Interest rates have been a hot topic of conversation for small businesses over the past year after the federal funds rate hit a 23-year high in July 2023. The Fed rate had then remained steady (5.25% – 5.50%) until a September 2024 decision to cut rates by a half point, a significant reduction. However, questions […]
A fuel surcharge is the price a trucking company charges the shipper to make up for increases in fuel costs due to fluctuating diesel prices. Oftentimes, a freight company will calculate its cost to haul a load according to a baseline fuel price, but at the time the load is ready to ship, the cost […]
Navigating the complexities of business finances can be daunting, especially for small business owners who wear multiple hats. Understanding cash flow and how it differs from revenue is critical for the financial health of your company. While the two terms may sound similar, they have different meanings, and to ensure the financial success of your […]
The trucking and freight industry is vital to the United States economy, but it has experienced large swings over the last few years due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the post-pandemic recovery. The trucking industry suffered in 2023 with the National Truckload Index experiencing consistent declines since the start of the year. Moving into 2024, […]
Monkey Business Images // Shutterstock Nearly 434,000 people applied for business applications nationwide in April 2023, according to Census Bureau data. Of them, only about 1 in 3 were deemed likely to become employers. Small businesses are the nation’s most common enterprises and employ nearly half of private workers, according to the Census Bureau. But […]
Rido // Shutterstock If you’re thinking of starting a business, you might want to give some consideration to location. In which state would you have the best chance of success? Iowa tops the list, followed by Wisconsin, South Dakota, Kentucky, and Minnesota. And the worst? The state of Washington. The vast majority of small businesses […]
While most people are likely familiar with what an invoice is, many have never been faced with the challenge of writing an invoice. Though invoices are relatively straightforward, at first glance they can look complex, leaving many wondering where to start. Keep reading to gain a better understanding of invoices, including how to write an […]
Small businesses play a critical role in our local and global economies, but it can be difficult to make informed business decisions without having benchmarks or statistics to base your decisions on. We have put together some key small business revenue statistics to give business owners an idea of how their companies stack up against […]
giggsy25 // Shutterstock The first two years can make or break a business. About 75% to 85% of companies typically make it through their first year. If they succeed for that long, their survival rates tend to rise with each passing year. As startups ramp up operations and start building a customer base, funding is […]
Working capital is the money that a company has available to manage its day-to-day operations. Used to pay a business’s short-term expenses, working capital is an important metric in determining the financial health and operational efficiency of a company. To help you better understand what your net working capital and working capital ratio are, we […]
As a business owner, properly managing your working capital is essential to maintaining healthy business operations and creating growth opportunities, and knowing how much working capital you need is the first step towards achieving this type of financial health. However, figuring out how much working capital you need can be tough since there are many […]
An ACH advance (also referred to as a cash flow loan or ACH loan) is a type of short-term small business financing. While ACH loans can be easy to qualify for, they often come with high interest rates and lower funding amounts. To help you better understand the costs associated with a cash flow loan, […]
A merchant cash advance is a small business financing option that provides quick funding but often comes at a high cost. We’ve put together a calculator to help you better understand how long it may take to pay off an MCA and how much it may cost. How to Use the Merchant Cash Advance (MCA) […]
You’ve probably heard of payday loans and want to know if businesses can also benefit from this quick financing option. While a popular alternative financing option, business payday loans come with their own set of challenges. Read on to get a better understanding of what a business payday loan is, its risks, and popular alternatives. […]
Managing your business’ cash flow can be difficult, but knowing how long you have to pay your invoices (and how long you have to wait to be paid by your customers) can make budgeting and managing your cash flow that much easier. Use altLINE’s invoice due date calculator below to see when your invoices are […]
Interested in invoice factoring but are worried about the costs associated with it? We know that the unknowns of financing can be stressful, so we’ve put together an invoice factoring calculator to help you estimate your cash advances, factoring fees, and cash due to you at the end of the factoring process. Try the calculator […]
Starting and running a business is an exciting process. You get to be your own boss, follow your passions, and add purpose to your career. However, this enthusiasm can quickly become frustrating as you start trying to fund your business. As a new business owner or a business with bad credit, it can be difficult […]
What Is Confidential Invoice Discounting? Confidential invoice discounting is a type of invoice discounting facility in which a discounting company provides a business with a loan secured against its outstanding invoices. With a confidential invoice discounting agreement, the discounting company will not disclose to the business’ customers that they are working with them, keeping the […]
Invoice factoring is not a new type of financing, but it is still a new concept to many business owners. Invoice factoring is an alternative financing solution in which a company sells its outstanding invoices to a third-party “factor” (also referred to as a “factoring company“) for a discounted rate in return for a cash […]
It’s no secret that America has endured a significant labor shortage since the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. While many employees that lost their jobs have been able to get back on track, the national labor outlook reveals that overall, jobseekers have had a tough time compared to pre-pandemic figures. As for the staffing industry, […]
As a business owner, cash flow problems can be stressful. Paying rent, making payroll, and paying off debts all become even more taxing when your cash inflow is not as much as your expenses. To help you improve your cash flow and worry less over your payables, we have put together this list of some […]
