clients. Best of all, the staff on your airline and hotel can accommodate all of your special requests and more. When on your next business trip to Asia, consider travelling with all the amenities you deserve!