Franchise financing in Canada has to work for you as the franchisee as well as your franchisor and of course your lender(s). How do you access franchise finance after you have made the critical decision to purchase a new or existing franchise – in many cases you may be fighting timelines and need to ensure that you have access to all the proper information about financing your business , and , more importantly, ensuring you have put together the best franchise financing package . Let’s examine some of those issues.
Financing is available for pretty well very type of franchise in Canada , and most people are very surprised to hear that franchising as a whole in Canada accounts for close to half of all our retail sales – that’s a staggering figure, so franchisors must be doing something right !
We are all probably keenly aware that many franchisors in Canada are in fact branch organizations of U.S. based systems. That is ok as long as your franchisor has an acceptable and successful franchise model. Financing for your Canadian purchase should not be affected by a U.S. ownership of your franchise system.
There are a couple of major questions that, if clarified early on in the process, will allow you to finance your new business in a successful manner. One of those key questions is whether your franchisor has a program in place that they either self fund, or perhaps work in partnership with a Canadian financier such a bank. However, in our experience we caution clients not to rely or think they will receive a huge amount of assistance, particularly financial, in setting up their business. There is one clear reason for that, the franchisor is in the business of selling franchises and using your funds to build the next one – that’s how it works, and there is of course nothing wrong with that.
What the franchisor can in fact do though is to give you guidelines around how their franchisees have been financed in the past, and provide you with sample breakdowns of financing needs. Financing needs for a franchise come in a couple concise categories – they include the franchise financing fee itself, equipment and leaseholds that may be required to open the business, and of course on going working capital .
On going working capital is a key point, imagine the disappointment or stress of financing a franchise for purchase and then slowly discovering you don’t have enough working capital to fund receivables, inventory, growth, equipment and expansion needs, etc .
Clients are always asking if financing a franchise in Canada is different from financing any other business. The answer won’t be one of your favorites – the answer is yes and no! Any business, franchise or not, requires a finance plan to purchase the business, a business plan to map out costs and growth, and ongoing working capital financing. In that manner franchise finance is similar to starting any business. Where it differs is that there are a limited number of ways in which a franchise is financed in Canada. It may surprise most entrepreneurs that banks and other lending institutions and firms view the industry fairly positively – we think that’s because there is strength in a proven business model, resaleability, and the branding that comes with your purchase.
Financing your business purchase has to be a carefully followed roadmap. In Canada the majority of franchises are financed by a special program called the CSBF program, which in fact is a program supported by the government and administered by the banks. As an owner you have to put some of your own equity into the business. The key challenge is whats the right balances for that amount – you don’t want to borrow too much, and conversely you may or may not have a huge amount of equity to put into your purchase of a new or existing franchise. We say existing franchise because it is perfectly acceptable to purchase a business, and finance it, from an existing franchisee. In some cases the financing is actually easier because there are financial statements and a finance history to the business already, as well as possible existing assets to the business.
In order to finance your franchise you require a breakdown of the different asset categories – as well as a business plan that shows cash flows and projected profits. As a business owner you should have some experience or skills related to your purchase, and we already have mentioned that fact that you must put a ‘reasonable ‘down payment into the business from your own funds. Business owners with spotty personal credit histories have a larger challenge in getting financed, as there is an emphasis on how you have run your affairs in the past.
In summary, focus on getting the right franchise that suits your skills and risk tolerance. Understand your finance plan as it relates to the purchase and ongoing needs of your business. Speak to an experienced, credible, and trusted franchise financing expert to ensure you can successfully complete your acquisition and commence your entrepreneurship journey!
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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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/franchise_financing_in_canada_today.html
Our blog highlights Canadian Business Financing solutions via receivable finance , equipment finance, working capital financing, asset based lending, business acquisition financing,franchise finance, and tax credit monetization via SRED and Film Tax Credits. Our goal is to educate and assist Canadian businesses with their financing needs. You Are Looking For Canadian Business Financing! Welcome to 7 Park Avenue Financial Call Now ! - Direct Line - 416 319 5769
Friday, September 17, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
What If ABL Was Your Secret Weapon in Business Financing in Canada?
Do you believe there is a business financing tool that works perfectly when other forms of financing, traditional or otherwise will not? Is there a secret acronym for this tool? Yes, there is, it is ABL.
You know the next questions clients ask, what is ABL?! It stands for asset based lending, and it is something that just might be your best choice for financing your business in Canada.What if you have a financing mechanism that was a non bank type financing that covered all every size of business, all industries in Canada, and did not place a major emphasis on your balance sheet, income statement, profits or lack thereof! And was, relatively speaking easy to arrange.
We can hear you lining up as we speak! Let’s talk a bit about what this financing is, how it works, and cover off some key questions that clients have about costs, day to day paper flow and reporting, and the key advantages. If there is a ' downside ' to this financing we will cover off a couple of those concerns also, and we'll let you make up your own mind.So what is ABL, or asset based lending. It simply allows you to borrow, on a regular, ongoing basis, against; you guess it, ' assets '! Your assets in any business are always going to be the same and they can be categorized into a few key categories which include receivables, inventory, equipment, and, in some cases real estate.
When you are in a traditional Canadian chartered banking relationship your lender lends against those same assets, but probably not to the extent that a true asset based line of credit would provide you with. And the pre requisites for that banking facility are all two clear for Canadian business owners and financial managers - they include profitability, solid balance sheets, profits, personal guarantees of owners, and potentially external collateral. That’s now what ABL is about, it’s about only your assets, and monetizing them in a fashion that makes them as liquid as you need them to be.
A typical asset based revolving line of credit would margin all your receivables, a significant extent of your inventory, and include drawdown ability on unencumbered equipment and real estate if they in fact were available and required. You therefore only have to remember one thing in ABL lending, ' assets ' - if you have them they can be financing.
Clients always want to know if and how they qualify for such a facility. You must be in a position to provide some decent reporting around the aging of your receivables, the turnover of your inventory, and the market value of your equipment. We would respectfully suggest if you can’t do that you might not even be a candidate for staying in business, so those certainly aren’t onerous requirements.
Business that are the best candidate for this type of financing are those with high growth patterns, or firms which are coming out of a challenging period in their history . A frequent misunderstanding around this type of financing is that it is ' debt ‘. That is not the case. It is simply the monetizing and cash flowing of assets, which are accelerated by your borrowing ability and your management ability to create a further turnover, and hopefully profit around those assets.
A perfect world rarely exists in business financing - but ABL could be your solution. The two disadvantages, or potential concerns are the higher cost of this financing, as well as the additional reporting we spoke about.
Looking for a secret business financing weapon or tool to stay ahead of the competition? It just might be ABL, or asset based financing - Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced advisor in this area who can help you gain the competitive financing edge you are looking for.
You know the next questions clients ask, what is ABL?! It stands for asset based lending, and it is something that just might be your best choice for financing your business in Canada.What if you have a financing mechanism that was a non bank type financing that covered all every size of business, all industries in Canada, and did not place a major emphasis on your balance sheet, income statement, profits or lack thereof! And was, relatively speaking easy to arrange.
We can hear you lining up as we speak! Let’s talk a bit about what this financing is, how it works, and cover off some key questions that clients have about costs, day to day paper flow and reporting, and the key advantages. If there is a ' downside ' to this financing we will cover off a couple of those concerns also, and we'll let you make up your own mind.So what is ABL, or asset based lending. It simply allows you to borrow, on a regular, ongoing basis, against; you guess it, ' assets '! Your assets in any business are always going to be the same and they can be categorized into a few key categories which include receivables, inventory, equipment, and, in some cases real estate.
When you are in a traditional Canadian chartered banking relationship your lender lends against those same assets, but probably not to the extent that a true asset based line of credit would provide you with. And the pre requisites for that banking facility are all two clear for Canadian business owners and financial managers - they include profitability, solid balance sheets, profits, personal guarantees of owners, and potentially external collateral. That’s now what ABL is about, it’s about only your assets, and monetizing them in a fashion that makes them as liquid as you need them to be.
A typical asset based revolving line of credit would margin all your receivables, a significant extent of your inventory, and include drawdown ability on unencumbered equipment and real estate if they in fact were available and required. You therefore only have to remember one thing in ABL lending, ' assets ' - if you have them they can be financing.
Clients always want to know if and how they qualify for such a facility. You must be in a position to provide some decent reporting around the aging of your receivables, the turnover of your inventory, and the market value of your equipment. We would respectfully suggest if you can’t do that you might not even be a candidate for staying in business, so those certainly aren’t onerous requirements.
Business that are the best candidate for this type of financing are those with high growth patterns, or firms which are coming out of a challenging period in their history . A frequent misunderstanding around this type of financing is that it is ' debt ‘. That is not the case. It is simply the monetizing and cash flowing of assets, which are accelerated by your borrowing ability and your management ability to create a further turnover, and hopefully profit around those assets.
A perfect world rarely exists in business financing - but ABL could be your solution. The two disadvantages, or potential concerns are the higher cost of this financing, as well as the additional reporting we spoke about.
Looking for a secret business financing weapon or tool to stay ahead of the competition? It just might be ABL, or asset based financing - Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced advisor in this area who can help you gain the competitive financing edge you are looking for.
The #1 Reason Your Best Business Financing Choice Could Be Asset Based Lending
There is one overriding reason why asset based lending could be your best choice for business financing in Canada. What is that reason? Simply that it works when other types of financing are not available or don’t fit your current financial status.
The reality is that asset based lending works for all firms in all types of industries, and is not dependent on your overall financial performance that might be the focus of a more traditional based financing. That’s a powerful statement, so let’s examine what the financing is, how it works, and answer some key questions that might help business owners and financial managers determine if this financing is the solution to many, or all of their financing challenges.
So let’s back step a bit. What is asset based financing. Focus on one key word in that phrase – assets! This method of financing simply allows you to monetize and draw on the market value of the assets of your firm. Those assets are in very predictable categories, they are receivables, inventory, equipment and real estate. If you have one or all of those your firm is a prime candidate!
In some cases this method of financing is confused with factoring. Factoring is the sale of one of those asset categories – your receivables. An asset based line of credit lends against receivables, but also includes, inventory, equipment, etc. That is the difference!
The prime difference in qualifying for such a facility is really the difference that exists when you compare this type of financing to a Canadian chartered banking relationship. That banking relationship comes with a number of requirements that are often not needed when an asset based line of credit is in fact your real and best solution. Some of those traditional requirements might be profitability, years in business, the type of industry you are in, guarantees of shareholders and owners, etc. Those qualifications are not the focus of asset based lending. However the assets are.
On a day to day basis how does this type of business financing work. It’s quite simply. You and your asset based lender determine on a regular basis, i.e. weekly, monthly, etc what your asset categories total - a borrowing based is then developed on those categories and funds are depositing into your bank account for use as working capital by your firm. In Canada a 250k facility is more or less the bottom level of this type of financing, and facilities can be arranged into the many millions of dollars.
So if you want an easy way to remember the difference between this type of financing and a bank revolving line of credit simply remember that the bank focuses on overall financial strength and cash flow, our facility focuses on assets!
Because your assets are being financing as the primary focus of this type of facility you will have to report on those assets probably on a much more regular basis , so your firm should be in a position to prepare regular reports on receivables, inventory turnover, etc. When fixed assets are being financing, i.e. unencumbered equipment you own, etc then in many cases an initial appraisal will be required. This small dollar investment though can generate thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in working capital.
.
For "asset rich" companies, an asset-based loan may make more funds available because it is not based strictly on the anticipated levels of cash flow. Additionally, the structure often requires fewer covenants, providing more flexibility for many borrowers.
So why is this then in many ways the best method of financing your business? Does it actually add cash to your firm? That is where some confusion comes in, but simply think of it as no adding new cash per se to your firm, it simply accelerates or quickens the cash flow that is traveling through your business. By financing your receivables and inventories to the maximum possible you turn over new sales and generate increased profits, and that’s what business financing is all about.
You may not even have heard of asset based lines of credit, perhaps you have but didn’t understand how it works or how it compares with other types of business financing. Investigate how this facility can become potentially your best choice in the overall financing of your business. Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced advisor who can work you through the Canadian landscape of asset based lines of credit.
---
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_financing_asset_based_lending.html
The reality is that asset based lending works for all firms in all types of industries, and is not dependent on your overall financial performance that might be the focus of a more traditional based financing. That’s a powerful statement, so let’s examine what the financing is, how it works, and answer some key questions that might help business owners and financial managers determine if this financing is the solution to many, or all of their financing challenges.
So let’s back step a bit. What is asset based financing. Focus on one key word in that phrase – assets! This method of financing simply allows you to monetize and draw on the market value of the assets of your firm. Those assets are in very predictable categories, they are receivables, inventory, equipment and real estate. If you have one or all of those your firm is a prime candidate!
In some cases this method of financing is confused with factoring. Factoring is the sale of one of those asset categories – your receivables. An asset based line of credit lends against receivables, but also includes, inventory, equipment, etc. That is the difference!
The prime difference in qualifying for such a facility is really the difference that exists when you compare this type of financing to a Canadian chartered banking relationship. That banking relationship comes with a number of requirements that are often not needed when an asset based line of credit is in fact your real and best solution. Some of those traditional requirements might be profitability, years in business, the type of industry you are in, guarantees of shareholders and owners, etc. Those qualifications are not the focus of asset based lending. However the assets are.
On a day to day basis how does this type of business financing work. It’s quite simply. You and your asset based lender determine on a regular basis, i.e. weekly, monthly, etc what your asset categories total - a borrowing based is then developed on those categories and funds are depositing into your bank account for use as working capital by your firm. In Canada a 250k facility is more or less the bottom level of this type of financing, and facilities can be arranged into the many millions of dollars.
So if you want an easy way to remember the difference between this type of financing and a bank revolving line of credit simply remember that the bank focuses on overall financial strength and cash flow, our facility focuses on assets!
Because your assets are being financing as the primary focus of this type of facility you will have to report on those assets probably on a much more regular basis , so your firm should be in a position to prepare regular reports on receivables, inventory turnover, etc. When fixed assets are being financing, i.e. unencumbered equipment you own, etc then in many cases an initial appraisal will be required. This small dollar investment though can generate thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars in working capital.
.
For "asset rich" companies, an asset-based loan may make more funds available because it is not based strictly on the anticipated levels of cash flow. Additionally, the structure often requires fewer covenants, providing more flexibility for many borrowers.
So why is this then in many ways the best method of financing your business? Does it actually add cash to your firm? That is where some confusion comes in, but simply think of it as no adding new cash per se to your firm, it simply accelerates or quickens the cash flow that is traveling through your business. By financing your receivables and inventories to the maximum possible you turn over new sales and generate increased profits, and that’s what business financing is all about.
You may not even have heard of asset based lines of credit, perhaps you have but didn’t understand how it works or how it compares with other types of business financing. Investigate how this facility can become potentially your best choice in the overall financing of your business. Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced advisor who can work you through the Canadian landscape of asset based lines of credit.
---
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_financing_asset_based_lending.html
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Your Company Needs Business Credit - Commercial Loan Alternatives in Canada
As a Canadian business owner and financial manager you realize you need business credit or a commercial loan, if not all the time, some of the time. Funds for your business are required for what everyone refers to as ‘working capital ‘. That challenge is wrestled with everyday by your firm – purchasing inventory, paying employees, investing in assets, and, unfortunately, waiting for customers to pay. And you of course are still waiting – for those customers to pay.
Business credit is achieved in a variety of manners. Financing alternatives are available for the start up firm to major corporations – there are only 4 ‘minor’ challenges around those alternatives.
1. Are you as a business owner aware of all the different financing alternatives
2. What are the advantages ( and disadvantages ) of those options
3. What do they cost, how do they Work?
4. Where do I get them?!
And yes, we were being a bit facetious, because those are not MINOR challenges!
We can safely say that if your company is credit worthy, has solid financials, is profitable, is in the right industry, and has lots of assets and collateral that you can be financed in totality by a Canadian charted bank .But there are thousands of businesses in Canada that don’t have those qualifications, but they still require credit lines and receivable financing, inventory advances, equipment financing, potential real estate mortgages, etc
If you business can’t access all the financing you need then its time to look at some of those options and alternatives we spoke about. Receivable financing is right up there today in popularity .Also called ‘factoring’ it is the immediate sale of receivables that generates immediate working capital for your firm. It is easy to obtain, efficient, and eliminates a lot of the requirements that come with typical lending standards. This is probably the fastest growing part of business financing today in Canada, and we encourage business owners to speak to a credible, successful and experienced expert in this field to ensure they understand the basics around cost, daily paperwork flow, and potential pitfalls around some of the loopholes some factors insert in their paperwork with your firm.
One of Canada’s quasi government entities offers a specialized working capital term loan. The loan is essentially unsecured, has a competitive interest rate, and injects positive and permanent working capital into your firm. Check out that option.
Many clients always refer to the term ‘Government grants and loans ‘. The two most popular programs, if we can call them that, are the government Small Business Loan as well as the SR&ED program which provides non repayable grants on your research and development. The former, the infamous ‘ SBL ‘ loan, finances equipment and leaseholds at great rates, terms , and structures, with even limited personal guarantees.
So whats our bottom line on business credit and commercial loan alternatives – keeping it simple we can say that you should be aware of alternatives, they do exist. Traditional financing is available, and alternative financing is abundant – work through the mechanics with some experienced assistance and determine what type of business credit options work for your company.
__________________________________________________________________________
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_credit_commercial_loan.html
Business credit is achieved in a variety of manners. Financing alternatives are available for the start up firm to major corporations – there are only 4 ‘minor’ challenges around those alternatives.
1. Are you as a business owner aware of all the different financing alternatives
2. What are the advantages ( and disadvantages ) of those options
3. What do they cost, how do they Work?
4. Where do I get them?!
And yes, we were being a bit facetious, because those are not MINOR challenges!
We can safely say that if your company is credit worthy, has solid financials, is profitable, is in the right industry, and has lots of assets and collateral that you can be financed in totality by a Canadian charted bank .But there are thousands of businesses in Canada that don’t have those qualifications, but they still require credit lines and receivable financing, inventory advances, equipment financing, potential real estate mortgages, etc
If you business can’t access all the financing you need then its time to look at some of those options and alternatives we spoke about. Receivable financing is right up there today in popularity .Also called ‘factoring’ it is the immediate sale of receivables that generates immediate working capital for your firm. It is easy to obtain, efficient, and eliminates a lot of the requirements that come with typical lending standards. This is probably the fastest growing part of business financing today in Canada, and we encourage business owners to speak to a credible, successful and experienced expert in this field to ensure they understand the basics around cost, daily paperwork flow, and potential pitfalls around some of the loopholes some factors insert in their paperwork with your firm.
One of Canada’s quasi government entities offers a specialized working capital term loan. The loan is essentially unsecured, has a competitive interest rate, and injects positive and permanent working capital into your firm. Check out that option.
Many clients always refer to the term ‘Government grants and loans ‘. The two most popular programs, if we can call them that, are the government Small Business Loan as well as the SR&ED program which provides non repayable grants on your research and development. The former, the infamous ‘ SBL ‘ loan, finances equipment and leaseholds at great rates, terms , and structures, with even limited personal guarantees.
So whats our bottom line on business credit and commercial loan alternatives – keeping it simple we can say that you should be aware of alternatives, they do exist. Traditional financing is available, and alternative financing is abundant – work through the mechanics with some experienced assistance and determine what type of business credit options work for your company.
__________________________________________________________________________
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_credit_commercial_loan.html
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Business Leasin g - How to Get Approved for Lease Finance For Your Equipment Needs
Business leasing and lease finance continue to play a main role in your overall equipment acquisition strategies. In Canada the equipment financing industry is very mature and developed, and as a business owner and financial manager you have a number of financing options. Most lessors are non bank entities and are much focused on certain types of assets and lease types that are offered.
Let’s examine how you can maximize your chances for approval for your asset finance acquisition. It is important to know how the other side thinks and behaves – That other side is your lessor. Your lessor is motivated in three ways, and if you know those motivations you can focus on maximizing the benefits in leasing and, of course, get approved.
We can safely say that the three motivators for any lease company are the tax and accounting benefits they derive from leasing you equipment, the interest rate they charge you on the transaction, and finally the asset re sale or disposition if the asset is structured as a return to a leasing company.
Let’s focus on lease company motivator # 3 for a moment – the remarketing of the asset. If you do not want to retain ownership of the asset at the end of the lease you are probably going to want to enter into what is known as an operating lease. The key elements of any lease structure are: term of the lease, interest rate, value of your transaction, the monthly payment, and you obligation at the end of the lease.
Therefore it is important to focus on a firm that specializes in operating leases if you intend to approve the equipment – and getting to the core of our subject matter, your lease approval on an operating lease becomes much easier if you structure a financing that meets both your requirements and the lessors.
We can safely say the most critical element in getting your transaction approved is the overall credit quality that your firm portrays on your lease application and supplemental business info that might be required by the lessor. You should know that the smaller your equipment lease the less attention will be paid to overall credit and due diligence – that just makes sense. In Canada many leases under, say $ 50,000 as an example are credit scored via some basis info that the lessor acquires on your firm or the business owner. This data might be a commercial credit report, a credit report on the owners, and viewing some payment experience with some of your other suppliers. Small ticket leasing in Canada is very easy to acquire.
The larger challenge comes when you are acquiring assets over the 50k range. If your overall credit and financial position is weak you can well be expected to offer up items such as additional collateral, a down payment, or a guarantee buyback from the vendor.
Your focus on getting approved is the challenge, so you should know that there are different tiers of credit quality, and the lessors adjust the rate on your transaction to reflect the overall credit quality of your business, taking into consideration the asset also. So if your firm does not have pristine credit you should still be 100% aware that lease financing can still be approved and is available. Factors that now come into play under this scenario are the higher rate, a down payment request, etc.
Clients are always asking how they can position their transaction for approval. The reality is that you are, in many ways, in charge of your own approval. What do we mean by that .Simply by putting together a basic package that focuses on key areas such as your years in business, your ability to make the lease payments in question, your industry experience, etc can often garner a positive approval?
Financial statements may or may not be needed for your lease approval – this often depends on the amount and the policies of that lessor. If you are required to provide financials then the focus will be on historical cash flow. We tell clients that it is a bit of an irony that many lessors use your historical cash flow to approve your future dealings. From our perspective that was then and this is now!
In summary, you as the lessee can be key factor in your business leasing and lease finance approvals .Understand the type of lease you want, position your company in the best light possible by preparing the data we have shared with you that lessors focus on, and be fully aware that lease approvals of any size can be properly structured to make sense for both parties, your firm, and the lessor. Speak to a credible, trusted and experienced business lease financing advisor to ensure you get the approval you need and deserve for equipment leasing in Canada.
--
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_leasing_lease_finance.html
Let’s examine how you can maximize your chances for approval for your asset finance acquisition. It is important to know how the other side thinks and behaves – That other side is your lessor. Your lessor is motivated in three ways, and if you know those motivations you can focus on maximizing the benefits in leasing and, of course, get approved.
We can safely say that the three motivators for any lease company are the tax and accounting benefits they derive from leasing you equipment, the interest rate they charge you on the transaction, and finally the asset re sale or disposition if the asset is structured as a return to a leasing company.
Let’s focus on lease company motivator # 3 for a moment – the remarketing of the asset. If you do not want to retain ownership of the asset at the end of the lease you are probably going to want to enter into what is known as an operating lease. The key elements of any lease structure are: term of the lease, interest rate, value of your transaction, the monthly payment, and you obligation at the end of the lease.
Therefore it is important to focus on a firm that specializes in operating leases if you intend to approve the equipment – and getting to the core of our subject matter, your lease approval on an operating lease becomes much easier if you structure a financing that meets both your requirements and the lessors.
We can safely say the most critical element in getting your transaction approved is the overall credit quality that your firm portrays on your lease application and supplemental business info that might be required by the lessor. You should know that the smaller your equipment lease the less attention will be paid to overall credit and due diligence – that just makes sense. In Canada many leases under, say $ 50,000 as an example are credit scored via some basis info that the lessor acquires on your firm or the business owner. This data might be a commercial credit report, a credit report on the owners, and viewing some payment experience with some of your other suppliers. Small ticket leasing in Canada is very easy to acquire.
The larger challenge comes when you are acquiring assets over the 50k range. If your overall credit and financial position is weak you can well be expected to offer up items such as additional collateral, a down payment, or a guarantee buyback from the vendor.
Your focus on getting approved is the challenge, so you should know that there are different tiers of credit quality, and the lessors adjust the rate on your transaction to reflect the overall credit quality of your business, taking into consideration the asset also. So if your firm does not have pristine credit you should still be 100% aware that lease financing can still be approved and is available. Factors that now come into play under this scenario are the higher rate, a down payment request, etc.
Clients are always asking how they can position their transaction for approval. The reality is that you are, in many ways, in charge of your own approval. What do we mean by that .Simply by putting together a basic package that focuses on key areas such as your years in business, your ability to make the lease payments in question, your industry experience, etc can often garner a positive approval?
Financial statements may or may not be needed for your lease approval – this often depends on the amount and the policies of that lessor. If you are required to provide financials then the focus will be on historical cash flow. We tell clients that it is a bit of an irony that many lessors use your historical cash flow to approve your future dealings. From our perspective that was then and this is now!
In summary, you as the lessee can be key factor in your business leasing and lease finance approvals .Understand the type of lease you want, position your company in the best light possible by preparing the data we have shared with you that lessors focus on, and be fully aware that lease approvals of any size can be properly structured to make sense for both parties, your firm, and the lessor. Speak to a credible, trusted and experienced business lease financing advisor to ensure you get the approval you need and deserve for equipment leasing in Canada.
--
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/business_leasing_lease_finance.html
Monday, September 13, 2010
How to Take Advantage of Commercial Finance Factoring Services in Canada
Commercial finance factoring Services may be the solution you are looking for business financing and working capital for your firm. You may or may not be aware that this type of cash flow financing is used by Canadian firms from start up to major corporations.
So what are the benefits of such a business financing and how is your firm able to take advantage of these. The bottom line in business usually always come back to cash flow, and a commercial finance factoring service or facility ( we like to call them working capital facilities ) gives you a form of predictable cash flow . Essentially your working capital grows lock step in pace with your sales growth, and handles all those up and down fluctuations in between.
When we discuss this financing with clients we often use a term ' you pay only for what you use ‘. That is because your firm essentially controls the cash flow spigot, if we can call it that. You have the ability to finance one invoice, a number of invoices, or all your receivables. It's your call!
Invariably the discussion around factoring, also known as ' invoice discounting ‘turns to cost of this service. First of all you have to know how the financing works, at which point you can then assess the costs and the advantages.
Let's look at a quick actual example to ensure we understand the process and cost. Let’s say one of your invoices has just been issued and it’s for $ 10,000.00 - we'll use a clear example and round number in our demonstration. So what happens next? Your firm is advanced, immediately, i.e. almost same day, approx 90% of that invoice amount. So you receive $ 9000.00 at the same time your customer receives their invoice! Your factor discount, i.e. ' the fee' might typical be 2% on this transaction. So if your customer pays the invoice in 30 days (*we’ll be back o you on that one!) your firm receives the balance owing to you, i.e. the holdback, less a 200.00$ fee. ** We realize that not all customers pay in 30 days!
So what just happened here? You made a sale, you got cash immediately for 90%, and you got the balance of the cash (in our case $800.00) when your customer paid. Your cost was 200.00$.
Astute business owners and financial managers can use that immediate cash wisely and productively. You could pay a supplier invoice that you just received, and take a 2% discount for prompt payment. You have just strengthened your relationship with a supplier, and saved 2% - and wait a minute, didn’t we have a 2% factor fee. If you net those two out your financing cost has been effectively reduced to almost zero.
Are all fees in Canada the same, and do all facilities have the same sort of business model and paper flow? The answer is no, they don’t. Your final factor fee, or discount fee depends on your client profiles, how much of a facility you need, the invoice size, and, the most important - how well your clients pay. Remember you can now finance those clients that pay in 60-90 days and have tied up your working capital, but ensure they are profitable clients because at 2% per month carrying cost that erodes your profit margins.
In business it’s all about turnover and your ability to turnover your inventory and, in our case, receivables ultimately determine your financing costs to carry your A/R investment.
Think of commercial finance factoring services as your own ATM machine for cash flow. It becomes a solid potential alternative to term loans with fixed interest, or bank financing that has the requisite requirements that come with a bank deal - solid financials, profitability, guarantees of owners, external collateral, etc.
For those business owners and financial managers that want to get a bit more analytical about the numbers here is another way to look at it - let’s use our same example: If you factored 10,000 once a month all year would have had the use of 120,000.00 in total capital. So your total finance costs on that would be 2400$.
If you borrowed 120,000$ in working capital from your bank at a rate of 6% per annum on a typical 3 year term you would pay over 10,000$ in interest for the same capital . The factoring financing using that logic was cheaper than the bank by at least 8000.00$.
So whats our bottom line? It’s simply that our basic arithmetic has shown us that if we take advantage of commercial finance factoring services we are in control of our own cash flow destiny as well as having the ability to increase sales and offset financing costs with careful use of cash flow and working capital from this unique type of business financing. Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced business financing advisor in this area to maximize the advantage!
__________
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/commercial_finance_factoring_services.html
So what are the benefits of such a business financing and how is your firm able to take advantage of these. The bottom line in business usually always come back to cash flow, and a commercial finance factoring service or facility ( we like to call them working capital facilities ) gives you a form of predictable cash flow . Essentially your working capital grows lock step in pace with your sales growth, and handles all those up and down fluctuations in between.
When we discuss this financing with clients we often use a term ' you pay only for what you use ‘. That is because your firm essentially controls the cash flow spigot, if we can call it that. You have the ability to finance one invoice, a number of invoices, or all your receivables. It's your call!
Invariably the discussion around factoring, also known as ' invoice discounting ‘turns to cost of this service. First of all you have to know how the financing works, at which point you can then assess the costs and the advantages.
Let's look at a quick actual example to ensure we understand the process and cost. Let’s say one of your invoices has just been issued and it’s for $ 10,000.00 - we'll use a clear example and round number in our demonstration. So what happens next? Your firm is advanced, immediately, i.e. almost same day, approx 90% of that invoice amount. So you receive $ 9000.00 at the same time your customer receives their invoice! Your factor discount, i.e. ' the fee' might typical be 2% on this transaction. So if your customer pays the invoice in 30 days (*we’ll be back o you on that one!) your firm receives the balance owing to you, i.e. the holdback, less a 200.00$ fee. ** We realize that not all customers pay in 30 days!
So what just happened here? You made a sale, you got cash immediately for 90%, and you got the balance of the cash (in our case $800.00) when your customer paid. Your cost was 200.00$.
Astute business owners and financial managers can use that immediate cash wisely and productively. You could pay a supplier invoice that you just received, and take a 2% discount for prompt payment. You have just strengthened your relationship with a supplier, and saved 2% - and wait a minute, didn’t we have a 2% factor fee. If you net those two out your financing cost has been effectively reduced to almost zero.
Are all fees in Canada the same, and do all facilities have the same sort of business model and paper flow? The answer is no, they don’t. Your final factor fee, or discount fee depends on your client profiles, how much of a facility you need, the invoice size, and, the most important - how well your clients pay. Remember you can now finance those clients that pay in 60-90 days and have tied up your working capital, but ensure they are profitable clients because at 2% per month carrying cost that erodes your profit margins.
In business it’s all about turnover and your ability to turnover your inventory and, in our case, receivables ultimately determine your financing costs to carry your A/R investment.
Think of commercial finance factoring services as your own ATM machine for cash flow. It becomes a solid potential alternative to term loans with fixed interest, or bank financing that has the requisite requirements that come with a bank deal - solid financials, profitability, guarantees of owners, external collateral, etc.
For those business owners and financial managers that want to get a bit more analytical about the numbers here is another way to look at it - let’s use our same example: If you factored 10,000 once a month all year would have had the use of 120,000.00 in total capital. So your total finance costs on that would be 2400$.
If you borrowed 120,000$ in working capital from your bank at a rate of 6% per annum on a typical 3 year term you would pay over 10,000$ in interest for the same capital . The factoring financing using that logic was cheaper than the bank by at least 8000.00$.
So whats our bottom line? It’s simply that our basic arithmetic has shown us that if we take advantage of commercial finance factoring services we are in control of our own cash flow destiny as well as having the ability to increase sales and offset financing costs with careful use of cash flow and working capital from this unique type of business financing. Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced business financing advisor in this area to maximize the advantage!
__________
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/commercial_finance_factoring_services.html
Accounts Receivable Factoring in Canada
Guess what? Whether you are a start up, an established business, growing like crazy, or just trying to survive and stay competitive - you need business working capital financing. That is why one solution might be accounts receivable factoring in Canada.
We hasten to point out that while receivable factoring, factoring accounts due to your firm is often used by firms that are unable to get traditional financing that some of Canada largest corporations utilize this method of working capital financing to grow . Larger more sophisticated firms might call it securitization, or make it a component of an asset based lending facility, but, bottom lines it is still called factoring.
Canadian firms gravitate to the benefits of factoring as they are significant relative to financial resources they might be otherwise unable to obtain. At the core of the factoring accounts solution is simply the ability of your firm to get a predictable cash flow in place that is, in essence, unlimited. Why is that? Well it is because as your sales grow you create receivables and if you cant financing those receivables with traditional bank lines or working capital term loans you have the option, using receivable financing, of turning those receivables into cash flow at your discretion. So you can factor one receivable, all your receivables, or some of your receivables – you make the call!
Another way you can view this type of business financing is simply that it’s a mechanism to link your sales to your cash flow immediately. Although some view the cost of this type of financing as a deterrent we can say , after discussions with many clients, that most business owners and financial managers don’t understand the true costs of factoring, or , an even better way to put it that they don’t understand the costs of not being able to discount their receivables .
One other critical aspect of factoring is simply that it’s not debt – you are not adding debt to your balance sheet – you are simply monetizing one of your largest and most liquid assets, your receivables. In some cases if we term this type of facility a ‘working capital ‘or ‘asset based lending’ facility an inventory component can also be considered for financing, thereby even further increasing your overall liquidity.
As we said before the true beauty of this type of cash flow financing lies in the fact that it is applicable for companies of all size and type of business. As a result if your business is experience challenges, has tax or lien problems, etc you can still be a solid candidate for this financing.
Understand the basics. That’s what we tell clients when they ask us how factoring work, what are the different types, and how does a business assess the costs. Let’s recap some of those basics. If you have a bank line of credit your receivables are owned by your firm, but they are assigned to the bank, which finances them. In factoring accounts receivable are sold, giving you immediate cash , almost same day, in fact usually the same day . You are then in a position to grow sales and extend credit to customers.
Costs and they way factoring works on a day to day basis should be understood also. Invoices are typically funded in the 90% range, meaning you get 90% of funds for the invoice immediately, the rest is held back. Factoring fees in Canada vary from less then 1% per month to 2-3% per month. Factor firms in Canada don’t view this as an interest rate; they call it a discount fee. We point out to customers that they have potentially the ability to recoup a huge part, if not all of that fee by using funds to take supplier discounts and negotiate better pricing. The biggest bottom line is the elimination of your working capital worries.
In Canada things get confusing because there are many factor firms, some are foreign based, some are Canadian, some are large, some very small and unable to services your needs from a viewpoint of capital you require . In many instances the factor firm will bill and collect your receivables, we are not in favor of that method and strongly suggest you maintain account and customer control by negotiating a facility that allows you to bill and collect.
You have now seen many of the advantages of receivable factoring, and should understand now the basic of ‘how it works’. Speak to a trusted, credible an experienced business advisor in this area to determine how you can be in control of your working capital and cash flow needs.
---
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/accounts_receivable_factoring_canada.html
We hasten to point out that while receivable factoring, factoring accounts due to your firm is often used by firms that are unable to get traditional financing that some of Canada largest corporations utilize this method of working capital financing to grow . Larger more sophisticated firms might call it securitization, or make it a component of an asset based lending facility, but, bottom lines it is still called factoring.
Canadian firms gravitate to the benefits of factoring as they are significant relative to financial resources they might be otherwise unable to obtain. At the core of the factoring accounts solution is simply the ability of your firm to get a predictable cash flow in place that is, in essence, unlimited. Why is that? Well it is because as your sales grow you create receivables and if you cant financing those receivables with traditional bank lines or working capital term loans you have the option, using receivable financing, of turning those receivables into cash flow at your discretion. So you can factor one receivable, all your receivables, or some of your receivables – you make the call!
Another way you can view this type of business financing is simply that it’s a mechanism to link your sales to your cash flow immediately. Although some view the cost of this type of financing as a deterrent we can say , after discussions with many clients, that most business owners and financial managers don’t understand the true costs of factoring, or , an even better way to put it that they don’t understand the costs of not being able to discount their receivables .
One other critical aspect of factoring is simply that it’s not debt – you are not adding debt to your balance sheet – you are simply monetizing one of your largest and most liquid assets, your receivables. In some cases if we term this type of facility a ‘working capital ‘or ‘asset based lending’ facility an inventory component can also be considered for financing, thereby even further increasing your overall liquidity.
As we said before the true beauty of this type of cash flow financing lies in the fact that it is applicable for companies of all size and type of business. As a result if your business is experience challenges, has tax or lien problems, etc you can still be a solid candidate for this financing.
Understand the basics. That’s what we tell clients when they ask us how factoring work, what are the different types, and how does a business assess the costs. Let’s recap some of those basics. If you have a bank line of credit your receivables are owned by your firm, but they are assigned to the bank, which finances them. In factoring accounts receivable are sold, giving you immediate cash , almost same day, in fact usually the same day . You are then in a position to grow sales and extend credit to customers.
Costs and they way factoring works on a day to day basis should be understood also. Invoices are typically funded in the 90% range, meaning you get 90% of funds for the invoice immediately, the rest is held back. Factoring fees in Canada vary from less then 1% per month to 2-3% per month. Factor firms in Canada don’t view this as an interest rate; they call it a discount fee. We point out to customers that they have potentially the ability to recoup a huge part, if not all of that fee by using funds to take supplier discounts and negotiate better pricing. The biggest bottom line is the elimination of your working capital worries.
In Canada things get confusing because there are many factor firms, some are foreign based, some are Canadian, some are large, some very small and unable to services your needs from a viewpoint of capital you require . In many instances the factor firm will bill and collect your receivables, we are not in favor of that method and strongly suggest you maintain account and customer control by negotiating a facility that allows you to bill and collect.
You have now seen many of the advantages of receivable factoring, and should understand now the basic of ‘how it works’. Speak to a trusted, credible an experienced business advisor in this area to determine how you can be in control of your working capital and cash flow needs.
---
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 6 years - has completed in excess of 45 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details:
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/accounts_receivable_factoring_canada.html
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