Business Basic Finance - Time for Boot Camp

A great article in today's FINANCIAL POST by ' RICK SPENCE '

ARTICLE LINK = OWNERS STRUGGLE TO PASS BASIC FINANCE TEST : SURVEY

http://business.financialpost.com/2013/03/11/most-small-business-owners-cant-pass-a-basic-financial-test/

The thrust of the article was that an astonishing 83% of business owners / entrepreneurs have some ... 'basic business finance ' challenges . They are looking for ' mentorship programs that help small businesses learn ..'

We strive ' daily ' to help that cause and the 45,000+ that have followed our 'CANADIAN BUSINESS FINANCING ' blog to date have hopefully been helped by our 1100++ tips , solutions and attempts at demystifying business score carding and viable traditional and alternative financing solutions.

Stan Prokop
http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com
CANADIAN BUSINESS FINANCING

Finance Factors In Canada . Decided If You’re For Or Against Receivable Factoring Cash Flow Solutions ?

The Dreaded ‘ F ‘ Word - It’s Factoring, Funding and Financing Your Sales !



OVERVIEW – .Information on RECEIVABLE FACTORING AND FINANCE FACTORS
in Canada . Letting the Canadian business owner/financial manager understand the role and value of finance factors




Finance factors in Canada. When the Canadian business owner / financial manager considers the weight of evidence for a receivable factoring solution he or she wants to be in a position to have the facts on how this method of financing sales works, costs, and attracts benefits otherwise not obtained . Let's dig in!

Whether your business is mature, a start up, or growing like crazy you need to be in a position to ' model ' your cash flow. That's something you need for your own management of your business, as well as being available for any term or operating lenders. The advantage of having such data is that over time you get a strong sense of your cash flow and working capital needs, giving you comfort on what’s coming in. and going out!

Feeling disconnected lately? One reason for that is what we see in talking to clients all the time - actual cash flow and profits are vastly different things. Are you really comfortable with the way your A/R tracks sales, or visa versa, and do you understand the implications of growth and working capital needs.

That’s where Finance factors come in. A receivable factoring solution reduces the time gap that it takes you to generate cash out of your products and services.

Unlike bank financing where you assign or collateralize your receivables via a line of credit the Factoring solutions is a straightforward immediate ' sale ' of your revenues as you generate sales. It gives you ' immediate funding ' and by that we mean basically the same day. So if you hopefully generating invoices to clients in the morning you receive the cash for that sale the same day. That’s cash flow optimization!

Although the function and the formula for A/R financing seems either strange or exotic or unheard of to some in reality this form of financing has been around for hundreds of years. It is widely popular in the U.S. and gains more traction in Canada everyday. Quite frankly it’s the alternative to having to put more equity in your company, or arrange debt financing that you may or may not be eligible for. (And business owners can unfortunately spend a lot of time these days on financing solutions that are either wrong for them or unattainable)

Where confusion reigns supreme sometime is when some of the terms, pricing and players in the Canadian A/R financing industry seem a bit confusing to the factoring ' newbie '.

A short overview of some key issues, points to consider is as follows:



A/R factoring documentation is between your firm and the finance factors.

Our absolute recommended solution is a confidential invoice financing facility whereby you bill, collect and finance your sales to the amount you require and need.

Generally receivables under 90 days can be financed at anytime. Your receivable might be 1 day old or 60 days old. It's your call on when you want to cash flow them

The terms advance rate and discount fee are absolutely critical in understanding A/R receivable factoring in Canada. Typically 10% of the financing is held back as a buffer or hold back, and the charge to discount or finance that sale is in the 2% range for a 30 day period. So using a $100,000.00 invoice as an example you would receive 98,000.00 of immediate cash for that item. Proceeds could be used to generate more sales and service and profits - and in fact your payables could be offset by taking discounts for prompt payment with your own suppliers.

If you wish to smooth out and normalize cash flow, be less afraid of growing or taking on larger orders and contracts, and avoid ' cash crunches ' the weight of evidence might just suggest you should consider receivable factoring. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your cash flow needs.



FINANCE FACTORS
RECEIVABLE FACTORING





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 :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/receivable-factoring-finance-factors.html




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










Stan Prokop

Buying A Business Success . The Before And After Of Valuation And Financing

Welcome To The Zone ! The Business Acquisition Zone



OVERVIEW – .Information on buying a business in Canada . Financing and valuation play a key role and are two principles of success in acquiring a company / business




Buying a business? The success of that transaction can revolve around 2 key elements, valuation and financing. Frankly, knowing what your business is worth at any given time isn’t the worst thing also. How exactly do you approach valuation and financing?

The business owner or manager might also want to remember that equity valuation doesn't necessarily become a key factor in debt financing - that's when it's all about the assets. However, just like how we might view our personal homes it’s always a good thing to know what things are worth!

There are numerous, lets call them ' data points ' when it comes to taking a look at value. Assets play a key role, and it's important to look at both the cost of replacing them as well as their current estimate value, which often differs from ' book value ' with respect to the role of a deprecation policy.

In fact if you're looking at buying a business or even a franchise that might possible have little or no current profits it becomes all about the assets that will play a key role in your financing. It would be great of course to have data that allows you to compare other similar businesses, but in the SME (small to medium enterprise) sector that type of info or data is not always possible - that type of information is usually received for companies that are either public or much larger.

Another way to approach valuation and then financing is using income and cash flow approaches. At the end of the day it's in fact that cash flow that is going to play a role in your financing approval.

As complicated as some valuation concepts might seem there are really just a few basic key points that are looked at - they are current and future profits, multiples of sales or cash flow and the assets we've talked about already.

Quick example. If you are told or determine that business in this industry sells at, or is valued at a multiple of 3 then a company you are looking at with 100k in net income would be potentially valued at 300k. The financing challenge comes when there arent enough assets to finance and a large part of what you are paying in effect becomes ' goodwill ‘, which is generally not financeable for businesses that are small to medium sized.

We should mention that that Canada government Small Business Loan, aka the ' SBL ' is in fact a very solid and recommended way to finance an asset acquisition, but we caution clients to understand that the financing vehicle is only able to finance assets and leaseholds . One piece of good news in that type of deal is that an updated appraisal of the assets and their current value might in fact help you get the full financing you need.

When poor or ' not enough' banking or financing arrangements aren't in place there is a greater chance of business failure, let alone your ability to grow or operate the business.

We think it's clear by now that an outside opinion on what you are paying and how you will financing buying a business might well need some outside help , both in the valuation and the financing of assets . Businesses can be acquired via Canadian bank loans; asset based lending arrangements, and even monetizing current assets such as receivables and inventory.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor My Pagewho can assist you with your business purchase and financing needs.


BUYING A BUSINESS FINANCING VALUATION




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
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





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
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



















Stan Prokop

Business Cash Flow And Working Capital – Are You There Yet?

Are We There Yet ? Good At Managing Your Firms Cash Flows?


Information on business cash flow solutions an working capital management for Canadian business owners .



Business cash flow. A lot of business owners we meet are often thinking a lot about the long term for their company , sometimes forgetting the importance of working capital management and solutions for their business. Let's explain.

A better way to look at things might be to ensure your short term financing objectives and solutions are more closely tied into your long term goals for growing your business. So of course growth and profits are important, but ' keeping the books and finding the funds ' can never be overlooked. Those functions are important if you're growing your business or even considering buying a competitor or making a strategic acquisition.

We meet a lot of clients / business owners who feel somewhat overwhelmed at the financing management of their firm - to the point where they in fact are spending a lot of time on those things, but not really understanding their alternatives and potential solutions.

Business cash flow management arises from the fact that the business owner and financial manager recognizes the need to control cash, forecast it, and raise it through debt or asset monetization.

Remember also that cash flow is tied into your overall profits, sales, and your ability to monetize assets. Another good point to consider in your search for financing solutions is to have a strong handle on larger capital outlays if you are in a capital intensive business. Committing to larger cash outflows will always have a large effect on your business for a long period of time

It's probably somewhat of an over worked phrase but cash flow really and truly is the life blood of your business. That's not the biggest secret in town. The simplest way to look at this is to monitor and get a handle on the timing of your cash as it relates to outflows and inflows.

That's really the simple explanation for your ' operating cycle ‘, and not having Canadian business financing solutions in place for those outflows and inflows simply generates ... you guessed it .. a cash flow crisis. Time and time again we ourselves have been intrigued by great or growing companies that were profitable but failed due to that cash flow crisis.

A good way to get a handle on the ' big picture ' is to take a quick look at your balance sheet and consider ' gross working capital ' and 'net working capital '. The ' gross ' part is simply the sum of all your current assets. The 'net ' is the difference between current assets and current liabilities.

Where business owners go wrong is when they don’t understand the actual level of asset turnover in those accounts. So having a great, large current ratio might be in fact a prediction of failure down the road as your accounts and inventory are uncollected and not turning over.

Oh, by the way your suppliers and lenders look at that same issue as your ability to repay payables and make loan and lease payments.

Once you understand and focus on your flow of funds you are in a better position to assess business cash flow and working capital solutions. They might include:

Receivable finance
Inventory financing
Non bank asset based lines of credit
Commercial bank facilities
PO/Supply Chain Finance
Tax Credit Monetization
Commercial bank facilities

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor

on finance solutions that make sense for your company in managing your assets and growth.



7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
BUSINESS CASH FLOW AND WORKING CAPITAL


















Stan Prokop

Franchise Business Loans In Canada . What You Can And Can’t Finance With A Franchising Loan

Avoid Doing Something Wrong With A Franchising Loan


Information on franchise business loans in Canada . What part of your franchising opportunity can be financed via a loan and where does the franchisee go to seek proper franchise finance advice?



Franchise business loans in Canada. Can the prospective franchisee avoid doing something really wrong when arranging their franchising loan? We think we can help clarify, so let's dig in.

While a lot of entrepreneurs focus on the particular business or industry segment they are looking to participate in they sometimes sorely miss looking at how the franchise financing industry operates. It's somewhat of a given that it’s up to you to pick the franchise that best suits your talent, expertise, and budget. But when it comes to financing your business are you 100% sure of the expectations of your lender or lenders.

If there is any good news is that you do have some solid options available to yourself when financing your new business.

What exactly are some of the key elements of any franchise finance scenario? Well, they include the franchisee fee, equipment, leaseholds, working capital, and ongoing capital and cash flow needs.

Leaseholds are one of the most misunderstood aspects of the franchise finance mystery or conundrum. Typical leaseholds might include construction, HVAC, plumbing, lighting drywall, etc. If your franchise is not going to be fully financed by a specialty franchise lender then the best solution to financing leaseholds is under the auspices of the Govt small business loan program, In fact this program was designed solely for two asset categories - equipment... and the leaseholds we have been talking about .

In certain cases the franchise lender may wish the co operation of your landlord when it comes to what is understood as collateral in the terms of your agreement with the landlord. The situation can sometimes become more complex if there is not clarity and understanding around certain assets that you as a franchisee may have thought was a leasehold improvement as opposed to assets that become attached to the building such as oven hoods, etc. (That’s in the case of restaurants, etc)

At the end of the day it’s both the combined quality of the franchise you are buying as well as your own financial strength as determine by opening balance sheet and projected revenues and profits.

If there is one continuous misunderstanding or misconception that we see in discussions with clients on franchise business loans it’s as follows: The franchisor rarely plays a key role in franchise finance. That’s your job, or the job of you and you Canadian business financing advisor. At the end of the day your goal is simple - you want to be in a position to raise the right amount of capital you need to open and develop your business for success. Only the smallest percentage of franchisors in Canada offer any real tangible financing assistance.

Who are in fact the lenders you should be working with when arranging your franchise loan. In broad categories they are:

SPECIALTY FRANCHISE LENDERS
THE GOVERNMENT SMALL BUSINESS LOAN (very well suited to franchise finance)
EQUIPMENT LESSORS - They finance equipment and in some cases leaseholds
CANADIAN CHARTERED BANKS - Ongoing working capital and cash management

Since our theme is ' avoiding doing something wrong ' in franchisee finance it’s important for us to clarify the bank role in this industry segment. While a bank would consider financing your business directly it would place heavy reliance on your equity in the business, your personal credit, and collateral that you might have in savings, your home, etc. In our opinion where the banks do a better job is in the underwriting of the BIL loan when it comes to direct franchisee finance

To avoid making tragic, costly and time wasting mistakes in a franchising loan consider seeking and speaking to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can asset you with franchise business loans that make sense for your future investment and success.


7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
CANADIAN FRANCHISE BUSINESS LOANS EXPERTISE





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 7 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 :

Canadian Franchise Financing















Stan Prokop

Will An ABL Credit Facility Replace The Business Bank Loans You Need ? Maybe And Here’s Why!

A Secret Portal To A New World Of Business Credit Lines ?


OVERVIEW – Information on an Abl credit facility as an alternative to business bank loans and Chartered bank commercial revolving credit lines





An ABL credit facility. Could this be the solution to business bank loans your firm has been seeking for your revolving credit needs? We believe the weight of evidence strongly suggest you take a look at one of Canada's newer methods of financing business commercial credit lines.

So what in fact do we think you need to know about this type of asset borrowing facility? Well, you asked for it, so here goes.

- The ABL (asset based lending) credit line is used by many Canadian businesses as an alternative to Canadian chartered bank lines of credit

- While this method of financing your business is not as widely known yet some of the Canada's largest corporations have used it, and continue to use it, for years.

- The main advantage of the facility is the fact that’s it’s based on all the assets of your company - those assets include receivables, inventory, equipment, tax credits and real estate. All of those assets are more aggressively margined than at a bank, so your firm has the ability to in many cases double its borrowing power. Yes, we said ' double '.

- Canadian business owners and financial managers look to this method of financing for a variety of reasons. We have already mentioned increased daily borrowing power, but other reasons include pricing , inability to achieve the bank financing you need, and the ability to leverage other assets rather than traditional bank a/r and inventory financing .

- Almost any firm can utilize an ABL Credit facility. Types of firms that typically consider this as alternative to business bank loans include start ups, high growth firms, companies in ' special loans ', and firms in turnaround or restructure mode. You can be a very 'normal' company, or a firm that has issues and challenges. Public and private companies alike have the ability to access asset based lending, as well as major retailers.

- Companies utilizing this type of line of credit can be expected to report more stringently on their assets - but it’s simply the basics, ie aged receivables, inventory lists, equipment lists, and aged payables as well as your monthly balance sheet and income statement. We don’t think any of those should surprise the business owner.

- The margins on a typical ABL funding scenario are usually 90% for A/R, 30-70% for inventory (it depends!), and appraised value of equipment, real estate, rolling stock, etc.

- Covenants and ratios typically demanded by our Chartered banks in their wisdom dont normally apply to asset based lines of borrowing. The full focus is on the value of your business assets and their turnover. High growth, viewed by commercial bankers as a minus, not a plus, is welcomed in an ABL funding environment.

So, how was your visit through the portal into a new world of asset based commercial revolving credit facilities?! Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you in determining if your focus on business bank loans should instead be on an ABL credit facility.


7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
CANADIAN ASSET BASED CREDIT LINE EXPERTISE



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 :

ABL CREDIT FACILITY BUSINESS BANK LOANS


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

















Stan Prokop

Working Capital Business Loan Solutions . Don’t Quit Or Give Up on the Mgmt of Cash Flow

Trouble Identifying Cash Flow Management Solutions . You did until today! No More Identity Issues



OVERVIEW – Information on working capital business loan solutions and financing management in Canada




Working capital business loan solutions in Canada. It's no secret that the average Canadian business owner and financial manager has some ' identity issues ' around the mgmt and sourcing of finance solutions for their business.

To be successful in business, whether that means growing your company or just staying alive! You need to be somewhat, shall we say ' centric' when it comes to making sure operations and your chosen finance solutions are working together.

So how exactly do you address the mgmt of tools to run, operate and finance your business? And by the way, our comments pertain to both product and service companies, everything from manufacturing to technology.

Knowing and understanding your gross margins is one key to addressing proper finance solutions. Let's look at a case in point. If you have some fairly solid gross margins that allows you to have higher operating and finance expenses and still earn a profit.

A real world example might be having the luxury to carry receivables a bit longer, providing your customer with extended terms at the expense of your competitors. Many businesses in the SME sector are either considering or utilizing factoring or receivable finance as a method to benefit from good gross margins and turn their sales and paper profits into real cash flow.

Where many owners and managers we meet as our clients miss the boat so to speak is that they take their eyes of cash flow. And it’s easy if sales are booming and your financials show a great ' paper ' profit. You can use several very basic tools to get an ongoing, if not daily sense that you're able to pay your suppliers, vendors and your lenders, whoever they might be.

Those basic tools, sometimes called ' efficiency ratios ' allow you to determine if your inventory is turning and receivables are being collected. The greatest business is one that’s growing and managing its assets. All those calcs come together in finance mgmt quite nicely under whats known as your operating cycle - we like to think of it as the journey that a dollar makes through your business from day 1.

You can address asset conversion with some solid financing tools - they include:

Accounts receivable financing

Inventory financing

Combo working capital facilities that are based on your ongoing inventory and A/R

Non bank asset based lines of credit

For those companies that qualify for Canadian chartered bank financing rates are low and margining facilities are generous.


All these facilities mentioned when used either singularly or in combination allow you to take one bigger sales and contracts, and deal with corporations much larger than your own firm, which, without proper financing and asset mgmt is difficult to do .Remember also that working capital needs grow, in the same rate that your business does.

Yes, you can finance your business with more equity, but an often more easy solution is viable Canadian business financing arrangements with bank or non bank alternative lenders. And complimenting those solutions with good asset management from your operations will remove that identity crisis you've been having with working capital business loan solutions.

Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisorwho can help you implement financing that makes capital work!



7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL
CANADIAN WORKING CAPITAL BUSINESS LOAN EXPERTISE



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 :

CANADIAN WORKING CAPITAL BUSINESS LOAN SOLUTIONS




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





















Stan Prokop