We find the week's best small business articles so you don't have to. Here are the top stories posted this week:
1. The Future of Financing for Women | How should we think about the future of business and the economy? If you ask women business owners (WBOs), we should be optimistic. In a survey conducted by the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) and Web.com, a whopping 81% of WBOs were optimistic about their business’s overall performance in 2013. 38% of the women said that they are planning to hire more employees than they did last year. Compare that with results from the NFIB Small Business Optimism Index which indicated that in January, overall optimism was at 89.9% – the fourth lowest reading in the survey’s 40 year history. | Read more here (from Lendio.com)
2. No Business is Too Big to Fail or Too Small to Succeed | We live in an era of what I refer to as Digital Darwinism, a time when technology and society are evolving faster than the ability of many organizations to adapt. Over the years, I’ve studied how disruptive technology affects consumer behavior and decision-making. I’ve also researched how businesses react (or don’t) to these changes. What I’ve learned is that barring a few exceptional instances of complete ignorance, organizations are open to adaptation if there’s indeed a case made for it and a path outlined to safely and cost-effectively navigate change. | Read more here (from BrianSolis.com)
3. Leverage the Value of your Liquid Assets | The small business community is adjusting the way they think about assets – and how to turn those assets into working capital. Enter the alternative lender. Financing is evolving at breakneck speed as creative solutions are introduced to fill the capital void left by the banks. Unfortunately, most alternative financing options are either prohibitively expensive or only viable as a short term solution (or both). So, what’s a long term solution that works for nearly every industry? Receivables financing. | Read more here (from TheFundWell.com)
4. Why Banks Still Aren't Lending to You | It's official: Banks are lending to businesses again in a big way--unless you're a small business. According to FDIC data released today, U.S. commercial & industrial loans totaled $1.5 trillion as of December 31, 2012, a 12 percent increase from the year before, surpassing the high-water mark set in the second quarter of 2008. Meanwhile, small business lending continues to plod along: Loans with initial balances under $1 million increased just 0.4 percent, to $284 billion, 17 percent below the pre-recession peak. | Read more here (from Inc.com)
5. The A – Z of Receivables Management | Your receivables should be a number one priority for your business. In order to properly manage receivables and get paid on time, you’ve got to become a pro at the entire A/R process. The Receivables Exchange and Funding Gates have teamed together to help small businesses take control of their receivables management. In fact, here’s everything you need to know about your receivables, from A to Z. | Read more here (from FundingGates.com)
Start financing your invoices with The Receivables Exchange today!