Running a small business in today’s downed economy takes careful planning and a backup of cash to protect one’s brand from those little mishaps that are known to take place.

Having to replace a vital piece of equipment that suddenly failed can eat into your payroll funds if you don’t have a supply of cash on hand. In times like this, business owners will often apply for a merchant cash advance to protect their business and to allow operations to proceed.

With the economic slump applying its pressure, most of us have anything but perfect credit. Thankfully, alternative lenders do not subscribe to big bank regulations when providing cash advances to struggling businesses. Read on to learn why merchant cash advances are the best solutions for small business owners in times like these.

Why are credit lines hard to come by?
Due to current hard economic times, lenders are not as likely to provide credit lines to small businesses unless their credit is sterling. It is ironic that big banks are partially responsible for the economic slump that ignited in 2008, yet they offer no leniency in helping small businesses — the very entities that are greatly responsible for economic growth.

However, thanks to alternative lenders, thousands of small businesses have been able to survive and provide salaries to members of the community.

How does a cash advance loan work?
There are two primary ways in which one can get a cash advance loan towards their business. Cash can be advanced according to future credit card receipts in which a mutually agreed upon percentage is taken from future earnings until the loan amount has been paid back.

Another option to consider is the fixed payment plan. These are typically paid back on a weekly or monthly basis until the loan amount has been satisfied.

Is it better than a standard loan?
A merchant cash advance is designed to service those who only need to borrow a small amount versus tens of thousands of dollars. If you own a printing service, and your machine breaks and needs to be replaced, a merchant cash advance is the ideal loan for this type of situation.

The borrower doesn’t have to put up collateral or offer a personal guarantee. Furthermore, utilizing this type of loan will not show up on credit reports and flag you should you ever want to apply for different loan types. Finally, there are no restrictions regarding how the cash is used, and the process is extremely fast with no hassles.

Making better profits
A merchant cash advance is a great way to turn a profit in a struggling economy. In an article published by ABC News on the benefits of a merchant cash advance, the journalist reports that businesses should take advantage of these programs in order to stock up on inventory before the holidays.

The article states that they are excellent alternatives to traditional bank loans in that they are fast, secure and don’t provide any hassles.

Securing your services
If you suddenly need to halt operations it will tarnish your business reputation. When you need cash due to an unsuspecting hiccup, or if you simply want to stock up on inventory before a busy shopping season, consider the merchant cash advance loan as a great way to stay afloat and make a profit in our challenging economy.

If you are keen to make some additional income by working from home on the weekends, freelance writing offers a plethora of possibilities to help cushion your bank account.

However, before starting your own home business as a side-project you may want to research some investment opportunities. The Fisher Investments Address nearest your location can be a great place to turn to when looking for answers to some questions you may have about investing and starting your own business in today’s economy. Once you have all the wrinkles ironed out, you can begin this exciting process of initiating the blueprint to start your own freelance writing business.

Before you begin
Before you launch a freelance writing business, you will need to gain some industry experience and create a name for yourself. Also, you will learn the steps involved, and will be able to make mistakes while learning from them without impacting a another’s business.

Start by writing for revenue sharing sites. Certain websites permit freelance writers to publish content in exchange for a share of the revenue their articles generate. From a long-term standpoint this is the most profitable approach to take because your work will take on a cyclical form of earning passive income for you with no end in sight. And you get to retain the rights to your material. But be warned this can take time, as the articles must first find online traffic and receive good exposure.

One way of gauging this is to see how many people leave comments about the articles from social media platforms. If you can see the traffic, then the proof is in the content pudding. The earning potential for this step alone can bring a few thousand a month.

Have some online presence
You will want to have an online presence before approaching sites with your pitch. There are several things you will need to establish before contacting prospective sites for freelance work.

Set up the following:
·      A website showcasing your own blogs and articles
·      A Linkedin account
·      An active Facebook page dedicated to your blog site
·      A Twitter account where you can tweet links to your articles
·      An Instagram account that shows visual representations of your written work
·      You will want to tie all social media platforms into your website

By following these guidelines not only will you be displaying your abilities while offering website editors a platform to check you out, you will also be building a fan base and some credibility.

Brand it
Once you have gained industry experience and you decide to start your own freelance writing business, or content marketing service, there are certain considerations you will want to make in choosing a name for it.

For starters, think of something that people would type into Google when looking to hire a writer. However, the chances are pretty great that freelancewriter.com is already taken, or costs thousands of dollars to buy. If this is the case, think of something short, catchy and easy for people to remember. Think of something that portrays your business, or the vibe you hope it will project.

When it comes to developing a company logo for your website and marketing materials, there is an incredibly cheap way to hire a graphic designer. Turn to Fiverr where people sign up to do virtually anything for $5, including designing a professional logo for your business. These people generally produce very good work within a short time frame. And if you aren’t happy with their work, you are only out $5.

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As you become older, the investments that you made earlier in life become more important. Having financial security is important all throughout life, but it becomes even more important as you hit retirement. From stocks to real estate to 401ks, hopefully you’ve made a lot of sound investments that will pay off and let you live a rewarding life in retirement.

One investment that many people don’t take full advantage of is investing in a life insurance policy. A whole life insurance policy offers a heap of benefits over other types of investments, and it leads to a life of security. Check out below if you’re interested in the benefits of a whole life insurance policy as an investment opportunity, and to learn more about this idea as a whole.

The Basics
If you aren’t already familiar with it, whole life insurance differs from other types of life insurance in that it’s a policy that never expires. While it is more expensive than the other types of life insurance (such as universal life and term life), its many benefits make it well worth the cost for people looking for financial security for themselves and for their families.
 
Security
Whole life insurance offers the most financial security for both the policyholder and the policyholder’s family. Because it never expires, there won’t ever be a discrepancy should the policyholder die.

But the security benefits of whole life insurance go far beyond just that. Many people purchase whole life insurance because it’s a way to invest, and a safe way at that. Whole life insurance features consistent premiums, which means your premiums won’t change over time. Since the premiums cover all the benefits, the cash value of the policy increases over time, and actually pays significant dividends to the policyholder. With a whole life insurance policy, it’s easy to tap into the cash value of the policy if you at any time need cash.

Since the cash value of the policy grows over time and pays dividends, whole life insurance is a great financial investment as it’s secure. You won’t be dropped from your policy, and unlike the stock market, you won’t suffer if the economy suffers.

Is It Right For You?
Is whole term life insurance as an investment opportunity right for you? If you can afford it, yes. Whole life insurance is considered a luxury item when compared with other types of life insurance, and that’s because it offers all these kinds of investment benefits. Fortunately, you can compare whole life insurance rates on lifeinsurancerates.com to find the best price on a policy that works for you.

Whole life insurance will no doubt be more expensive than term life insurance or universal life insurance. But with the financial security you’re getting from it, it’s well worth the investment. Combine a whole life insurance policy with your other investments, and your retirement will go smooth. And not to mention the security that your family will have once you have a whole life insurance policy.

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A while back, Business Week journalist, Stephen Baker, wrote an interesting piece over at Blogspotting an online addition to the magazine. Its title was, Knowledge workers: We’re on our own.

He wrote: “Face it, knowledge workers, if we’re not already freelancing, we’re heading in that direction. I’m typing this on a company-owned laptop, but Gartner predicts that within three years, one in 10 companies will be forcing employees to provide their own laptops. I’m surprised the number isn’t higher.”

He painted a grim picture : “Increasingly, we’ll be on our own.” Grim for some, at least. But I can see it would be tough for the gregarious types who are addicted to office politics and the water-cooler mafia.

He continued: “Why is this happening? Companies have the data and the intelligence now to cut the jobs they need done into tiny slices, each one going to the person best equipped to handle it anywhere on the globe. It’s a virtual assembly line.”

Now comes the juicy part of Baker’s idea. For those who write online more in hope than expectation, this is a Business Week endorsement:

“So what do we do? For starters, we blog. That way we build our individual brands, our knowledge, and our network of connections. These are going to be ever more vital assets in the years ahead. If we do a good enough job building them, companies may decide to bid for our services fulltime, even throwing in insurance and a 401K.”

Soon, in the “ecosystem that’s unfolding, one teeming with knowledge entrepreneurs, I’m betting that most of us, by choice or circumstance, are going to be running our own show.”

This is happening now and, as Stephen says, blogging is the centrepiece of that effort.