Raising finance to grow your business is not about today, it is about tomorrow. The right finance package can be a positive force within your business, one which can be used to propel your business forward.
Building a bigger, better future… that’s what we do
When you’re looking for finance to grow, a lender will want to see a well constructed Business Plan. A great Plan sets out a clear vision for the future, a future in which you soar above your competition.
Helping business owners soar… that’s what we do.
The whole process of raising finance can be a distraction and divert your attention away from what’s important. With mounting priorities it’s a case of which one has to wait. Typically raising finance is one task that can grind you down.
Making it happen… that’s what we do
No one wants to stay in the same place; it’s boring and monotonous. Growth is much more exciting but getting to the next level takes money and with it a range of financial options to consider.
Taking your business to the next level… that’s what we do
When getting a business loan to finance your growth plans your bank will want to see a contribution from you. In this clip Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow explains why this is important for both the bank and your business.
Has your bank said ‘no’ to your business finance request?
One reason could be that you have no financial information or it’s out of date. In this interview, BLS’ Rob Warlow explains why you need to have financial information in order to access finance.
We open this Business Finance Bulletin by taking a look at the latest Bank of England statistics on bank lending to small businesses. The figures to the end of July show strong support to SMEs but will this continue post-Brexit?
Bad debts and writing off irrecoverable amounts is not what you want to happen every day but new research reveals that many businesses are being faced with accepting losses on money owed to them.
Alternative finance continues to be a growing source of finance for small businesses and a new survey from Deloittes shows how many businesses are aware of it and intend to use it to fund growth plans. The findings suggest there is scope for improvement.
If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.
The reasons for business failure can be many but we start the latest Business Finance Bulletin by looking at two key reasons as revealed in a survey carried out by R3, the insolvency industry body.
Banks and small businesses have had a strained relationship and according to a new study just out, it’s not got any better with many businesses owners saying they feel unsupported. We look at as to why that is.
With awareness and usage of Peer to Peer and crowdfunding on the rise we share news of the latest addition to the market. This new player is out to support growing small businesses with a range of financial products.
If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.
When applying for business finance many business owners think that the bank is only interested in the performance of their business, but this is not the case.
In this clip from a live seminar BLS’s Rob Warlow reveals why, when assessing your finance request, the bank is just as interested in you as in your business.
With news that the Bank of England has reduced its Base Rate and an announce of a new scheme to get banks lending and businesses borrowing, in this edition of the Business Finance Bulletin we look at whether these will have the desired impact.
We take a look at the findings from a survey carried out by the British Chamber of Commerce and Bibby Financial Services which reveals low awareness levels of the sources of alternative finance amongst UK SMEs.
Have you been faced with writing off a debt owed to you following being hit by a late payment of an invoice? The latest Bibby’s SME Confidence Index suggests that too many businesses are writing off debts and the average sum involved is not small.
If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.
In our dealings with growing businesses on the search for finance it’s always surprising how many still believe that outside the traditional High Street banks there are few alternative options to consider.
When we mention crowdfunding, short term loans, merchant cash advances and other alternative sources of finance, there is typically a vague acknowledgement that they have heard of such sources but nothing beyond that.
This lack of appreciation that there are sources of finance to tap into outside of the banks has been highlighted in a recent survey carried out by the British Chambers of Commerce and Bibby Financial Services.
The survey of more than 1,000 businesses provides an interesting insight into awareness levels of the primary sources of finance. Perhaps not surprisingly, awareness of overdraft facilities came out top at 93%, even though banks are not as keen in extending overdrafts as they once were!
Next on the familiarity chart are bank loans and commercial credit cards with awareness levels of 88% and 86% respectively. The growth seen in the usage of leasing and HP since the credit crunch is reflected in an 86% awareness levels amongst UK SMEs.
What sources of finance are languishing near the bottom of the pile though?
Trade finance facilities were known by 46% of businesses, peer-to-peer funding by 42% and angel funding by 39% of those surveyed. Propping up the sources of finance list standing at 19% awareness levels is mezzanine finance (a hybrid of debt and equity). No surprise there perhaps!
Despite what you may think there are a plethora of options available but the key problem is that you simply don’t have the time to search the market for the best options.
In fact, one of our clients this week said that they prefer to use us to source finance because we immediately know where to go thereby saving them time. That where commercial finance experts come in.
One other interesting finding from the survey was that of those firms which were successful in securing finance but ultimately rejected the offers, 54% did so because the interest rate offered was too high.
The main question though is ‘too high compared to what?’
Alternative finance is by its nature typically more costly than traditional High Street lenders due to the higher level of risk and the lower standard of security they are prepared to consider. For the alternative finance industry, the next step after raising awareness levels amongst business owners, is to resolve the pricing perception.
Our advice to clients is as long as the finance available to you allows you to achieve what you want to do, benchmark it in the market to check it’s not too wide of the mark, then look beyond the price and get on with building your business.
In this edition of the Business Finance Bulletin we start off with a look at where businesses get their financial advice from… and the number one source is not the most reliable.
Alternative sources of finance have been springing up from the least expected of companies and one of those is PayPay. We take a look at an update from PayPal on how successful it’s Working Capital facility has been amongst its UK clients.
Late payment can be a serious topic but Xero, the online accounting software provider, has put a special twist on one of Adele’s songs to highlight the problems late payment can cause. Take a look on our blog where you can watch the video!
Recent Bulletin’s wouldn’t be the same without mentioning Brexit but this week alternative finance provider Capify, presents a positive message about its impact – a nice change!
If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.
In the latest episode of the Business Finance Bulletin we look at the continued fall-out from the Brexit vote; how the Bank of England have taken actions to boost bank lending and lender’s appetite to support UK small businesses.
We review the latest quarterly Small Business Index survey released by the Federation for Small Businesses which, although prepared before the EU Referendum, indicates that business confidence was already slipping.
Does late payment have an impact on productivity? The answer is revealed in a survey carried out by Xero, the online accounting software provider, which also reports on how many days per month business owners spend on chasing late payers. What a waste.
If you would prefer to listen to the podcast version you can click below or download to listen to later via our Soundcloud, Stitcher or itunes channel.
I wanted to thank you for such an insightful, energetic, and entertaining talk at the Kevin Green Wealth event on securing funding and creating a successful plan. It was brilliantly executed and a pleasure to listen to and the ideas I’ve learned are definitely going to help me in going forward.
Rob kindly agreed to attend the recent Pontypridd RFC sponsors networking evening and delivered what can only be described as an excellent talk on 5 Tactics to Boost Your Business and Your Profits. He kept the audience engaged throughout and the feedback from everyone was excellent. Rob is very knowledgeable on business and finance and on top of that is a genuine nice guy. We hope to have him back at a future event and I have no hesitation in recommending Rob’s services.
Hi Rob, it was so interesting and entertaining listening to you at the Kevin Green Wealth Coach Workshop in Reading this weekend! I didnt realise you can find Finance proposals such fun!. Brilliant tips! Thanks.
Rob delivered a series of 3 workshops aimed at understanding how finance houses look at finance propositions with the aim for us as a team to deliver more of a bespoke offering to our customer base. The training was delivered to a mixture of staff who work with new businesses start-ups and existing established businesses across Mid & South West Wales. Rob delivered the training with an abundance of passion and has really helped my team look at financial propositions in a different light, many thanks again Rob and I look forward to work with you in the near future.
Further to your recent presentation at LEAD Wales just wanted to say it was very refreshing to see somebody talk passionately and positively about finance, very insightful!