Competition in the provision of banking services is set to hot up in 2018 with the announcement from Virgin Money that it is to start offering banking products to small businesses. What can we expect from a business that has a record of shaking up industries?

Companies involved in developing innovative products or services often find it difficult to obtain finance. We take a look at a new £50 million loan fund offered by Innovate UK to support businesses in need of finance to get innovative products or services out in the market place.

In previous Bulletins we have looked at how the growth in usage of Asset Finance facilities has outstripped supported provided by banks. However, the latest statistics from the Finance and Leasing Association reveal a surprising fall in the amount of new asset finance business written.

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A scary start to our latest Bulletin with a look at zombie businesses! According to a recent survey from Begbies Traynor, zombie businesses are on the rise. What are they and how can you avoid doing business with them?

Entrepreneurial age gaps often lead to different views in business and finance is no different. We look at findings from Worldpay which highlights the difference between younger and older generation entrepreneurs when it comes to sourcing and accessing alternative finance.

If you’re setting up a niche business or running a high-growth enterprise, equity is one popular avenue of funding. But how do you find Angel Investors for example? We share news of a service launched by the UK Business Angels Association designed to help businesses and investors find each other.

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Not unexpectedly, after 10 years the Bank of England has increased the cost of borrowing. In our latest Bulletin we look at how this increase will affect both business borrowers and savers.

Marketinvoice, the online invoice discounter, has launched an unsecured business loan product bringing another option to those businesses in need of a short term loan. We review how it works and which businesses are eligible to apply.

The Enterprise Finance Guarantee Scheme, a little known finance product offered by the High Street banks, has hit a new milestone. The scheme, overseen by the British Business Bank, can help those businesses with a viable proposition but lacking in security. Could it help you?

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Preserving working capital is crucial to ensure you don’t run out of cash. If need to buy assets such as plant and machinery, then using an Asset Finance facility is one option. Recognising the importance of keeping cash within the business, we start our Bulletin with an announcement from Lloyds Bank of the launch of their new Asset Finance fund.

With retail sales slowing down we look at how businesses are becoming increasingly cautious about borrowing money. The latest statistics from UK Finance reveal a contraction in borrowing but an increase in the amount of cash held in bank accounts.

Have you ever been a victim of online fraud? A survey from Barclays discovers how many frauds are never reported to the banks or authorities. What can you do to prevent falling foul of online fraudsters and whom can you report it to?

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One problem which can affect the outcome of your finance request is your credit score. In this Bulletin we look at findings from a recent survey carried out by Ratesetter Business Finance which reveals how many business owners have never checked their score. Don’t be one of them.

Business optimism appears to be on the up again. That the finding from the latest Deloitte’s quarterly Chief Finance Officer’s survey. However, a good number are still less than rosy. What factors are driving down the level of optimism?

Since the government’s Start Up Loan Co was launched in 2012 how exactly has it helped boost start ups? The British Business Bank has undertaken a review of its effectiveness and we look at how both starts ups and the overall economy have benefited from the support provided by the Start Up Loan Company.

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Despite confidence levels amongst many small businesses being muted, we open our latest Bulletin with a look at news from Hitachi Capital Business Finance that SMEs are seeing opportunities coming out of Brexit. Also, the latest Lloyds Bank research reveals that confidence is up in terms of production output across the regions. So not all bad news.

Dealing with late payment is bad enough but when late payment turns into no payment then that can be a bitter pill to swallow. That’s where trade credit insurance comes in and we have news of a new streamlined policy from Atradius designed for small businesses.

To close we take a look at the latest statistics from the Finance and Leasing Association which reveal that the industry continues to see strong growth in leasing and HP when it comes to purchases of plant and machinery and business equipment.

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After a long wait, the government has announced the appointment of the Small Business Commissioner. How will the new Commissioner, Paul Uppal, help small businesses, particularly when it comes to late payment?

Starling Bank, the mobile-only bank account provider, has announced the forthcoming launch of its mobile account service for businesses. They are looking for small business owners who are prepared to take part in the initial trial and help shape its look. Could that be you?

Carrying too much working capital can strangle growth. A new survey from Lloyds Bank has calculated how much cash businesses have tied up in surplus working capital. The amount, if released, could free businesses to fund their own growth plans.

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 our Bulletin with our concluding review of the latest SME Finance Monitor report. How many businesses are really getting a ‘yes’ from their bank? That’s one question the report answers and the reply may cause many businesses to re-think their approach.

Have you heard the term FinTech? If not, you may be surprised to find out that you are one of the majority of businesses which are managing their finances via a FinTech-related application. We look at a recent survey from online Invoice Discounting provider MarketInvoice which reveals how business owners are benefiting from new technology.

There are emerging concerns that an ongoing increase in the size of consumer debt could have a knock-on effect on banks. But if debt is getting out of control, how could it affect 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.

Continuing our review of the findings from the latest SME Finance Monitor report, we look at what is holding small businesses back from borrowing. The survey revealed four reasons why businesses feel uncomfortable in taking on debt.

Whilst many businesses think that lenders are reluctant to support businesses, one bank is actively looking to assist growing business. Arbuthnot Latham Bank has recently opened an office in Bristol as an addition to their office in Exeter, to cover the South West and we take a peek at how they can help businesses with their commercial finance requirements.

Finally, we review the latest FSB Small Business Index survey which highlights that small businesses are feeling much less confident that they were a year ago. What is holding them back?

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.

Is appetite amongst small businesses to borrow money on the wane? According to the latest SME Finance Monitor Report this is the case. We take a look at how more business owners are opting out of taking on debt in favour of pursuing a ‘slow growth or no growth’ strategy.

On a more positive note, we share news from the Finance and Leasing Association that its members are reporting record volumes in financing plant and machinery, and business equipment. Asset Finance as a source of funding is continuing to win over small businesses.

To close the Bulletin, we look at a new fund launched by the British Business Bank. The North West Business Growth has been designed to assist growing businesses in the North West in accessing loan 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.