How to Juggle Your Day Job and Your Small Business

In a "perfect" world, entrepreneurs could drop everything and throw all their time and resources into their new small business... But, it's not a perfect world. Many entrepreneurs have to keep their day jobs while they get their new business up and running, and sometimes for a while afterward. But, there's no need to stress! Here are some tips on how to keep your day job while you pursue your small business dreams...

Reevaluate your perspective. If you look at your "normal" job as something that's holding you back...don't! Try to be positive and view your current job as a resource that's allowing you to pursue your goal of a successful small business.

Buy an agenda. Or, in other words, plan your days to a tee. Working 24/7 might seem impressive, but you won't put forth your best effort if you're drained. So, schedule your days in advance and be sure you allot time for some relaxation (and 8-hours of sleep).

Maximize your time and become a pro at multitasking. There are probably certain times of the day when you're "wasting" valuable time and don't even realize it... For example, instead of spending your 30-minute commute listening to the radio, make some handsfree business calls. Or, if you take public transportation, shoot out those emails that have been on your to-do list for days.

Outsource! One of the perks of keeping your day job is you still have a steady income. Look at your budget and figure out how much money you have to pay someone else (who will do it better) to manage your social media or send out newsletters. This will save your time and sanity.

If you stay positive, pace yourself and plan efficiently...there's no reason you can't balance your day job AND your entrepreneurial aspirations. For more tips, check out this article on MSN.com (via Entrepreneur magazine).

Now, if your small business is already up and running and you need additional some financing to grow, you might want to consider a small business loan. Visit SilverRockFunding.com today!

E-Commerce Business Loans - A Definitive Guide

E-Commerce Business Loans

E-commerce has taken the world by storm. In fact, the majority of people in big cities do the bulk of their shopping online...and the numbers will only continue to increase. E-commerce has even changed the dynamic of entire industries, the fashion industry being one of the most affected. So, with all that in mind, it's clear there's never been a better time to invest in growing your e-commerce business.

Looking for some e-commerce "inspo?" Take a look at this 60 Minutes interview with the founder of Alibaba, the world's largest e-commerce website.

Or, if your trying to expand your e-commerce website, you might want to take a look at this infographic, which depicts people's online shopping habits.

Running an e-commerce website, like any small business, comes with its own set of costs. To help with the costs and take your e-commerce website to the next level, you might want to consider a small business loan. However, knowing what you're qualified for and which financing option best suits your small business needs can be tricky.

Whether you have an eBay store, you sell products on Etsy, or you just have a great product, accessing the funds you need for salaries, marketing, inventory or whatever else, doesn't have to be difficult. Getting cash for your e-commerce business needs through Silver Rock Funding can help get your business flowing and growing. You could be approved for up to $500,000 as soon as the next day!

If you don't already have your own e-commerce business, but you're interesting starting one, check out this article from Forbes outlining the three most important steps toward launching your first e-commerce website.

Chiropractic Business Loans - A Definitive Guide

Chiropractic Business Loans

Doctors of chiropractic treat approximately 30 million people annually. In fact, doctors of chiropractic "comprise the third largest group of doctorate-level, portal-of-entry primary-care providers in the nation, next to medical doctors and dentists."

Chiropractors offer care to a variety of patients of all ages and health conditions, but doctors of chiropractic are typically sought for back and neck pain, as well as headaches. Chiropractors also help treat a various injuries and musculoskeletal system disorders (you can see many of the other benefits of chiropractic care in the infographic below). It is one of the safest drug-free methods to treat certain maladies and continues to grow in "popularity." Needless to say, it's a great time to own a chiropractic practice.

However, with state-of-the-art technology and equipment, monthly salaries and regular training, running a chiropractic practice can be expensive (not mention the competition is fierce). But, if done well, owning a chiropractic business can be extremely lucrative.

According to recent data, there are approximately 28,000 chiropractors nationwide, and some of the firms have the power of multiple providers. This gives them access to capital that sole practitioners don’t have. The reality is many chiropractors need cash to help their businesses grow, which is where Silver Rock Funding and our network of lenders can help.

So, if you're looking to grow your chiropractic business - whether that means adding specialty services to your "menu" or creating a new marketing campaign - consider a small business loan. And, if you're hoping to start your own chiropractic business, check out the below video.

Car Dealership Business Loans - A Definitive Guide

Car Dealership Business Loans

In 2014, people bought 38.5 million used cars and 16 million new cars, and analysts expect even stronger car sales by the end of this year. Needless to say, this is great news for car dealers.

Even the great Warren Buffet sees the value in the car dealership business! "Buffett has described car dealerships that are run well as 'a very good business.' In an interview with Fortune magazine...he noted dealerships 'have no receivables to speak of, you floor-plan your inventory, you can lease your real estate….So you can have very little capital actually invested in the business, and you do a large volume.'" Check out the whole interview in the video below.

Owning a car dealership, like any small business, comes with its own set of costs...inventory being just one of many. To help with those costs and grow your car dealership to be as profitable and successful as possible, you should consider a small business loan. However, knowing what you're qualified for and which financing option best suits your small business needs can be tricky.

Silver Rock Funding is a great option for car dealers looking to grow their business because Silver Rock Funding has a network of lenders that help small business owners find the loans they need. Whether you need to purchase inventory or expand your operation, Silver Rock Funding can provide you the quick and easy access to the capital you need, even if your might have bad credit. Silver Rock Funding will work to help get your dealership the cash flow it needs for whatever the need...whether it's remodeling, expanding or something else.

If you don't already own a car dealership, but you're interesting in entering the business, check out this article with seven tips for starting your own car dealership. The infographic above also outlines some of the current trends in the automotive market, which is crucial information when starting a business.

Food Truck Business Loans - A Definitive Guide

Food Truck Business Loans

Food trucks started gaining in popularity a few years ago and their success hasn't lost any steam. The food truck business is booming and, if you're a food truck owner, now's the time to invest in growing your business. If you're not a food trucker yet, but want to be, check out one of our earlier blog posts on how to start a food truck business.

There are a lot of reasons the food truck business is a great career path for chefs/cooks... One of the most popular reasons for people to become a "food trucker" is owning a food truck is a fraction of the cost to own and operate than a restaurant. The best part? It's often just as lucrative as a traditional restaurant.

Food trucks do, however, come with their own set of costs; including regular truck maintenance, expensive kitchen equipment and food costs. Probably one of the most imperative costs for a food truck is PR and marketing. Unlike restaurants, food trucks move around, so targeted marketing and PR, and creative social media tactics are essential to develop (and maintain) a loyal customer base.

Today, I'm going to talk about how a small business loan is often a fantastic option for food truck owners to grow their business and take things to the next level.

Financing some of the costs associated with owning a food truck is, as we just mentioned, often a great option...but it can be really hard to figure out what you're qualified for and which option best suits you and your small business needs.

According to RMagazine, "by 2017, food trucks will generate $2.7 billion in revenue." Check out the infographic below for some more stats about the food truck industry's optimistic future." 

There might not be a hotter industry right now than food trucks. What better way to take your successful restaurant idea on the road and cut out the huge overhead costs of running a restaurant? As much as it’s a more affordable option, it still requires a significant investment of capital and time to keep it running. Getting that cash flow to purchase additional equipment, keep staff paid, add additional trucks - it’s expensive. Getting that cash from the bank is a tough proposition in an environment like the one we’re in now. Access to capital is restrictive and small business owners aren’t able to get the financing they need. In response to increased demand from consumers, Silver Rock Funding can get business owners small business loans from some of the nation’s best lending sources.

If you're looking for some inspiration for your food truck business, you should go watch the movie Chef - check out the trailer below. It's a seriously great movie about a chef who leaves a four-star restaurant and starts his own food truck business. Happy food trucking!

Trucking Business Loans - A Definitive Guide

Trucking Business Loans

Trucking can be a lucrative career.

Maybe you are considering entering the trucking business because of the great pay - most seasoned truckers make $45-50,000 salaries -  or because you want to see the country. There are many great reasons to choose trucking as your career!

Unfortunately, the many costs associated with trucking - check out the infographic below - can hold truckers back from being as successful as they'd like...

Today, I'm going to address that problem and tell you how simple it is for you (and your semi truck) to qualify for a small business loan.

Financing some of the costs associated with owning a big rig is often a great option - but it can be really hard to figure out what you're qualified for and which option best suits you and your small business needs.

The American Trucking Association American Trucking Trends 2015 "reports that trucking continues to be the dominant mode of freight transportation in the United States:

• In 2014, trucks moved 9.96 billion tons, or 68.8%, of all domestic freight.
• The $700.4 billion in revenue accounted for 80.3% of all freight transportation spending.
• Trucking employed more than 7 million people, including 3.4 million drivers.
• Combination trucks logged 168.4 billion miles in 2013, or an average of 69,000 per truck.
• Since Deregulation, the number of registered motor carriers has grown by 68 times to more than 1.3 million carriers.
• Commercial trucks paid $16.5 billion in federal highway user fees in 2013."

With all that in mind, this is a great time to focus on growing your trucking business! And, to make that happen, it takes cash. Whether it's purchasing new equipment and parts, like axles, brakes, wheels, or the trailers and tractors themselves, or something smaller like making payroll - whatever the need, Silver Rock Funding can help. With Silver Rock Funding, you could get access to up to $500,000 for your trucking business without draining any money from your savings.

Love this great video on what to expect in your first year of trucking, too!

For more insight on how to make your trucking business successful, consider this advice from Smart-Trucking.com.

Barber Shop Business Loans - A Definitive Guide

Barber Shop Business Loans

We've spent a great deal of time working with a number of small businesses since Silver Rock Funding launched and barber shops are an area we have learned to understand even more. Even though a lot of hair gets cut, its tough to find enough money to really make the business hum. There are tons of daily costs like these and of course, this. 

Side note, no one in our office knew what this stuff truly was and how it worked--so we looked it up. Barbicide is some weird stuff.  Check out this video on it:

Regardless of the amounts of barbicide in the barber shop, the barber industry is a competitive place, with $1.9 billion dollars in incoming revenue estimated each year. We’ve already taken a good look at how barber shops can get small business loans in this great article: detailing how these business can thrive in the current marketplace.

Also, we've told you some great resources to read about success stories in this industry like:

Entrepreneur Magazine's feature on How One Barbershop Built Its Brand in Austin, Texas. 

Kiplinger's did a great look at one barber shop business plan in Louisville, Kentucky, and how this barber built a strong brand.

Barber Shop Resources in Education

We also gave you some great resources on going to become a barber if you want to build your career even further or add new staff:

The Barber School

Paul Mitchell's Barbering program

Plus This Barber School Directory by state

We also told you on our website about how a barbers have leveraged the power of a barber shop business loan or a merchant cash advance to get between $5,000 and $500,000.   

For most small business loans, merchants usually need to submit at least 6 months of bank statements, 3 months of merchant processing statements and potentially some other materials.

Barber Shop Business Loans

We also shared with our customers a behind-the-scenes look at how alternative lending worked in a great e-book. It reveals how small business lending and small business loans work for merchants like barbers, plumbers and even doctors. Give it a read. 

Additionally, we've invited customers to give us their feedback on how our service has helped on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and elsewhere. Social media loves Silver Rock Funding too.

Success Stories and Business Loans from Silver Rock Funding

Also, we gave away $1000 to a small business owner who told us about her brand and how she could use the money to help her company grow. 

Read more about our #Grand4YourBrand contest here.

Ensuring Your Small Business Thrives Long After You're Gone

Most of us get so caught up in the daily grind, we forget to plan for the future. For small business owners, it's absolutely vital to look ahead and plan for the day you retire or pass away. “Small business owners need to plan for their estate even more than the average person does... Not doing so can destroy your family and business. And a good estate plan can take years to put in place, so this is not a conversation you want to procrastinate on,” CPA Kelley Long said.

We ran across a great article in Money magazine breaking down the "ins and outs" of planning for the future as a business owner. We broke it down and pulled out the best nuggets of information, but you can read the full article here if you're interested.

No one cares about your business quite like the person who built it from the ground up (you), so make sure you take these proactive steps to ensure your small business thrives long after you're gone.

Create a will. "This document allows you to specify how you want your assets to be transferred, and to whom, after you die. It also lets you identify an executor who will take charge of those assets and manage their disbursement according to your instructions."

Set up a trust. "Any items you place under the ownership of the trust will bypass the probate process. Thus assets owned by the trust can be transferred to heirs much more quickly; your estate will remain private; and, depending on the type of trust you set up, it could dramatically reduce the legal fees and estate taxes your estate or heirs will have to pay. And with a revocable or living trust, the terms and assets can be easily changed if your decisions change."

Draft a power of attorney document. This will "allow you to name an individual to carry out your business affairs should you become incapacitated."

A buy-sell agreement is a must if you co-own a business. "This contract establishes an agreed upon plan for the business’s future should one owner die or become incapacitated... It defines a sale price for the business and your share, and allows you to document whether or not you want your partners to buy out your share, whether you want to block certain people from stepping into the business, or if you’d prefer family members to sell your portion."

Establish life insurance, especially if you have a business partner. "To raise the funds necessary to buy out a deceased partner’s share under a buy-sell agreement, the living partners often need life insurance. Each partner should purchase a term life insurance policy and name the other partners as beneficiaries."

Come up with a succession plan. "If you’re a sole proprietor, you need a clear plan for what should happen to the businesses when you die. If you want to pass on the business, you need to begin delegating and preparing a successor."

Now that we've discussed planning for the future - let's discuss the here and now! If you're trying to grow your business, but lack the necessary funds, you might want to consider a small business loan. With our simple, cost-free application Silver Rock Funding can help you access up to $500,000 for your small business. Head over to our website today, we'd love to help.