Because the macroeconomic climate has improved so much since the end of the national recession, small business owners can begin making plans to obtain small business financing for expansion purposes again. Banks and lending institutions are more amenable to lending now that the economy has shown so much recovery, so the financial forecast for small business is positive.
One important step to take is to update your business plan and your financial projections in preparation for sharing them with banks and lenders. Even if you don’t want a small business loan, it is a good idea to obtain a small business line of credit (LOC) now anyway in case of future financial urgencies (for example, unplanned and premature equipment breakdown) or a temporary cash flow strain.
You should also consider obtaining a small business loan or other small business financing if your company possesses a debt load with a much higher interest rate than the current market rate. You will save your company thousands of dollars by consolidating that high interest debt and paying it off at a lower rate using your small business loan or line of credit.
You might also want to pursue small business financing to fund new product development, to increase your inventory, to add new full time employees to your payroll, to acquire another business, to open a new office or retail location or for a myriad other growth and expansion purposes. Because the economy is on sounder footing and lenders are more willing to finance small business growth, now is a good time to push your small business to the next level.
If your company is still grappling with tough financial hurdles, you should implement some cost cutting measures to boost your company’s financial standing. For example, rather than hiring new personnel now, consider working with independent consultants or freelancers until such time as you can hire again. Use networking and word of mouth to boost sales; this includes networking with your independent consultants and freelancers to see if they can help introduce you to new markets, clients or resources.
Other things you can do to help cut your small business operating expenses include conducting research to find more cost effective suppliers and vendors; reassessing your shipping and postage solutions to determine if there are more affordable options available; implementing energy saving programs in your office or retail location and much more. Read some of the recently released business advice books that instruct you on how to operate a “lean” organization or engage in agile product development (which stresses efficiency when developing, testing and deploying new products.)
As you take these suggestions and put them into place, the national economy should also continue to improve, providing you with further opportunities to boost your working capital, cut your costs and expand your business. Even if you don’t want small business financing for your company now, begin to lay the groundwork to take advantage of these new opportunities several months or years from now.
Related Articles:
Do You Have What It Takes to Start Up Your Own Business?
Essential Steps To Starting A Small Business
What Every Entrepreneurs Should Know Before Starting A Business
The 4 Most Common Types of Working Capital Financing