Entries by Michael McCareins

What Is Working Capital Management? Tips, Strategies, Ratios & FAQs

When it comes to your company’s finances, few practices are more important than working capital management. By understanding the definition of working capital management and learning effective working capital solutions, you can improve the efficiency and financial stability of your business. Here’s a closer look at how you can turn working capital management into a […]

What Is An Invoice Payment?

Paying invoices is a facet of running a company that first-time business owners might be unfamiliar with. Sure, you probably have a good general understanding of what an invoice is, but it’s important to understand that making an invoice payment is more than just signing your name at the bottom of the document. So, what […]

Is Truck Driving A Good Career?

Jobseekers have likely heard about 2023 being a year of an impending recession (small business owners even believe we’re already in a recession). Yet, while the overall landscape of the job market has seen better days, that’s not entirely the case for the truck driving industry. In fact, even with the economy having slowed down, […]

Debtor In Possession: Meaning, How It Works, DIP Financing And FAQs

Bankruptcy is a situation no business or individual wants to deal with — but unfortunately, it can happen. During the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process, it isn’t unusual for a business to have debtor in possession status over its property and other assets. But what does that mean? By understanding the meaning of debtor in possession […]

How To Calculate Cash Flow From Assets

If you’re a small business owner, there’s a good chance you’re often searching for ways to improve cash flow. Sometimes, alternative lending options or new business ideas can provide solutions, but you may first want to look at your business’s cash flow from assets to find opportunities to build up your profit. While “cash flow […]

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Guide To No-Doc Business Loans: How To Choose The Right Loan For Your Business

It’s common for business owners to feel fatigued from dealing with the hefty amount of paperwork that comes with running a business. The stereotype that every lending option comes with seemingly endless forms to fill out and documents to provide can even disenchant borrowers from seeking out certain financing options entirely. Fortunately, a few lending […]

How To Become a Successful Owner-Operator

The thought of becoming an owner-operator can be both exciting and daunting. On one hand, owning your own trucking company can provide financial returns that might not be obtainable by being a company driver, while on the other hand, there are added responsibilities that make for a more complex and time-consuming day-to-day job. Fortunately, you […]

What Is Cash Turnover Ratio And How Does It Work?

For business owners, efficiency is everything, particularly in today’s economy. But how is the efficiency of a business’s financial processes accurately measured? One of the best ways to do so is by calculating your cash turnover ratio. The cash turnover ratio highlights a company’s efficiency and can even provide a glimpse into overall profitability. To […]

How To Get Loads For Your Trucking Business

Getting loads for trucks is one of the most universal challenges for those in the trucking industry. Trucking statistics show that the US trucking market size was upwards of $217 million in 2022 and projected to grow. So you know the loads are out there, but how do you find them? Finding the answer to […]

Early Payment Discounts: What Are They?

By offering early payment discounts, one of the biggest challenges for small and medium-sized business owners can potentially be alleviated: late invoice payments. One Quickbooks study showed that the average medium-sized business is owed more than $300,000 annually due to customers not paying on-time. These delayed payments are especially impactful for smaller businesses operating on […]

What Is 1/10 Net 30 On An Invoice?

Rewarding customers who pay invoices on time is worthy of your time and effort, especially given the fact that a staggering 49% of B2B invoices become overdue. One of the common ways that sellers reward and encourage on-time payments is by offering early payment discounts, such as 1/10 net 30. Both parties in a transaction […]

Revenue vs. Income – What’s The Difference?

When it comes to managing your business’s cash flow, few things are more important to understand than the difference between revenue vs. income. By understanding how to correctly identify revenue vs. income in accounting, you can streamline your business accounting and have the confidence needed to take on essential tasks like auditing your cash flow […]

What Is Cash Flow To Sales Ratio And What Does It Measure?

There are few, if any, more important business metrics than cash flow. While profit and revenue are good indicators of success, cash flow is perhaps the best indicator of overall business sustainability. Businesses with strong cash flow have cash inflows that outweigh outflows, setting them up for operational success and long-term growth. If you’re looking […]

Fixed Assets vs. Current Assets – What’s The Difference?

For business owners, CEOs, investors, and really any business stakeholder, staying on top of assets is pivotal in order to obtain a holistic understanding of a company’s finances. A business’s assets are considered anything that can be converted into cash (or cash equivalents). Assets are, however, a bit more complex than this definition might sound, […]

How Does Automated Invoice Processing Work?

Processing invoices is no simple task. Most businesses handle at least 500 invoices per month, and 66% of businesses say that processing invoices takes five days of work per month. Whether the invoice is received by mail, email, or e-invoicing software, if the average business isn’t utilizing invoice automation, it’s going to require a lot […]

What Is A Quote In Business?

For customers, knowing the cost of a service before committing to buying and paying for the service can be extremely helpful when budgeting and balancing opportunity costs. Thankfully, there’s a document that helps both the buyer and seller get a better idea of price estimation: a business quote. What Is A Quote In Business? A […]

What Is A Pro Forma Invoice?

Before arranging a transaction with a buyer, your prospective customers will likely want to negotiate the critical terms of the arrangement, such as any potential discounts, delivery timelines, and price. When this stage of the negotiation is complete, it’s typically considered good practice for your business to send an initial draft of the invoice to […]

What Are The Different Types of Invoices?

Studies have shown that 61% of late invoice payments are due to incorrect invoicing. These incorrect invoices can significantly stunt cash flow for small businesses, which is why understanding the different types of invoices is so important. By knowing which types of transactions or situations call for which types of invoices, you can prevent your […]

How Much Capital Funding Do Small Business Owners Need? An Industry-By-Industry Breakdown

Canva The average U.S. business spent $206,383 on capital expenses in 2021, but some types of businesses are more expensive to operate—and more capital-intensive than others. Whether a business requires brick-and-mortar space, is run online, or consists of providing services is one key factor in determining the amount of capital funding needed. There are many […]

Best Small Business Podcasts of 2023

Starting a business is a venture that most people have, at some point, strongly considered; data shows that 61% of Americans have had an idea for starting a business. However, an overwhelming 92% of those respondents never followed through with their ideas. Sometimes, all you need is a little inspiration to get going. Therefore, we’ve […]

What Does It Mean To Be Paid In Arrears?

It’s no secret that being paid late is one of the most common challenges business owners face, especially small business owners operating on tight budgets. Yet sometimes payments are intentionally made after a service or good has already been provided. There is a term for this kind of prearranged late payment: “paid in arrears.” Most […]

Payor vs. Payee – What’s The Difference?

Mastering the art of accounting is one of the most frequent challenges small business owners struggle with tackling. But overcoming the accounting hurdle is pivotal, and knowing how to reference and define terms correctly will prevent bookkeeping errors that could otherwise put a business in jeopardy. Two accounting terms you will hear in business that […]

Invoice vs. Bill – What’s The Difference?

Often, you’ll hear the terms “invoice” and “bill” used interchangeably, and you won’t think twice. But depending on who you ask, you may get slightly different definitions of an invoice vs. a bill, potentially leading to even the most experienced accountants dealing with confusion when balancing the books. On their own, terms such as invoice, […]

Net 30: What Is It and How Does It Work?

As a first-time business owner or someone new to handling accounting procedures, you’re going to come across a plethora of new terminology, such as “payment terms” and “Net 30,” both of which pertain to the invoicing process. Since properly managing your accounts payable (AP) and accounts receivable (AR) processes is necessary to achieve long-term success […]

Get Your Invoices Paid Faster with Security Guard Factoring

Security guard companies are unique. Unlike many industries in which assets lie in the name of equipment, land, or other physical resources, security guard companies’ biggest assets are their people. This makes financing security guard companies particularly challenging for two reasons. First, most traditional bank loans are unattainable without significant collateral, and a security guard […]

Get Your Invoices Paid Faster With Telecom Factoring

While the telecommunication business can be lucrative, running your own telecom business isn’t a simple, or cheap, undertaking. Between obtaining licenses and permits, paying fees to the FCC, and making necessary business-related investments, you will likely – at some point – be faced with cash flow challenges that could put important growth goals in jeopardy. […]

What Is an Invoice and What Does It Mean in Business?

An invoice is an essential component of any transaction between two parties. In fact, invoices are one of the earliest expressions of written records, being traced back to 2900 BCE when merchants would carve details of transactions on stone tablets. While the layout of a modern-day invoice looks quite different from 5000 years ago, its […]

How to Send an Invoice

Learning how to send an invoice may not be the most glamorous aspect of running a business. However, the efficiency of a business’ invoicing process can significantly alter cash flow and be a determining factor into whether important growth goals are met. One survey showed that 49% of B2B invoices become overdue, while a separate […]

Gross Profit vs. Gross Margin – What’s the Difference?

As a business owner, knowing your finances like the back of your hand is crucial during important decision-making processes. Among the most important financial metrics that help business owners analyze their trajectory are gross profit and gross margin. Often, these two terms are used interchangeably and sometimes get confused with terms such as net profit […]

What is B2B Factoring?

Starting a business is an exciting yet demanding venture with inevitable challenges that get in the way of what business owners wish could be an entirely smooth process. However, knowing what roadblocks you could face beforehand to avoid being taken by surprise will help you overcome these obstacles. Many common stressors small business owners struggle […]

What is a Lockbox Payment?

Business owners who are considering invoice factoring to improve A/R cash flow may wonder what the payment process looks like between their customer and the factor. For most factoring companies, lockboxes play a vital role in this process. They provide a source for both parties – the debtor and the factor – to transfer and […]

What Is Negative Cash Flow?

Business owners often look to profit and revenue as key determinants of success. However, a company’s overall financial health also coincides with another equally important measure — cash flow. While most established businesses boast a consistent stream of positive cash flow, it’s not uncommon for startups and small businesses to, at some point, contend with […]

How to Sell a Staffing Agency

The time has come where you feel ready to sell your staffing agency. You’ve met (or exceeded) your goals, feel accomplished in helping match jobseekers with the right employers, and are excited to turn your business into a significant profit. But selling a business can be an intimidating process, especially if you have no experience […]

What is Non-Notification Factoring and How Does it Work?

Non-notification factoring is used by businesses to improve accounts receivable cash flow as an alternative to financing methods such as traditional factoring, taking out a loan, or applying for a line of credit. The ultimate goal of non-notification factoring is the same as that of traditional invoice factoring – to increase working capital. However, a […]

Invoice Factoring vs. Bank Line of Credit

For business owners, managing cash flow wisely is a pivotal factor in determining long-term success, particularly for small business owners. Given 60% of small businesses struggle with cash flow, it is not a unique problem to have, and owners often look to third parties to assist with these struggles. Two of the most common options […]