Financial fraud can be complex but sometimes a fraud can be relatively simple. We open our latest Bulletin with findings from research undertaken by RSM into the rising frequency of mandate fraud. What is it and what can you do to avoid being taken in by this fraud?

According to a new survey carried out by the British Business Bank, appetite among small businesses to grow is strong. We share how many are entrepreneurs are held back by a lack of awareness as to where to find appropriate finance.

To close, news from HSBC of the launch of its 5th SME Fund, which sets aside cash specifically for UK small businesses. We look at how the latest Fund has a particular focus on supporting smaller businesses who want to increase exports.

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.

A seeming reluctance among some small businesses to borrow money has extended to the equity finance world. We open our latest Bulletin with a review carried out by Beauhurst of equity finance transactions undertaken in the first quarter of 2018. The figures reveal a downturn in activity compared to the previous quarter.

Creditsafe, the credit agency, has reported that according to its research, company bad debts and the number of registered CCJs jumped in the first three months of this year. It appears that the pressure of unpaid invoices is beginning to show.

Cyber crime continues to grab the headlines, particularly with the forthcoming GDPR deadline. To ensure businesses are aware of the risks of being targeted by fraudsters, Barclays Bank has launched an awareness campaign with recommendations for businesses on how to keep safe.

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.

We kick-off this week’s Bulletin by sharing a story from a client meeting this week where the business assumed that there would be no funding for them. We look at how many businesses make this mistake and so inadvertently deny themselves the opportunity to grow.

We have news on how TaxAssist Accountants have formed an alliance with Ratesetter, the peer-to-peer lender, to offer clients immediate access to a quick source of working capital and growth finance.

To close the Bulletin, we take our monthly look at how banks are supporting SMEs in terms of loans outstanding. The latest figures from the Bank of England indicate early signs of a shift in attitude amongst small businesses towards borrowing.

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.

Whilst small businesses can sometimes beat the bigger players in the market, occasionally we can learn a trick or two from them. In this edition of the Business Finance Bulletin, we take a look at strategies being employed by Chief Financial Officers to boost their company’s performance. What tips can you take action on?

How do small business owners view the finance market and their growth prospects? That’s a question posed in the latest Business Finance Survey carried out by the British Business Bank. Not surprisingly, the survey reveals positive news… and less positive expectations when looking ahead.

To close the Bulletin, we share news on a new milestone reached by peer-to-peer lender, Funding Circle, in terms of the amount it has lent to small businesses.

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 Business Finance Bulletin we start by looking at news from Funding Circle of £40m from the British Business Bank to invest in business loans alongside private investors. In addition to this there’s news of £82 million raised to support Funding Circle’s growth plans.

How hungry are small businesses to borrow money in 2017? That’s a question posed by Zurich in their latest SME Risk Index survey. Are businesses looking to borrow more or less than in 2016?

To close, we take a look at separate findings from the Federation of Small Businesses and Smith and Williamson on how confident small business owners are entering 2017. It’s clear that many are choosing to ignore any gloomy economic messages.

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 Business Finance Bulletin, a look at a support package being granted by Santander to charities and community groups raising funds on Crowfunder. The match-funding deal will allow these organisations to further leverage the funds they raise.

Funding Circle have announced an upward movement in the maximum they can lend to certain categories of businesses. We look at how this is a positive move for good quality businesses in search of finance.

Turning to the traditional High Street lenders, we take our monthly look at how much banks are lending to small business owners with the release of the latest Bank of England figures. Is the figure up or down?

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.

We start off this week’s Bulletin with the question of how many people who had a dream to run their own business actually took the step and if they didn’t, what was stopping them. Turning to more established businesses we look at findings from a recent report, DNA of an Entrepreneur, on how business owners view their current and future prospects.

The government has been keen to stimulate competition in the banking sector and three years ago a current account switching service was launched to make it easier for individuals and small businesses to move banks. Three years on, how has it performed?

Supermarkets can sell most things we need but who would have thought they would enter the crowdfunding market? That’s what has happened with the launch of a crowdfunding platform by Tescos focused on helping food and drink manufacturers raise finance.

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.

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.

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.