WELCOME !

Thanks for dropping in for some hopefully great business info and on occasion some hopefully not too sarcastic comments on the state of Business Financing in Canada and what we are doing about it !

In 2004 I founded 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL. At that time I had spent all my working life, at that time - Over 30 years in Commercial credit and lending and Canadian business financing. I believe the commercial lending landscape has drastically changed in Canada. I believe a void exists for business owners and finance managers for companies, large and small who want service, creativity, and alternatives.

Every day we strive to consistently deliver business financing that you feel meets the needs of your business. If you believe as we do that financing solutions and alternatives exist for your firm we want to talk to you. Our purpose is simple: we want to deliver the best business finance solutions for your company.



Friday, June 30, 2017

Sale Leaseback Solution? Understanding Lease Back Financing










You Should Be Using This Leasing Tool – It’s Called ‘ Sale Leaseback Financing ‘ !





OVERVIEW – Information on the sale leaseback solution used by companies to generate additional cash without selling assets. This leasing tool generates funding without selling owned assets . Business owners and financial mgrs should investigate lease back 101!








Sale leaseback financing is an often underutilized part of the Canadian Equipment and Lease Financing industry. Many business owners and financial managers in Canadian firms may not yet be aware of the wide popularity and increasing use of this type of alternative financing facility.

For various economic and financial reporting considerations this finance strategy continues to be scrutinized as a financial option for Canadian business. Let's dig in.

The overall sale leaseback strategy has been around for a very long time, and, as noted, continues to gain in popularity. The primary reasons for its increasing usage are the ability of business owners to enhance their profits to a certain degree, as well as, even more importantly, to generate additional cash flow for the business. That is the key benefit of the latter would appear to be the most obvious benefit.

Business people continually look for 'creative 'solutions to financial and cash flow challenges. Who wouldn't want that? Luckily these days more and more alternative solutions to cash flow needs are around.

The basic strategy? Its simple .Your firm has equipment that has been fully paid for and is currently unencumbered collateral. Your interests are simply, you wish to take advantage of the equity in the equipment, but at the same time you wish to continue to use the asset.

Naturally the asset base of consideration for such strategies involves a broad number of industries and an even broader number of assets. More often than not need is very basic - how can you leverage assets to bring more cash into the firm? In certain cases, if a transaction is managed properly you can enhance you overall financial statement ratios.




So, ask our clients, how does it work? You 'sell 'the equipment back to finance or leasing company. Under the umbrella of equipment financing and lease documentation your firm 'leases' the asset back 'from the finance firm.

There are of course some key accounting issues that Canadian business owners and financial managers have to take into consideration. Based on the value of the transaction your firm may have to book either a gain or loss on the transaction.

What are some of the other motivations for considering such a strategy? We can broadly group them into a couple of categories - i.e. Cash flow, accounting and tax, and balance sheet and income statement enhancement.

If your firm structures the transaction as a true operating lease when you enter into the sale leaseback you have somewhat m magically taken debt off your balance sheet and improved many of your key operating and loan covenants .

Payments create a monthly expense and this amount more often than not is less than the deprecation taken on the asset, so, via the magic of accounting your firm has created additional earnings! In cases where you do in fact have a 'gain' on the sale leaseback those also of course add to the profits of your firm. We love those accountants, right?!

In summary, Canadian business owners and financial managers should investigate the strategy of a sale leaseback of assets, in the current economic environment such a strategy can enhance your firms overall liquidity and profitability. That's a good thing.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian Business Financing advisor.


7 Park Avenue Financial :
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


Business financing for Canadian Firms , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing , Equipment Leasing , franchise finance and Cdn. Tax Credit Finance . Founded 2004 - Completed in excess of 100 Million $ of financing for Canadian corporations .







7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8

Direct Line
= 416 319 5769

Office = 905 829 2653



Email
= sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com


' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.

Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.







Thursday, June 29, 2017

SR&ED Finance Loans Ensure Your Cash Flow Refund Arrives…Immediately !











Grab Some Popcorn ! Showing You Why Sr&ED ( aka cash today ) Financing Makes R&D capital investment ‘ efficient ‘ !


OVERVIEW – Information on sr&ed financing loans in Canada. The Sr&ed finance solution accelerates the cash flow recovery of your r&d capital investment









SRED Financing allows immediate cash flow and working capital advantage of our SR&ED tax credit claim. This program is, bar none the best tax incentive program in Canada. Other than being taxable as income the refund you receive from the government is a non repayable grant. Could it get any better? Let's dig in!

Looking for some irony? Top experts tell us that 70% of companies in Canada that are eligible for the program do not even apply, let alone receive their funds!! It clearly is a source of untapped cash flow and working capital for your Canadian business that should be maximized to the hilt.

The other 30% of Canadian firms who use the program utilize it around their efforts to develop new products and services, building prototypes, and solving technological challenges.

So your Canadian controlled private company utilizes and files Sred filings. Did you know your claim can be financing immediately after you file it, literally the same day.

Specialists that work as 'SR&ED consultants are experts in preparing your claim and in Canada your sred claim can be prepared at typical accounting costs or on contingency fee basis with no risk to your firm.

The expertise of your consultant is critical as Ottawa is getting more ' stringent ‘. For the record over 24,000 firms, some of whom might be your competitors, filed last year. Total refunds: 3.5 Billion dollars! The lesson learned? Ensure you're eligible for SRED, and start your process early.

However most Canadian business owners and their Sred consultants do not know that your claim can be financing, either during the preparation of your claim, (yes, before your file, if you qualify!) or immediately on filing of your claim.

Generally with this type of financing you receive immediately approximately 70% of the value of your claim. The other 30% still comes back you of course, but it’s simply a bit of a buffer to cover financing costs and any risk that a portion of the claim will be disallowed or clawed back .

The SR ED financing process? Simple - not complicated. Complete a basic business financing application, ensuring proper back up is in place and valid. That includes info on your company, the Sr Ed claim itself, your previous Sr Ed claims if you have filed previously etc.

The reality is that SR ED financing can be completed within 2-3 weeks of starting the process. The beauty of this type of financing is that no payments are made on the sred loan. In effect you can say that you have factored or discounted the Sr Ed claim. Refunds are for any purpose: reduction of payables, investments in new equipment, additional staff, etc. Bottom line = any general worthwhile corporate purpose.

Know your SRED loan financing options. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can help you fund your sr&ed.



7 Park Avenue Financial :






http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


Business financing for Canadian Firms , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing , Equipment Leasing , franchise finance and Cdn. Tax Credit Finance . Founded 2004 - Completed in excess of 100 Million $ of financing for Canadian corporations .







7 Park Avenue Financial

South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8




Direct Line = 416 319 5769

Office = 905 829 2653




Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com



' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.

Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.






Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Computer Financing & Leasing in Canada : How Much Do You Really Know?












Looking To Eliminate Computer / Tech and Software Financing Anxiety For Your Business
– Here’s How !


OVERVIEW – Information on how computer leasing and financing strategies in can benefit your technology acquisitions and how to finance properly with operating or capital lease options, as well as project financing and software finance options


Computer leasing has many companies not fully understanding all the benefits that come for financing your technology, telecom and software needs. Let's dig in.

We're discussing the acquisition and financing of computers and technology in a couple segments of your business. . The proper term for this type of financing is ' Technology lifecycle management '. That's what the pros call it - our customers keep it a bit simpler: ' Should I buy or lease my firm’s new computers and software and related products and services? ' !

Two old adages related to leasing still ring true when it comes to the technological aspect. That is that business should finance something that depreciates, and companies should buy something that appreciates in value.

Most business owners and consumers as well know very well that computers depreciate in value. Systems we paid thousands of dollars for years ago are now hundreds of dollars. Walk into any ' big box ' retailer and see the dramatic moves in technology.

Business owners who finance technology demonstrate a higher level of cost effectiveness. The company wants to reap the benefits of the technology over the useful life of the asset, and, importantly, more evenly match the cash outflows with the benefits.

Leasing and financing your technology allows you to stay ahead of the technology curve; that is to say you are always using the latest technology as it relates to your firms needs. Also you're minimizing cash outflows as they relate to the spending you incur on computers, software, etc.

Businesses that lease and finance their technology needs are often working better within their capital budgets. Bottom line: You can buy more and buy smarter!

Many companies that are larger in size have balance sheet issues and ROA ('return on assets ‘) issues that are compelling. They must stay within bank credit covenants and are measure often on their ability to generate income on the total level of assets being deployed in the company.

Lease financing allows those firms to address both of those issues. Companies can choose to employ an ' operating lease ' structure for their technology financing. This is more prevalent in larger firms, but works almost equally as well in small organizations.

Operating leases are ' off balance sheet '. The firm adopts the stance of using technology, not owning technology. The lessor/lender owns the equipment, and has a stake in the residual value of the technology. The main benefit for the company is that the debt associated with the technology acquisition is not directly held on the balance sheet. This optimizes debt levels and profitability ratios.

At the end of those operating leases, which are usually 36 months long, the customer has the option of:

1. Returning the equipment
2. Buying the equipment (not likely though)
3. Negotiating an extension of the financing for continued use of the computers, technology, etc.

Companies that have recently acquired computers and technology can in fact negotiate a' sale leaseback ' on those same assets. This financing strategy brings cash back into the company , as the firm has employed a leasing and financing strategy building on our above noted them - using technology, not owning technology .


So, our benefit summary to date is:

* The company can stay ahead of the technology curve

* Computer leasing and financing has significant balance sheet and income statement benefits

* The firm has flexibility with respect to buying new product, returning existing technology, and generating cash flow for purchases already made

Many of the benefits we have discussed relate to leasing in general. However, technology and lease financing are very perfectly suited to the business financing strategy of leasing

Working capital saved on computer leasing and equipment leasing in general allows a company to use that capital to grow revenues. Depending on which types of leases are utilized there are also tax benefits associated to leasing.

With the current focus on the environment customers can work with their vendor to return unused equipment at the end of the lease for proper ' green' disposition. Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can provide you with the best strategies on computer leasing and financing.





7 Park Avenue Financial :


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


Business financing for Canadian Firms , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing , Equipment Leasing , franchise finance and Cdn. Tax Credit Finance . Founded 2004 - Completed in excess of 100 Million $ of financing for Canadian corporations .







7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8



Direct Line = 416 319 5769

Office = 905 829 2653



Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com


' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '



ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.

Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.












Why Does My Lender Need a Business Plan?












Many business owners or budding entrepreneurs are taken aback when their lender asks ( or insists ) on a business plan. Why do lenders need this document?

Lenders view the plan as having forced the business owner or entrepreneur to look carefully in a critical way into their business project. They feel that if the company needs to grow or be successful such a document will guide the business person to their goals. Ultimately the plan is a concise document which in effect communicates the business persons ideas to the lender.

In theory the business plan should identify areas of weakness or strength. If truth were to be known of course business plans tend to accentuate the positive. The writer of this article has a favorite saying - ' I never met a pro formal financial I didn't like '!

More about that last comment later, but suffice to say that in theory a good document geared towards financing should balance both the positive and negative aspects of the business and its financials. A solid business plan geared towards a lender will show you have ways of solving some of the business challenges raised in the business model and it's proposed financing.

We all know that stat's - half of new businesses fail within the first two years, 90 % within the next ten years. Why is that the case. Business guru's tell us its lack of planning. That is precisely why a business plan geared towards lending and the financials should be used as a critical follow up in the business. It should not be stored away! As we all have learned, ' tuition is extremely high in the school of experience '!

Most importantly though people that don't know you, or might not know your business model use a properly created plan to evaluate your business and lend you funds. The ' business plan ' in effect is really a financing proposal. That's how we look at it in our firm.

Let us remember how a lender, who you in many cases don't know, thinks. First of all he or she is hoping the information you have provided is true. Remember also that the lender works for someone, and they must communicate your idea to an underwriter of investment committee. If you haven't met the lender, trust me you definitely have not met the underwriter or investment committee.

Some of us also might think that we are the only business plan the lender is reviewing. That is not the case, our plan might be among 10-20 others in an given lending environment. And finally, people have biases - they will benchmark your own projections against their past experiences. If your business plan and financials make them think of Microsoft and Rim they will dig into the plan, if visions of Nortel come to mind that won't be the case!

Therefore business owners should put forth their plan on the basis that it will be ' attacked' by the lender, so the business owner must counter with ' real ' upside potential. The lender must genuinely feel some sort of enthusiasm about the business.

The biggest secret of business plans, and yes, we are revealing it here, is that they generally are not read in totality by the lender. The real world dictates they are given a 5 minute read, and more careful emphasis is generally only placed on the financials. The owner should never think that either quantity or finesse in fonts and graphs will gain the funding they require.

In summary, we do not infer that a plan is in fact not required for a lender or financing, in fact a business owner or entrepreneur with no plan is, outside of luck, guaranteed to fail.

Stan Prokop is the owner of 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL, ( http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com ) a Canadian firm which originates business financing and business bank and operating credit financing for Canadian firms. The firm works with it's clients who require business plans for financing purposes.


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_plans.html




7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8

Direct Line
= 416 319 5769

Office = 905 829 2653



Email
= sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.

Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.


























Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Stan_Prokop/432698


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3464862

Sunday, June 25, 2017

SR&ED Financing In Canada : Your Fast Route To Cash Flow Independence In SRED











Can SR&ED Claims Be Financed? Yes they can ! Here's how to get a SR&ED Loan against your refundable sred credit


Information on financing SR&ED claims in Canada. Canada's SRED program provides for refundable tax credits - Financing these claims accelerates... cash flow! Here's why and how






Sr&ed financing, simply speaking, accelerates one of the greatest government programs still currently in existence at both the federal and provincial level.

The formal name for the program is Scientific Research and Experimental Development program. Most people call it simply the SRED (SR &ED) program; we have also heard many people pronounce it as 'SHRED 'also! Even better news? Claims are financeable, so let's dig in.

We put Canadian businesses into two categories when we discuss the program - those that don't know about the program period, and those that know about the program but are not aware that their claims can be financed.

SR ED financing is an excellent source of short term cash flow, and allows a company to reap the benefits, in cash of funds that they have put into R&D.

It is probably useful to do a short overview - let's call it a SR ED primer!

The program is administered at the federal and provincial levels of the Canadian government. It is very important to note that the SR ED grant (yes it's non-repayable) is for Canadian private firms only - it does not apply to public corporations the program is applicable literally to almost every type of firm and industry in Canada. A company files its claim at the same time it files its year end tax return.

In our experience the majority, we feel almost 95%+ of claims are prepared by an independent third party. They have expertise, credibility, and have a strong knowledge of the program and the government requirements. We would further point out that if a claim is not prepared by a qualified third party then there may be an issue in financing the claim - not always, but sometimes.

Claims can be expensive to process and prepare, and in general the industry has evolved into two types of costs associated with the claim. What are those two cost scenarios?

1. Customer pays a third party in full for time and preparation involved in the claim. The customer reaps the full benefits of the claim when it is processed

2. Customer signs an agreement on a contingency basis, and pays the preparer of the SR ED a portion of the claim when it is approved - bottom line he has no cash outlay and the SR ED consultant is at risk re time and preparation involved in the claim.

Let's now focus on financing of the claim. The financing of the claim is somewhat of a boutique industry in Canada, and requires specialized knowledge around the quality and collateralization of the claim. The Canadian banks, as a rule, with only minor exceptions, do not make SR ED loans.

Claims are financed at approximated 70% of loan to value. What do we mean by that? We mean that loans on SR ED are made to 70% of their combined federal and provincial amount. Example - Customer files a claim for $ 300.000.00. The SR ED loan would be for 70% of that amount: = $210,000.00.

Claims can be financed relatively quickly when working with a qualified financing expert in this area. It certainly is possible to complete a transaction in a couple of weeks, from initial discussions.

Naturally some level of due diligence is required on the firm, and we point out that many firms are in fact total start ups and are filing their claim for the first time. An additional financing note is that first time claims are scrutinized more closely as the customer at that point does not have a track record in this area. Track records help the financing.

Looking to cash flow your SRED? Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor, who can assist you with your funding needs in this niche area of Canadian business finance,






http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


Business financing for Canadian Firms , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing , Equipment Leasing , franchise finance and Cdn. Tax Credit Finance . Founded 2004 - Completed in excess of 100 Million $ of financing for Canadian corporations .





7 Park Avenue Financial

South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8

Direct Line
= 416 319 5769

Office = 905 829 2653



Email
= sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.

Stan has over 40 years of business and finance executive experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in depth, hands on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.