Believe it or not, we’re already heading into the second quarter of 2024. Financial performance in the first quarter is encouraging as the year got off to a strong start. While we didn’t see rate cuts from the Fed in the first few months, tech stocks gained in anticipation of an AI boom, leading the market to a nearly 30% increase over last year. For now, at least, it looks like the economy has dodged the predicted recession. As we go into the next quarter, look to invest in efficiency, quality, and product/service evolution. Supply chain changes bring efficiency benefits, quality is a big dri ..read more

If you’ve been watching the news, you already know that interest rates have started to level out, but that while reductions in interest rates are pending, businesses still need to access capital in order to serve clients. Today’s rates don’t have to scare business owners into holding off on financing to move their businesses ahead. The good news is that there’s an easy solution that gives businesses access to the working capital they need now without being stuck in a high-interest rate loan as rates moderate. As economists predict the Fed will lower rates in the second quarter of this year, it ..read more

Gone are the days when a small business owner could walk down to their local bank, have a lovely chat with their banker, and walk away with a loan to keep their business afloat. For many of us, those days never existed. The banks we’re familiar with are large multinational corporations highly regulated (due to the history of bailouts) by the government. They are subject to changes in nationwide policy without the flexibility to pivot quickly in response to demand. But they’re still the first option many people think of when it’s time to seek a loan. Banks must make adjustments in response to e ..read more

When bridge financing comes up in conversation, many business owners and managers think of short-term real estate funding. Bridge loans are popular with CRE investors because they support a quick close on property while awaiting traditional financing to come through. While that is a powerful tool for business owners and investors in hot markets and for fix-and-flip developers looking for redevelopment funding, bridge financing is more flexible than you might think. Bridge loans can cover any type of funding gap a business is experiencing. This article will touch on some of the many ways bridge ..read more

The Federal Reserve, in an effort to stave off runaway inflation, bumped the Prime Rate up four times in 2023 and a whopping seven times in 2022. As of this writing, the Prime Rate is 8.5%. If you’ve been in the market for a business loan, you might be a bit worried. Is now really the time to apply or should you wait until rates go down again? Are you going to end up paying elevated rates for the life of your loan if you can’t afford to wait? Economists predict more rate hikes in 2024, which means you can either jump on a loan now to take advantage of current rates before they go up again or h ..read more

As a wave of new technology transforms the way the world does business, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Even businesses that rely on age-old craftsmanship and handworked detail find that they must adopt new tech to market, ship, and inventory their products effectively. The global transformation many are calling a new industrial revolution is here and threatens to drown businesses that can’t keep up. However, the progress made possible by 4IR technology can be a godsend for businesses that choose to embrace it. If done strategically, any business can make a smooth transition to new tech without ..read more

Equity is what your business is worth after all its assets and liabilities are calculated. Investors look at your business equity when deciding whether or not to invest in your company. Lenders look at your business equity when deciding if you qualify for a loan. You can leverage equity in your business when you need capital, helping you avoid debt. Finally, a business with high equity can attract top talent. That’s why it’s so critical to your business. Investing in equity should be one of your company’s top priorities. When we talk about investing in equity, we mean growing the equity in you ..read more

Let’s take a look at the state of commercial real estate in 2024 against a backdrop of 2023. With a focus on staving off inflation, the FED repeatedly increased rates in 2023. As an era of ready capital ended, the commercial real estate space has and will continue to face hard realities. Not all CRE categories are as hard hit, but some, like office space, face a potential crisis in the coming year.  A Portrait of Pending CRE Crisis At the top level, the challenge across all commercial real estate categories is a collision between property value, interest rates, and cash flow. While many c ..read more

With the holiday season officially underway, economists are gazing into their crystal balls to see what the future holds. What can you expect to see in 2024? Answers vary, but you’ll be hearing the phrase “soft landing” a lot over the next few weeks regarding America’s economy. Globally, much of what caused distress this year will continue to worry investors. China’s economy is struggling with debt and property troubles, and a rapidly aging workforce. The Israel-Hamas conflict is expected to stifle growth in European markets and some worry it could spill over into the Middle East, threatening ..read more

It’s already time to think about wrapping up 2023 as we close out the last quarter of the year. Improvement may be better measured in terms of slower decline rather than speedy recovery. However, the yearly report isn’t all doom and gloom. In this article, we’ll take a look at where we stand as the holiday season approaches and the new year creeps up on us. Rate Changes In their November meeting, the Federal Open Market Committee decided to pause the rate hikes that have been so prevalent in 2023. This doesn’t, however, eliminate the possibility that they’ll change their mind in December. The ..read more