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.



Showing posts with label technology financing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label technology financing. Show all posts

Monday, June 8, 2020

Software Leasing And Software Financing Solutions: Saas Finance 101!












Benefits of Lease Financing In Your Software Acquisition & Subscription Requirements



Software leasing and software finance solutions for your investments into applications also come with often a significant expense. Not only the cost of those solutions but the maintenance and support and updates around those products bring additional cost. The good news? Software can be leased and financed through the right software finance company. Discover why thousands of firms are financing software.

The reality is that many of the same similarities business owners recognize around equipment lease and finance come with the same benefits when you finance applications. The key? Using the right firm, as many firms are unfamiliar and therefore risk-averse to financing this business asset - an 'intangible'. A Leased software finance solution funds that intangible.



The irony? Simply that contrary to popular opinion software as an asset often has more value than a depreciating asset. Naturally, your business doesn't 'own' the applications you are financing and the financing is simply a mechanism to pay for your investment.


Did you know that purchasing business software and financing that purchase comes with options? The rise of a software subscription model with regular monthly payments has become a staple and an alternative to a one-time costly purchase. Leading experts such as THE GARTNER GROUP has predicted a massive rise for years now in subscription-based software purchases.

As for the financing of the software purchase consider this :

Bundling of associated services with your purchase can be costly - ie training, migrations, report design, etc and interest rates have never been lower

The multi-year discount option saves money and locks your company in from future price increases

Software financing is predictable cash flow management that avoids unnecessary surprise in the capital budget process - financing technology needs preserves bank and other business lines of credit


Other key points? The right to use the software comes with no right to the intellectual property surrounding the developer's rights in the code. A good example - Microsoft's Excel package. We use these spreadsheets at home or in the office but Microsoft of course owns it.


Industry statistics for equipment leasing in North America tell us that over 80% of companies in all industries utilize lease financing to acquire assets. But most business owners and financial managers think of lease finance as acquiring hard assets so they have not considered the option of lease application software, cloud software, etc.

New clients at 7 Park Avenue Financial can be forgiven for not considering leasing their software needs until we have explained the benefits! If you are looking for a financing partner with expertise in financing technology and software we have the solutions you require based on our multi-year experience. Financing software is the perfect trade-off versus a significant cash outlay, and in almost all cases bundling of additional maintenance, upgrades and training can also be included. That is true technology financing.


Solutions your firm requires in the software area might come from one or a variety of vendors. Depending on your specific financing needs those multiple solutions can come from 1, or several vendors either in Canada of the U.S. Typical terms for this ' niche financing' can be anywhere from 2-5 years. Typical requirements from your firm might be a detailed overview or quote from your vendor, and normal business application information, financial information, etc.

That allows for a speedy approval process. While larger established firms might not necessarily consider financing technology needs SME COMMERCIAL FINANCE needs typically revolve around preserving cash and not using daily operating cash for longer-term investments. The pro's call that ' matching', namely financing long term investments with financing that matches the ' useful life ' of your investment in such areas as r&d, technology infrastructure, etc.


In past times lenders struggled with how to collateralize and register security around the financing of the software - but that is now easily handled as lenders register a simply PPSA' under the Personal Property Security Act.

The heart of our financing issue here is the true value of the software to your business. You run your business on it - i.e. sales management programs, office software, manufacturing software, etc. Lease payments are made since these assets are indispensable to the value and ongoing concern of the business. Unless companies are liquidated in total bankruptcy most lessors and finance firms recover fully on their software leasing - Source - Journal of Equipment Leasing



Also key to the software financing issue is that many software firms offer maintenance, support, and updates around their product. This enhances the lender's asset as it is used for longer lengths of time, and often constantly upgraded. Quite frankly it becomes less obsolete than computer hardware!

Many software lessors and lenders also finance the service and maintenance contracts associated with their customer’s software acquisition. Your software finance needs can typically be easily bundled into your computer hardware financing acquisition.

Given that software providers prefer upfront payment, allowing them to more quickly recoup their development costs, there are cash flow advantages to bundling all your IT needs into one master agreement. That multi-year financing option can easily translate into higher discounts on your total software purchases- always a factor in multi-year prepayment scenarios.



SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE ( SAAS ) FINANCING - SAAS FINANCE 101!


As software had become an essential product/service in today's environment even low priced office solutions as well as larger enterprise offerings can now be financed in a manner to achieve better costs and preserve the working capital required to purchase your software needs.

Industry experts tell us that the enterprise business software market is growing substantially. Monthly payment options are more important than ever to maximize your ' IT ' ( ' information technology') budget. Although many purchasers view their software costs as a monthly expense the reality is that these solutions are often sold on a bundled one to three-year contract, which may often include maintenance and upgrades. Financing in advance can often achieve significant savings. Note that we are mostly talking about application software solutions, not customized development.


How Does Leasing Software and Financing a Saas Contract Aid In Cash Flow Preservation? Software as a Service Revenue Financing Explained!


It is important to consider large volume purchases of software versus the needs of smaller firms. A typical cost in a larger firm might be 100$ per ' seat ' the term commonly used in the industry for one unit. Some firms might also require a third party to implement the solution. Those costs add up and the concept of software contract financing can allow your firm to maintain technology costs within budget. The idea of a manageable monthly payment withing your capital budget versus a large cash flow outlay is appealing to any business owner or financial manager! The right SAAS Funder / SAAS Lender makes that happen.



In summary, software lease financing is available and should be considered by every business owner in the same context as a capital equipment finance transaction. The computer hardware industry has grown with leasing, and the software industry is doing that also.

The same considerations an owner gives to lease vs. buy apply to a software finance acquisition. Subscription software financing allows you to turn an annual expenditure into a manageable monthly payment. Other types of software that are commonly financed are ERP software and Human Resource management applications, legal law firm software, as well as the traditional accounting and payroll types of solutions.


Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record of success who will help you ensure your software acquisitions can be adequately financed under the best rates, terms and structures that make sense for your company. We can make subscription-based software financing and all your technology funding requirements simple!



7 Park Avenue Financial :

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

Direct Line = 416 319 5769


Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Click Here For 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL website !




7 Park Avenue Financial provides value-added financing consultation for small and medium-sized businesses in the areas of cash flow, working capital, and debt financing.



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.


' 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. He is an experienced

business financing consultant

.

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 financing 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.







7 Park Avenue Financial/Copyright/2020





























Software Leasing And Software Financing Soluions : Saas Finance 101!




Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Can't Finance Software ? You Can Now !












Financing Business Software Investments For Better Cash Flow





Software business financing for your investments into applications also comes with often a significant expense. Not only the cost of those solutions but the maintenance and support and updates around those products bring additional cost . The good news? Software can be leased and financed through the right
software finance company
.


The reality is that many of the same similarities business owners recognize around equipment lease and finance come with the same benefits when you finance applications . The key? Using the right firm , as many firms are unfamiliar , and therefore risk averse to financing this business asset - an ' intangible'.

The irony. Simply that contrary to popular opinion software as an asset often has more value than a depreciating asset . Naturally your business doesn't ' own' the applications you are financing and the financing is simply a mechanism to pay for your investment.

Other key points ? The right to use the software comes with no right to the intellectual property surrounding the developers rights in the code. A good example - Microsoft's Excel package. We use these spreadsheets at home or in the office but Microsoft of course owns it.

In past times lenders struggled with how to collateralize and register security around the financing of the software- but that is now easily handled as lenders register a simply ' PPSA ' under the Personal Property Security Act .

The heart of our financing issue here is the true value of the software to your business. You run your business on it - ie sales management programs, office software, manufacturing software, etc. Lease payments are made since these assets are indispensable to the value and ongoing concern of the business. Unless companies are liquidated in total bankruptcy most lessors and finance firms recover fully on their software leasing - Source - Journal of Equipment Leasing



Also key to the software financing issue is that many software firms offer maintenance, support, and updates around their product. This enhances the lenders asset as it is used for longer lengths of time, and often constantly upgraded. Quite frankly it becomes less obsolete than computer hardware!

Many software lessors and lenders also finance the service and maintenance contracts associated with their customer’s software acquisition.


In summary, software lease financing is available and should be considered by every business owner in the same context as a capital equipment finance transaction. The computer hardware industry has grown with leasing, and the software industry is doing that also. The same considerations an owner gives to lease vs. buy apply to a software finance acquisition.


Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor with a track record who will help you ensure your software acquisitions can be adequately financed under the best rates, terms and structures that make sense for your company.







7 Park Avenue Financial :

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

Direct Line = 416 319 5769


Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Click Here For 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL website !






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 .


' 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.

Sunday, March 17, 2019

Leasing IT Cloud Financing Services . Lease Your Hardware And Software Needs









Technology Finance Lease Solutions for Canadian Business


Information on technology financing needs around the acquisition of computers, software, hardware, and cloud solutions in Canada



IT cloud financing services and the leasing of such services for hardware and software needs presents new challenges for the Canadian business and financial managers looking to leverage technology via lease financing. Oh, and by the way, financing ' the cloud ' presents probably just as many challenges for lessors and finance institutions also!

Cloud technology is of course the newest kid on the block. It’s another new concept to comprehend, essentially the use of computing as resources, both hardware, and software, over a network. That network typically is of course the internet.

For the first time your firm actually is using computing power and doesn't necessarily know where those resources might be located. Naturally as in all aspects of technology and tech finance it’s a case of you using the hardware and software, not necessarily caring about where it is and who is managing or running it.

Naturally the benefits of financing and leasing cloud services are quite clear - lower costs, ease of use, and your ability to add on hardware and software when you need it.

Although cloud computing and financing are relatively new it's surprising to see statistics that indicate at least 1/3 of all businesses intend to finance their cloud services.

It's certainly a different way to structure a transaction. We've always preached the creativity and benefits of hardware, service, and software leasing and it just seems that creativity is again an understatement when you utilize this form of financing. It is clearly a new business niche in Canadian business financing .

We find some a bit of irony in the concept of IT Cloud financing. What is that irony? Simply that for those of use old enough to remember it seems like ' timesharing ' all over again! except we seemed to always know the address of our timeshare firm, and we could actually drive there and see the hardware and software!

Business owners, chief information officers and finance managers are again looking to leasing as a methodology to gain benefits and limit the risk involve in technology purchases of hardware and software.

Naturally there are risk factors in any aspect of business and Canadian leasing companies who participate in cloud financing

are probably struggling to determine what that level of risk is. We would think overall credit quality is key in this new form of financing. It's difficult to structure payments and rates around IT CLOUD finance when in essence the service you are utilizing is ' metered ‘, similar to electricity we would say.

It's the ability of your lessor or computer company to measure what you are using and where that hardware and software computing power is coming from that is key. And if you don’t pay, there is certainly no ability to ' repossess' assets, that’s for sure.

Consider leveraging both the power of the internet and leasing as a method to maximize your software and hardware needs. IT Cloud finance allows you to share resources, and therefore lower your cost.

Your benefits include lower cost of ownership, the concept of paying for what you only use, and the ability, as always with lease finance, to add on to what you might need, easily... and faster.

Speak to a trusted, credible an experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can work with you to meet your IT Cloud hardware and software needs.







7 Park Avenue Financial :

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

Direct Line = 416 319 5769


Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

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 .


' 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, February 5, 2019

Save thousands (or Millions ! ) Via Technology & IT Financing Via Smart Finance Benefits
















Make IT Technology Finance Work For Your Business

Information on what strategies can save you thousands, and millions on technology and IT financing . What benefits can you expect to receive when you consider these finance strategies




We probably couldn't come up with the exact number but wouldn’t you agree it’s safe to say that Billions of dollars are spent annually on IT (that’s information technology by the way!) and technology financing. Can you really save thousands, or those millions?! by smart acquisition strategies . We're sure you can and we will show you how.


The acquisition of computer, it, and other technology assets is without a doubt one of the largest Capex spends any medium or large sized business makes. Your make those investments because you are optimistic about the future of your firm, coupled by the need to stay ahead of the competition in the ever changing technology curve.

If your are the owner, chief financial officer, or chief information officer of any firm you want to know what your alternatives are in the areas of IT and Technology finance. Those alternatives comes with different costs, different outcomes, and different risks, all of which make it often a daunting decision when you are at the proverbial fork in the road .

The author of this article spent over 20 years in technology financing and saw trends come and go. The largest trend by far, we think, was the desire of firms to go off balance sheet when acquiring computer, technology and telecom assets. That probably is still a good decision today for many reasons - the main ones being lower monthly payments due to the residual taken by the lessors, the ability to invoke your three rights at the end of the term of the lease, as well as the constant availability of upgrading during the term.

Having said all that there are of course some new international accounting rules that will bring those off balance sheet liabilities back onto the balance sheet. Is that a good thing? We won’t weigh in on that one today... it’s probably good for lenders to your firm as all that debt is now front and center on the balance sheet. Anyway, that’s a discussion for another day.

So how are smart decisions made in technology financing - whether its computers, phone systems, software (yes software can be financed!) etc.

It all comes down to a couple key areas - first of all, if you aren’t proficient in lease calcs work with an expert who will help you assume residuals, interest rates, and proper economic life cycles . If you could afford it (some can’t... some can) the smartest thing to do would be to finance technology and IT on a 2 year FMV lease. That way the residual value established by the lessors would be high, you would be able to flip into new technology in 24 months.

Let's use a 2 million dollar major technology finance acquisition as an example - Using smart financing via an FMV lease a monthly payment on our 24 month term would be approx 71k per month.

Your firm would be the beneficiary of a 400,000 residual investment by the part on the other side of the lease. Your monthly payments to acquire 2 million dollars of technology for 24 months would be only 1.7 Million dollars. If you chose the lease to own route or loan on your technology financing your payments on a typical 36 month transaction would be over 2.2 Million dollars, almost 400k more than in our ' smart finance ' scenario.

So, what’s smart IT and technology financing all about? Its knowing the use of your equipment, its expected useful life, how lessors can play the interest and residual game and how some very basic expert information can put you back into the driving seat on those thousands (or millions) that Canada spends on IT finance for technology .Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced expert to assist you in your benefit recapture in this critical area of business.








7 Park Avenue Financial :

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

Direct Line = 416 319 5769


Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

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 .


' 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.








Friday, September 15, 2017

Looking For A Gamechanger Strategy In Technology / Computer Financing For Your Company ? We've Got One!











Looking For A Gamechanger Strategy In Technology / Computer Financing For Your Company ? We've Got One!


Information on computer leasing and technology financing in Canada - The right acquisition financing strategy in these types of assets is critical







Computer Leasing – the lease financing of business computers and technology is probably the best example of your Canadian business utilizing classic benefits of lease financing.

Why are Billions of dollars of computers and related technology leased every year – The answer is that the computer industry seems always in the forefront of new and leading edge technologies. As consumers we know in our home purchases how quickly we might be feeling that our technology for home computing is out of date, not fast enough, doesn’t have enough bells and whistles, etc .


The classic benefits of lease financing are generally known to most Canadian business owners and financial managers – they include the ability to upgrade equipment easily or at the end of a lease term. Many organizations, especially moreso if they are larger are not looking to spend large sums of their capital budgets all at one time on computer upgrades.

We refer to ‘ computers ‘ – but to be clear computer related financing includes everything you might be thinking of in a technology acquisition – that includes the actual personal computers, servers, mainframes if that is appropriate, application and operating software, as well as maintenance contracts and service contracts . The total dollars spent on computing power in any organization is always significant relative to the total of any company’s capital budget.


Additional benefits include the ability to contain debt on your balance sheet, remove debt entirely and still acquire your computing power ( operating leases do that ) and also you have the ability to influence cash flow via fixed or variable payments . Many customers choose to pay leases on a quarterly or sometimes even on an annual basis, although monthly tends to be the most popular method.


We have spoken of obsolescence, and also referenced the fact that computer and technology leasing is a classic ‘poster boy ‘for lease financing. That is because as technologies change you do not want to be locked into the inability to acquire more computing power for the same or less money. The author worked in computer financing for over 20 years, and whether it was dealing with the CFO of some of Canada’s largest organizations, to small start ups during the’ dot com’ era – all of these people recognized the power of technology financing .


Let’s illustrate via a simple but clear example -. You need to purchase 100,000.00 of computers and related accessories – Typically your monthly payment would be, over a 36 month term approximately 3100.00/ month.

If you had paid cash for the purchase you would probably find in two years you needed new computers – you have spend 100,000 in cash, you own old technology which is depreciating, and newer computers and software are being used by all your competitors to gain a competitive advantage .


What might you have done? What would an alternative business financing strategy be? Well , if you had leased the computers and structured the transaction as an operating lease here what you would do – you would return the computers to the lessor , order the new computers , and you payment would stay the same or in some cases be less !

And of course now you have regained competitive advantage in your marketplace if you place an emphasis on computer power, internal infrastructure, and access to your data, ET c


That is just one of many, many ways in which computer lease financing is a powerful financing strategy. Talk to an experienced business financing advisor who has credibility and experience in this type of financing – You will soon find your firm is also ‘leading edge ‘in financing!


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

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 .



' 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.







Friday, March 31, 2017

Can Software Be Leased and Financed?













Many businesses, both small and large do not realize that software can be leased or financed. Although software financing is unique in some manner, in general it has many similarities to equipment leasing.

It is also proper to ensure that right finance firm is utilized, as many lenders are somewhat risk averse to financing this asset. However, many others are looking for business in this area!

Contrary to popular opinion software as an asset in many cases has more value that a depreciating hard asset. It has also been confusing for lenders when it comes to the registration of collateral under Canadian PPSA (PERSONAL PROPERTY SECURITY ACT) legislation.

In its broadest term the financing or leasing of software that can't be transferred to another user. The business owner does also of course not own any development rights in the software. Software financing is treated as a financing mechanism, it is not a true lease per se.

Some additional key points around the technicality of software leasing/finance are as follows:

The right of a customer to use the software gives the company no right in the intellectual property surrounding the developers rights in the software code. The best example of this is when we look at our EXCEL spreadsheets that we use in finance and home matters. We use the software, but Microsoft of course owns it.

The problem in the past around the financing of software revolved around the fact that lenders did not know how to collateralize and register their security. Under current PPSA legislation intangibles and software can be collateralized. Therefore the software financing lender/lessor can be very confident that the software can be collateralized.

At the heart of the software financing issue is the true value of the software to the business owner. He runs his business on it, i.e CRM programs, office software, manufacturing software, etc. Software lease payments tend to be made since the asset is indispensable to the value and on going concern of the business. Unless companies are liquidated in total bankruptcy most lessors and finance firms recover fully on their software leasing - Source - Journal of Equipment Leasing In many business bankruptcies the software lessor or lender is treated as a secured creditor.

Also key to the software financing issue is that many software firms offer maintenance, support, and updates around their product. This enhances the lenders asset as it is used for longer lengths of time, and often constantly upgraded. Quite frankly it becomes less obsolete than computer hardware!

Many software lessors and lenders also finance the service and maintenance contracts associated with their customers software acqusition.

We do acknowledge in this article that it is more difficult to finance customized software although it is possible based on the overall credit strength of the borrower. Many customized software deals are done with only investment grade borrowers where credit risk is minimal. Many smaller ticket lessors and lenders however do now lease software. In general these transactions are full payout capital leases.

In summary, software lease financing is available and should be considered by every business owner in the same context as a capital equipment finance transaction. The computer hardware industry has grown with leasing, and the software industry is doing that also. The same considerations an owner gives to lease vs buy apply to a software finance acquisition.

Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial
Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 13 years - Completed in excess of 100 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing. Info & Contact Details :


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com


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/3441338

Friday, September 20, 2013

Business Software Leasing . Here’s The Rules Around Technology Financing Options. Now You Know






Know What You’re Doing When It Comes To Financing Computers , Software And Other Technology?









OVERVIEW – Information on technology financing in Canada . Business software leasing is a viable way of acquiring your tech needs in a way that matches benefits to cash outflows






Business software leasing and technology financing in general often seem like ' uncharted territory' when it comes to Canadian business financing. The truth is there are some striking differences in tech finance, and, as our lawyer would say ' on the other hand'
there are quite a number of similarities. Let's dig in.











Don't think that because software is an ' intangible asset ' that it can't be financed. One study by top experts revealed that over 1/3 of business owners have never considered this method of financing technology. The reality is that Canadian business owners, from small business to our largest corporations have been financing software and tech assets for 20-30 years. While the lease and financing documents are essentially the same it's important to understand certain elements that are specifically related to the tech world.

Part of the confusion around software financing revolves around the simple fact that you're licensing, or using software, your firm doesnt own it per se. Given that most computer hardware is really a commodity these days the actual value of application software is much more significant.

From the lessors point of view they disclaim the warranty in the software and hardware they finance, that’s between you and your vendor.

And the bare facts are simply that as long as you are making payments under your lease you have the right to use the software in a nonexclusive manner. Most software lease financing in Canada is done under a capital, or ' lease to own' document.

We can get really technical and also offer up the fact that when you are financing / leasing software you don't own the IP (Intellectual property) around the software in question - you can use it, but you can't resell it! Today Canadian lessors also register their interest in the same manner that they register any lease document.

We've already said that a strong case can be made for software being more valuable than hardware, as it most cases its running your business and providing you with a competitive edge. These days it runs a company financials, manages customers, controls inventories, etc. That's why it makes sense to consider leasing/financing this valuable asset to your business.

For credit worthy companies all software can be financed, so that is all the way from MS Word to aircraft scheduling systems. It's a fundamental concept of lease financing that you should match the cash outflow of a purchase with the benefits. Since the useful life of the software will often be several years it makes sense to consider a 2-5 year lease term for tech financing scenarios.

Custom software in general cannot be leased or financed, except when there is investment grade credit quality backing up the transaction. But in Canada the lease finance industry has embraced software financing , so whether your finance need is 5k or 5 Million $ consider such a strategy. And if by chance you're a software company you should definitely consider offering customized financing to your client base.

It's no secret that more and more everyday we're living in a knowledge economy, so don’t forget the financing opportunities your firm has in financing hardware, software and other services to achieve your competitive position in your industry.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing with a track record of success in tech financing. The bottom line, these days its' mission critical’!



Stan Prokop
- founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 10 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.

Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

7 Park Avenue Financial = Candian Business Software Financing and Technology Finance Expertise





Have A Question Or Comment On Our Blog Or Canadian Business Financing Alternatives ?



CONTACT:


7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com