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Guest Post by Jane Hurst Hiring remote workers is all the rage, and it’s no wonder why. Remote workers are reportedly happier than in-house workers. FlexJobs also found that 66 percent of professionals say they would be more productive if they worked remotely as opposed to a traditional office — not to mention, productivity rates can increase up to 13 percent, according to an article in The New York Times. While it’s no secret that remote working comes with a wide range of benefits, success doesn’t happen overnight. If you’re looking to hire remote workers, you need the right tools to help everyone stay on track. This includes productivity apps, communication tools, and, of course, employee time-tracking apps. This article will review the 10 best employee time-tracking apps to help you find the perfect app for you and your remote workers. By the end of the article, you’ll have more information to help you make an informed decision about time tracking. 1. Time Doctor If you’re looking for an excellent time-tracking app to monitor your team members, Time Doctor is the perfect place to start. Companies like Home Depot, Apple, Verizon, Surveymonkey, and FirehouseSubs all use Time Doctor, and have experienced excellent results. What does Time Doctor do best? Time Doctor helps you track exactly how your remote employees are spending their time and their productivity rates. With the help of a smart dashboard and detailed reporting, you can see the total time your team members are working as well as individual pieces of information like how much time they spend on certain projects, tasks, and clients. Special features Time tracking — One of the most valuable features of Time Doctor is the time-tracking element of the app. Remote employees can start a timer when they start working and name the task they are working on. Managers can quickly see how employees are spending their time and make adjustments to projects as necessary. With Time Doctor, you can rest assured you get access to efficient, error-free time management. Website monitoring — Interested in learning what applications and websites your team members access during work? Time Doctor is the perfect tool to provide that exact insight. Of course, Time Doctor works hard to ensure the privacy of employees when they are not working, so website tracking is only available when employees are working. Screen monitoring — Managers have access to screenshots of the employee’s current work activity that were taken at random intervals through screen monitoring. Again, Time Doctor provides extra privacy protection by allowing employees to delete these screenshots if they were taken on accident. Managing distractions — One of the most difficult challenges of hiring remote workers is not being able to see how they are spending time. Time Doctor gives you insight into when employees access any social media or entertainment website during work hours. How does it work? TimeDoctor generates a popup, asking you if you are still working. Then, weekly time usage reports are also generated for your reference. Detailed reporting — Don’t have time to sit and monitor screen shots all day? No one does. That’s why Time Doctor creates automated and easy-to-read reports of employee’s time usage. With a click of a button, you can access reports like Timesheet reports, Time Use reports, Attendance reports, project-based breakdowns, Web and App Usage Reports, and more. That way, you can quickly get insight into how members are spending their time without it taking up too much time. Pricing — Time Doctor costs $9.99 per month per user. You can even sign up for a 14-day free trial without using a credit card. 2. Toggl Toggl is another time-tracking app that you may want to look into. This is an affordable app, so it may be a better option for small teams or even freelancers that need to report their time to clients. Special features One-click timers — Toggl isn’t complicated. All you have to do is click the button and you’re ready to roll. Tracking reminders — Did you forget to start the timer? The Toggl Button and Toggl Desktop apps remind you when you're not tracking. Toggle will also detect idle time and you can edit that time slot later. Over 100 app integrations — Toggl has over 100 integrations that put Toggl Button inside your favorite online apps, allowing you to start tracking immediately. Profits vs. labor costs — Get quick access to important data visualization, so you'll know which projects and clients are the best. Team dashboard — The team dashboard shows you how much time each member is tracking and if they're taking on too much or too little work. Pricing — Prices start at $9 per month and go up from there. If you’re an enterprise, the best option is to contact a representative for a custom quote. 3. Harvest Harvest is another employee time-tracking app that is worth looking into. Not only do they make it easy to track time, but they also make it easy to track expenses. This helps you identify productivity and gives you a look into how to better spend your time and budget. Special features Time tracking — Harvest has start and stop times and the ability to enter your hours into a timesheet. Works on devices — Harvest works on your desktop as well as devices. This way, remote employees can track time on the go. Integrations — Like any excellent time-tracking app, Harvest provides a robust list of integrations. This makes it easy to track time without having to switch back and forth between several different applications. Expense tracking — Not only can you track time, but you can access critical data about your expenses. This goes a long way when you’re trying to save money and spend wisely. Invoicing — Need to turn those time cards into invoices? No problem. Harvest stores all information in one convenient location, making this easy. Pricing — Harvest has a free option if you’re a one-person show. Prices go up from there. You can also try Harvest free for 30-days with no credit card. 4. Hubstaff Interested in spending less time tracking time and more time growing? Hubstaff might be the employee time-tracking app for you. Hubstaff comes with everything you need to help your team work smarter, not harder. Special features Time tracking — Like all of the other apps listed above, Hubstaff offers a time-tracking element to their software. It works on the desktop, web, or via mobile device. GPS tracking — Do you work in an industry that requires a lot of travel? Hubstaff provides GPS tracking to help you see when your team is on the road. Online timesheets — Instead of having to keep track of time on a spreadsheet, everything is done online. This way, everyone can track time effectively. Detailed reporting — Need a high-level and deep dive into data? Look no further than Hubstaff. Hubstaff helps you capture data that helps you find ways to become more productive. Productivity monitoring — Time tracking is more than just seeing when employees are working. Hubstaff lets you track apps, URL, activity percentages, and more, so you can see how employees are spending time. Team scheduling — Not only can you see when people are working, but you can actually schedule when your team should work through the app. Pricing — Pricing for Hubstaff is anywhere for free to $20 per user per month. For more information, check out their pricing page. 5. Tick Tick is another time-tracking app that helps you run straightforward projects, and make sure you are making the most of your time and getting the highest productivity rates out of your employees. Special features Timecard — Tick’s time card works in three steps: Select your project, select the task, and enter your time. You can also enter notes, use timesheet reporting to get budget feedback, and/or dig deeper into projects as needed. Running timers — You can start a single timer or toggle between multiple timers as you move between tasks. Budget feedback — After a team member enters time to a task, you can see the project and task budgets. This lets you know how much time they have left to complete the work to help you budget your time more wisely. Enter time from anywhere — Tick prides itself on being the easiest time management software. Tick works on your phone, watch, tablet, desktop or browser. Pricing — Prices range from free to $149 per month. Learn more on their website. 6. Hours Hours is one of the easiest time-tracking apps to use. It works on any device and will help you improve productivity rates. Special features Real time tracking — Do you need to track your time on the go or in real time? Hours makes this easy by keeping running a list of times you can switch between with one tap. Reports — Hours uses powerful data visualizations to help you understand data easily. Use this information to improve processes and efficiencies. Timeline — If you like the timeline feature, Hours is a great option. The timeline feature makes it easy to account for every hour. Plus, you can make adjustments by dragging and dropping the start or end of a time block. Hours for teams — While Hours started out as a personal time-tracking app, it now has full capability to work for teams. Teams can use it to time track, analyze, and capture data. Pricing — The best way to determine pricing is to visit the Hours website and sign up. 7. Timely Timely is another time-tracking app that helps you track time without wasting a second. No one wants to spend extra time on figuring out how much time employees spend on tasks. Timely is fully automated and easy to use. Special features Time tracking — Timely records everything you work on using its Memory Tracker. All your tracked data is kept in a secure, private timeline and only you can see this information. Suggestions — Suggestions is a particularly cool feature of Timely. AI is hard at work to group together your recorded work and suggest time entries. This process is automated. Train — To help Timely get it right, you can rename suggested titles, group activities, and more. Improvements — Timely will learn from your edits and become more accurate as you use the software. Project time management — This app helps you see everything you have going on and you can see it in one, convenient location. Team time management — Timely shows you a live overview of all your employee’s activity. Pricing — Timely offers prices for individuals and groups. Individual prices start at $7 per month and group pricing starts at $99 per month. To get a better idea, visit their website. 8. Clockify Are you looking for a truly free time-tracking app? Then, Clockify might be the time-tracking app for you and your team. You get access to unlimited users, forever. Special features Timesheet — This features helps you report on a week’s worth of time in less than a minute. Dashboard — The dashboard shows you what your team is working on and where everyone is spending their time. Reports — Breakdown information to get a better idea of how to improve productivity. Pricing — Free 9. TSheets TSheets makes time tracking easy. Don’t believe it? Then, ask friends and family how well it works. They have over 20,000 five-star reviews. Special features Time tracking — Employees can clock in or out with just one click. They can also take a break, change job codes, or add timesheet details instantly. Mobile app — TSheets works across mobile devices. This way, you can track your work on the go. Scheduling — Need to schedule time in a place where everyone can see it? TSheets is the perfect place to do it. Integrations — Like many other time-tracking apps, TSheets provides integrations with other productivity software. Pricing — Pricing is free to $4 per month per active user plus a base fee. Find out more information on the pricing page from TSheets. 10. Everhour Everhour is a time-tracking software for teams. You can easily track time, bill your clients, and learn how to improve future quotes and estimates. Special features Time tracking — Time tracking is as easy as clicking once. You can also always log your hours manually if needed. Weekly timesheets — This feature helps you see what you have recorded for the entire week. You can also make edits quickly with this feature. Copy recent — To save time, you can also copy timesheet structure from previous days. Integrations — Like many other time-tracking apps, Everhour integrates with top productivity tools. Pricing — Pricing for solo users is $8 per month. Pricing for teams is $7 per user per month. Learn more here. Wrap up As you can see, there are several top-notch options for employee time-tracking apps. What you end up selecting will depend on the type of work you do, the size of your company, and your needs. Hopefully this review provides an excellent starting point to help you find the time-tracking app that works for you. Jane Hurst is a writer, editor, and avid traveler from San Francisco. Contact her at About.me.

Guest Post by National Funding It’s one of the trickiest questions facing every small business owner — how much do you pay yourself? On the one hand, you don’t want to put the business in jeopardy by setting aside too much salary for yourself. On the other hand, you don’t want to penny pinch unnecessarily. After all, you start a business to make money, not to live as frugally as possible. Finding the balance between too much salary and too little doesn’t look the same for everyone. What could be too much for one small business owner could be too little for another based on their industry, location or time in business.The right salary for you is based on your financial needs weighted equally against the needs of your business. The total could also change unexpectedly if financial conditions change. Ultimately, the only way to find the right figure is to evaluate it over and over again. Use these rules to help you calculate correctly: 1. Keep finances separate Before tackling the question of your salary, you need to separate your personal and business finances. Create a separate business bank account and consider applying for a business credit card. Not only does this create a wall between your finances, it also allows you to build business credit, which helps with securing small business loans or equipment financing. Get in the practice of keeping your finances strictly separate so that your final compensation is transparent. 2. Commit to compensation In some cases, you may not want or need to draw a salary. It’s always better to take some kind of compensation because it signals you have a financial connection to the business — when it succeeds you succeed. Demonstrating that connection is an important signal for employees, investors, financers, and tax collectors. They want to see that you’re committed to a business rather than pursuing a hobby. 3. Consider all options Salary is just one component of compensation. It can also include benefits, stocks, bonuses, or a commission structure. There are multiple ways to take compensation from your company — for instance, extensive benefits may serve your needs better than a large salary. Another option would be to set your salary as a percentage of profits so your compensation is tied to performance. The important takeaway here is that how you decide to collect your compensation will affect your business and personal finances. As you’re investigating how much you need to earn, also consider how different compensation structures will impact both your business savings and your lifestyle. 4. Obey the IRS Small business owners can pay themselves in one of two ways. Either option may be appropriate, but it’s important to understand the tax consequences of both: Salary Method — you pay yourself as an employee of the business. As such, withholdings for Social Security, Medicare, and all your income taxes are taken out before you’re paid. Owner Draw Method — you withdraw money from your business profits. Nothing is withheld from these withdrawals, meaning you’ll be responsible for paying all federal and state taxes owed on your own. 5. Pick your payday When you get paid matters for both you and your business. If you’re drawing a salary, it makes sense to pay yourself on the same schedule as other employees — usually every two weeks. If you’re going with the owner-draw method, plan to make withdrawals on a set schedule and document your actions thoroughly for tax purposes. 6. Don’t neglect investments When the business is doing well it is easy (and often appropriate) to reward yourself with a higher salary. Just keep in mind that employees want raises as well. It’s also important to be regularly investing money back into your own business. It helps relieve your tax burden while also making it easier to get various kinds of small business financing. You shouldn't feel discouraged from raising your wages, but you should consider everything else that money could go to as well. 7. Calculate reasonable compensation At some point you have to put a dollar amount on your salary. According to one survey, the average small business owner salary is $59,000, but that doesn’t account for factors like the size or location of the business. Start by calculating how much you need to make to cover all your fixed expenses. Ideally, this is your minimum salary. You can also estimate an appropriate figure by using salary tracking tools to find out what professionals with similar skills are making in your same area. If that approach doesn’t work, think about how much you would pay to outsource everything you do for your business. 8. Study the financials You can only pay yourself as much as the business can afford. When thinking about how to set your salary, the best way to inform this decision is to understand your business’s cash flow and predict your profitability. Account first for business expenses and profit taxes so you have an idea of what income is available for your salary. Beyond looking at your business’ current financial picture, you also should factor in any future growth plans. For instance, if you plan to open a new location, drawing a sizable salary may cut into your working capital. If the bottom line makes it impossible to earn as much as you need, consider raising your prices or financing a growth opportunity. There is no magic formula for calculating your salary. However, if you follow all of these rules you can feel confident you’re making informed decisions for yourself and your business. And no matter what you end up making, remember one important thing — you’ve earned it. The Bottom Line is a blog from the experts at National Funding, a leading source for small business loans and equipment financing solutions. We show entrepreneurs of all stripes how to resolve cash flow issues and seize growth opportunities. Check in to The Bottom Line regularly to find advice and insights to help you sustain success, and rely on the resources of National Funding if your business ever needs affordable and accessible lending options.

Guest Post by Elizabeth Aldrich If you don’t know your business credit score, you’re not alone. A survey conducted by Nav shows that almost half of small business owners don’t even know that business credit exists.That oversight doesn’t mean that business credit scores aren’t important. A good business credit score will get you the best business loans and lines of credit, while a bad one will bar you from borrowing money at all. Given that a lack of growth and cash flow were revealed as the main obstacles facing small business owners in the Nav survey, it’s clear that access to low-cost funding options a necessity for business owners. What is a business credit score? While your personal credit score looks at your relationship with credit, your business credit score looks at your business’s relationship with credit. A number of credit reporting agencies calculate business credit scores, including Equifax, Experian, and Dun & Bradstreet, and each has its own scoring method. Your business credit score can range from 0 to 100, although if you’re just starting out and have never used a business loan or business credit card, you might not even have a business credit score. Why a good business credit score matters Many business owners don’t think they need to pay attention to their business credit score. However, even if you don’t plan to borrow money for your business right now, you should still know your business credit score. Here’s why: It helps you qualify for the best small business loans.As your business grows, a small business loan is a quick and effective way to support that growth. It allows you to invest in more capital and scale your business without being beholden to outside investors. However, you’ll need a good business credit score to get approved for the best rates on business loans. It can provide access to emergency funding.From equipment failure to lawsuits, it’s not uncommon for a business to face unexpected expenses. If your business is ever in need of fast cash, borrowing money might be your only option. When this is the case, a good business credit score can come to the rescue, allowing you to qualify for the best business loans and lines of credit. It convinces others to trust your business.Unlike your personal credit score, your business credit score is public information that anyone can look up. Vendors and suppliers can look at your business credit, and a good score makes them more likely to do business with you. It can help you earn credit card rewards.If your business spends a lot, you might as well be rewarded for it. A good business credit score can help you qualify for the best business credit cards, and many of them offer lucrative rewards in the form of cash back or travel points. How your business credit score is calculated Each credit scoring agency calculates your score differently, but the following factors are typically considered: Credit accounts Credit accounts under your business name, such as business loans or business credit cards, are a main determining factor in your business credit score. Credit scoring agencies will look at the following factors: Payment history — On-time payments will help you build business credit while missing payments can tank your score. Length of credit history — If your business has been using credit for a long time, it’ll be easier to build a good business credit score. On the other hand, if you’re just starting out, you might not have a business credit score at all. Credit utilization — Bumping up against your credit limit regularly will likely decrease your credit score. Instead, you want to maintain low balances on lines of credit like business credit cards in relation to your credit limit. Number of credit lines — Showing you can juggle multiple lines of credit responsibly is more likely to boost your score than only having one line of credit. Collections information If you fail to pay your business’s bills (rent, electricity, etc.) on time, those missed payments can be reported to the agencies that determine your business credit score. Furthermore, unpaid accounts can be sent to collections if left overdue for a long time, at which point your business credit score is likely to take a severe hit. Public records Any judgments made against your business in court, liens, or bankruptcies will show up on your public records. These are also used to calculate your business credit score.The following factors can also influence your business credit score: Length of time you’ve been in business Your business revenue Your assets Your industry’s risk level How to check your business credit score If you don’t know how to check your business credit score, it’s fairly easy. You’ll want to get your score from each of the three main business credit scoring agencies by contacting them at the links listed below. Dun & Bradstreet — Purchase your business credit report online or call (844) 238-1514 Equifax — Contact them online or by phone at (866) 519-4800 Experian — Get your business credit report and score online The bottom line Knowing your business credit score helps your business plan for the future. Once you have your business credit report in hand, you can take several steps to improve your business credit score, from opening a business credit card to decreasing your current debt levels. Don’t let a bad or nonexistent credit score get in the way of your business’s growth.Elizabeth Aldrich is a freelance writer covering personal finance, business, and travel. Her writing has appeared in The Motley Fool, Business Insider, Yahoo! Finance, LendingTree, Student Loan Hero, FOX Business, and more.

Guest Post by Megan Mosley Customers are the life of any business. Therefore, achieving a healthy customer base is key. Along with retaining current customers, many businesses find that generating new business is one of their biggest concerns.Before we talk about tips for increasing your customer base, let’s quickly expand on what we’re talking about. We’re simply talking about lead generation.In its simplest form, lead generation quite literally means the process for obtaining new leads (or a person/business you want to convert to a customer). Inbound and outbound marketing are typically used to create interest in the business or product. Recently, it seems that lead generation depends more on inbound marketing practices that help convert leads into customers in their own time than outbound methods which can seem more gimmicky. So, how can you expand your customer base to ensure a steady stream of customers? 1. Keep your business profiles and website current This sounds like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised by how many businesses fail to update their business profiles online. It may not seem like a big deal, but this can hinder your business, significantly. When people look up your business or use keywords to locate a product like the one you offer, they expect to find current information. If your business hours, location, phone number, etc. have changed, this should be updated immediately. If potential leads can’t contact you or have to do more than just a quick search, they will move on without hesitation. Up to date and accurate profile information makes it easy for leads to do business with you. 2. Be available Along with accurate information, people expect you to be available. This doesn’t mean you have to be present 24 hours a day, but rather give people options for reaching out to you. Fortunately, chatbots, social media, email, phone all make it possible for people to contact you even when you’re off duty. Making yourself accessible leaves communication channels open so people can contact you on their time and via their preferred method. 3. Provide exceptional customer service This is the root of all good. You may be thinking, customer service is great for keeping existing customers satisfied, but how can that get leads through the door? Your customer service is what will land you reviews, referrals, and good word of mouth, all of which help gain the attention of prospects. It’s up to you to find the right team to deliver. You have to be nice, attentive, and provide a good overall experience. Even in niche markets, you will have competitors; it’s not just your product that is going to get people to choose you. According to Gartner, 64 percent of people find customer experience more important than price. Numerous customer service statistics prove its importance. So if you want to expand your customer base, you may want to set a good customer service strategy in place. 4. Use email marketing Sharing insightful information can increase your customer base. You can share your knowledge with others via email marketing. In fact, there are a ton of ways to use email to get leads. You may offer a newsletter of all your latest content, or even an ecourse.By getting people to sign up for your email campaigns, even if they have never purchased your product, you have the ability to convert them down the line. Why? Because you’re establishing yourself within your niche, and building your relationship with them. 5. Ask for customer feedback and reviews One of the important things you should do is get customer feedback. This is often neglected or overlooked, but it is really one of the best ways to get more customers. A review can be the deciding factor in whether a customer chooses you or not. People rely on review sites, and if your business has reviews and your competitor doesn’t, you’ll likely find that more people will trust you and therefore choose you. A Zendesk survey found the influence of positive reviews to be quite significant for business. Of the respondents, 90 percent mentioned that positive reviews had an influence in their buying decision. interestingly, 86 percent of the respondents said the same for negative reviews.If you’re not getting reviews, take some time to reflect on why. 6. Market your content No matter what kind of business you have, content can draw people in. Whether you’re a lawn service giving tips and tricks for caring for a lawn, or an eCommerce clothing store providing style ideas. People may find you by first getting a hold of your content. Blogs, whitepages, webinars, infographics, etc make you shareable too. Why? You’re able to share real advice which can be great for stepping up your social media profiles. Plus, a customer might be more willing to share content of yours when referring you to others. Content marketing can help you increase your brand awareness. You will have the potential to bring in new leads and ultimately increase your customer base. 7. Automate your marketing  Most businesses are turning to automation to eliminate tedious tasks and to streamline their processes. Plus, they have seen an increase in lead quantity quality, so it’s a win all around. In fact, as mentioned by Hubspot, those who use marketing automation tools have experienced a 451 percent increase in nurturing qualified leads. With that increase, it’s pretty clear to see why automation has been an essential tool in building a customer base. Besides making life easier on the business, it also improves efficiency, whether that means outreach, data management, or even product delivery. 8. Consider using referral marketing A referral is a huge compliment, and a great way for you to increase your customer base. Many businesses use referral marketing because it helps them produce quality leads, meaning ones that are likely to convert. But why is that? Well, it’s simple. Referral programs work because they rely on a level of trust. Information, businesses, and products shared by a friend are trusted more than any ad you can put out yourself, which is why you need a referral program. Nielsen has found that around 92 percent of people from various markets are more inclined to believe people from their own social circles. This is because people do not want to mislead friends, as that can affect their reputation. Referral marketing taps into the world of word of mouth marketing. As a business you are using your customers to reach new circles of people that you may not have been able to reach otherwise. The bottom line As you can see, there are a variety of ways you can increase your customer base. You may want to test out a few, or maybe even all of them. We will say that having updated business profiles, making yourself available, and providing good customer service are a few that you should implement no matter where you are in your business journey. Those are just good practices to have that will naturally result in increased customers.Megan Mosley is a Marketing Specialist at Referral Rock, a referral marketing software, who believes every business has the potential to increase its word of mouth. When she’s not working, she enjoys sipping on coffee and hanging out with her dog, Mollie.

Guest Post by LendioAccording to Forbes.com, personal credit scores are “algorithms that attempt to predict whether or not you will repay your obligations in the future.” These algorithms consider numerous factors, such as the promptness of your bill payments and whether you pay your monthly credit card balance in full (opposed to the minimum).Also, it’s worth pointing out that your personal score is separate from your business credit score. While the two share some common DNA, your business score is based on elements specifically related to the running of your company, such as your number of trade experiences, payment history, and outstanding balances. The value of your credit score Your personal credit score can be worth its weight in gold. For example, a strong score helps you qualify for better rates on a vehicle or home loan, which can save you thousands of dollars. And, most importantly for entrepreneurs, it can open the door for the capital you need to reach your business goals.The good news is that credit scores are rising nationwide. Research shows the average FICO Score is now above 700. Surprisingly enough, there are more Americans right now with scores above 800 than there are below 600.Wherever you fall within that point range, you can put your personal credit score to work to secure financing for your business. As with vehicle and home loans, the higher your score, the more favorable the terms will be. And some loan products on the market are quite lenient when it comes to your score, making them ideal for those who are new in the business or have a less-than-stellar financial history.Here are a few examples of loans where your personal score can help you with qualification, even if your score isn't high enough to impress anyone other than your mother: Merchant cash advances When speed is of the essence, this type of financing can be hard to beat. That’s because a merchant cash advance allows you to borrow against your business’s future earnings, meaning you won’t need to deal with mountains of paperwork detailing your financial past.Merchant cash advances can range from $5,000 to $200,000, and you can often get that money in about 24 hours. Because approvals are based more on the performance of your business than your personal financial history, people with low personal credit scores can often qualify as long as you’ve got at least $2,500 in monthly credit card transactions. ACH loans Similar to a merchant cash advance, an ACH loan is predicated more on your business’s finances than your own credit score. Lenders will focus on the average daily balance in your business account, then approve you accordingly.ACH loans fund much quicker than traditional loans, though the amounts are usually on the smaller side and the interest rate can be rather high. It’s worth noting that with this type of financing, the payments will be withdrawn directly from your checking account. Business lines of credit As a flexible form of financing, a business line of credit often jives perfectly with entrepreneurs who are launching a business. Similar to a credit card, a line of credit gives access to cash that you can use at your discretion. When you need money, you simply borrow (and then repay) the specific amount you need.The size of your line of credit can range from $1,000 to $500,000. And it can be used for everything from buying bulldozers to paying your employees. When it comes to qualifying, as long as you bring in at least $50,000 in annual revenue and have a credit score of 560 or above, you could be a solid candidate. Bolstering your credit score If your score isn’t quite where you’d like it to be and you’re interested in accessing a broader array of loan products, don’t worry. Credit scores aren’t a caste system where you’re locked into your current position. With discipline and strategy, you can improve your score and begin tapping into the benefits that come with it.For starters, never be passive when it comes to your credit score. Monitor it regularly and look for actionable ways to improve. You also might find errors that make you look riskier to lenders, resulting in less favorable terms and higher interest rates. Research shows as many as one in five Americans have such errors on their report.You may also want to consider partnering with a credit repair expert who specializes in repairing credit. They can quickly spot errors, identify areas for improvement, and provide multiple strategies for elevating your score. By focusing your efforts on credit repair, you could save thousands of dollars with lower interest rates, as well as having more doors swing open for you when seeking capital.Grant Olsen is a writer specializing in small business loans, leadership skills, and growth strategies. He is a contributing writer for KSL 5 TV, where his articles have generated more than 6 million page views, and has been featured on FitSmallBusiness.com and ModernHealthcare.com. Grant is also the author of the book "Rhino Trouble." 

Guest Post by Jane HurstChoosing a website builder for your business can be a daunting task. There are many available to choose from, but you want to be sure you invest wisely. Here are eight tips for picking the best website builder for your business. Priority When choosing a website builder for your business, you need to figure out exactly why you want a website builder. Your experience level and whether you will have an online store are factors in determining which website builder is right for your business. Some website builders are for beginners and others require language and other computer knowledge. If you know what your website builder will be used for, you will be more likely to choose the perfect website builder for your business. Budget Once you know what you will be doing with your website builder, you have to figure out how much you are willing and able to spend. You want a good website builder that is within your budget. This is something you do not want to skimp on. Be sure you have enough budgeted to get the best website builder for your business. Established companies You want to look for established companies when searching for a website builder. There are older and newer reputable companies out there. You want to be sure to end up with one that has traffic and a good reputation. A company might look good, but you want to do your research and make sure it has great credentials before handing them your money. A business that has been searched for and has good ratings is one to consider. You might want to ask other businesses which ones they use. Word of mouth can sometimes help you choose which website building company to invest  in. Ease You want a website builder that is relatively easy to use. If the person using the website builder has knowledge about computer languages and programming you can choose a more intricate website builder. You want as many employees as possible to be able to use the website builder without experiencing any confusion or frustration. Once the website builder is established, you need to be able to use it to its fullest extent. Be sure to get a website builder that will be easy for your employees to operate. Support When researching website building companies, be sure to check their support staff. You want to have a reliable support staff in case anything happens while you are using the website builder. More business website builders are catering to the needs of their customers. You want a website builder that has good support in case of emergency or just minor frustrations. A company that does not have a good support staff will not be able to help you in a timely fashion and you will end up losing money waiting for your support to arrive. SEO You want a website builder with a good search engine optimizer built in. SEOs are important for web traffic and promotion. If a website builder does not have SEO features installed, you should look at another website builder for your business. Website builders should include SEO features in their design to help you gain the most from the web. Customer service You want a website building company with great customer service. You can find out about their customer service reputation by researching the company. A reputable company will have honest and informative customer reviews that actually go into detail about situations. A five-star review that just says they love the company is not helpful when researching customer service. A review that says they had a specific problem and this is how the company solved it is a better review. Take the time to make sure the company you choose has good customer service. Refunds If you take your time and do the research on website builders you should not need to worry about refunds. However, even the best companies have problems sometimes and you want to be sure to cover your back. Research the refund policy of the website builder you are interested in. Be sure you can get your money back or equitable product. You do not want to be stuck with a company that makes you unhappy. See if you can test the product before fully committing to buying it. Choosing a website builder for your company can be a daunting task, but if you take the time and do some research it should not be as difficult as it once seemed. Look up customer reviews and be sure the company is established before investing any money into it. Make sure it is a reputable company with good products that will help build your business and establish your web presence. Jane Hurst is a writer, editor and avid traveler from San Francisco. Contact her at About.me.

Guest Post by Dan Matthews Launching a new venture can be a thrill, but it’s easy for those emotional highs to quickly come crashing down to earth after the rubber hits the road. Here are a few tips and strategies to help you maintain your sanity in the early days of your startup, enabling you to launch your business with a bang. Organize Having an organized office or workspace is a critical step in launching a business. Whether this is a brick-and-mortar storefront, a traditional office space with cubicles or a bullpen, or even an online workflow platform like Trello or Asana, it’s critical that you take the time to optimize the space for your employees.This isn’t just a trendy way to keep your staff content and your turnover rate low; it actually affects productivity significantly. One study with hundreds of software developers from dozens of companies showed that employees' productivity differed by as much as 10 to 1. While many factors were taken into account, the organization of an employee’s workspace tended to be even more important than things like compensation. A disheveled and unorganized workspace hardly serves as a confidence booster. Make sure your workspace, whatever form it takes, is well organized and conducive to your employees. Lean on good counsel You can’t go at it alone when launching a business. This doesn’t mean that you have to hire a huge staff or have experts actually on your payroll, but having a group of seasoned professionals who you trust can give you a powerful edge over the competition. The wisdom of having a group of councilors to lean on is as old as the hills. It allows you to crowdsource the best ideas possible. In addition, when you have ideas yourself, it gives you a collective (and wise) sounding board to bounce them off of.Don’t be afraid to lean on the advice of trusted friends. It’s easy to be scared away from sharing your business ideas in the fear that they’ll be stolen or shot down. If you find a group you truly can depend on, however, they can be invaluable when it comes to parsing through various thoughts and options. And this is never truer than when a business is just starting. From marketing and day-to-day operations to more complex, behind-the-scenes aspects like payroll or handling investors, every aspect of a company can benefit from the crowdsourced counsel model. For example, a study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Collat School of Business demonstrated that crowdsourcing platforms like Estimize were an excellent source of information even in the tricky business of generating earnings estimates, with the tool forecasting accuracy 58 percent of the time. The diversity of opinions and lack of a single bias can make crowdsourced council, even with more detailed subjects of expertise, which can be invaluable during the highs and lows of a startup’s first few years of operation. Have a business plan in place Never underestimate the power of a business plan. It gives you something stable to fall back on when things don’t go quite the way you expected. Make no mistake, curveballs are inevitable with any business venture. However, while rolling with the punches can be an excellent life mantra, it won’t get you very far on its own in business. It’s essential that any new venture is founded on a thought-out plan that gives an owner recourse in the event of an emergency or important decision. It’s also important that a plan be as detailed as possible, taking into account things like funding, income, and expenses. Understanding taxes and how they can impact your business is critical, as is recording company benchmarks, goals, and mission statements in order to have a clear-cut filter to view any important decisions through. Having a plan in place can help you keep your head on straight when facing things like  dealing with startup debt or making tough decisions. Here’s an excellent resource to help guide you through writing a basic business plan. Balance your time Finally, it’s easy to get swept up in the details. However, when you’re saddled with so many new responsibilities, it’s important to take the time to navigate them wisely. It’s hard to delegate, but trusting your employees is critical in the early stages of a startup. It’s also helpful to look for tools that can streamline various tasks, rather than simply doing everything yourself.Taking the time to start your business with a plan and organized workspace in place, making an effort to be mindful of your time, and seeking out wise counsel for big decisions are critical factors in any fledgeling company. When attended to, they can grease the wheels, setting up your startup for the best chance for success. Dan Matthews is a writer, musician, and dog fanatic who would love to be outdoors hiking with his dog right now. You can find him on Twitter @danielmatthews0.

Guest Post by Rebecca Lake Running a small business doesn't necessarily mean staying small. At some point, you might decide you're ready to grow and scale your business up to the next level. According to Accounting Today's 2018 Small Business Accounting Insights Survey, 70 percent of small business owners expect their profits to increase in 2019. There's just one thing you might need to see those plans through: a reliable source of capital. When working capital isn't readily available, or you'd rather keep your cash reserves intact, getting a loan could be the next best option for your business. Using a loan to power growth allows you to maintain control of your business since you're not sacrificing any equity. And with so many loan options to choose from — including bank loans, Small Business Administration loans, and business loans from alternative online lenders — you can find one that fits your needs and cash flow precisely. If you need some inspiration for how to use a loan to expand your business, here are four ways you can put one to work: 1. Update or buy new equipment Equipment might be an integral part of your business. For example, if you own a construction company, you may rely on heavy machinery such as backhoes or front-end loaders to get the job done. Or, you might use computers and other office equipment to keep your tech startup humming along. Making upgrades or additions to your equipment inventory can help with your expansion plans if it allows you to serve your clients or customers more efficiently or grow your customer base. The downside? Buying or leasing equipment can be expensive. Taking out a loan to cover the cost means you don't have to make a dent in your cash savings. Another plus of equipment financing is that you may be able to use the equipment itself as collateral, rather than pledging business or personal assets. And having up-to-date equipment can give you a competitive edge within your industry or niche. 2. Increase your marketing reach A solid marketing strategy can be critical to your business success. Your marketing campaign should be designed to target your ideal clients or customers while producing a maximum return on investment, in terms of increasing revenues and profits. Opening up the scope of your marketing plan, or revamping it altogether, could encourage business growth if doing so enables you to connect with a wider audience. For example, you may have concentrated marketing on just one or two channels, such as social media or email. Launching a full-scale promotion that includes a combination of digital, radio, print, and television ads could substantially increase your business's visibility. A loan might allow you to plan a larger budget for marketing than you would if you were drawing the funds from your everyday cash flow. You could also use a loan to hire a team to handle the nuts and bolts of marketing and promotion for you if you'd rather direct your time and energy toward a different growth effort. For example, a web designer could update your website, and a social media manager could oversee your social campaigns while you work on developing a new product. 3. Expand your business offerings Adding new products to the mix can attract new customers if those products are highly sought after or you're one of only a few businesses offering them. New products may be ones you develop yourself or existing products you purchase from a supplier. In either case, a loan can help meet those needs. For instance, you could use a loan to cover the costs of researching and developing a new product line from start to finish, including purchasing materials, producing your initial prototype, and paying manufacturing costs. If you're purchasing completed products to sell, a loan makes it easier to buy in bulk so you have sufficient inventory to meet customer demand. A loan could also come into play if you're operating a service-based business. If you own a hair salon, for example, you may want to move beyond cutting and styling and broaden your services to include facials, brow waxing, manicures, pedicures, or massages.With a business loan, you could cover the initial costs of hiring and training new staff to handle those services, purchasing any necessary equipment, and advertising your newly expanded service line. 4. Upgrade your business premises One final way to use a loan to expand your business involves where you do business. Upgrading your business premises, either by making structural improvements or opening up a new location, can pay dividends in terms of growth. If you own a restaurant, for example, updating the interior or launching a second pop-up location can bring fresh attention to your business and draw new customers. Renovating your premises can also benefit your business if it leads to increased productivity among your employees. Remodeling your employee workplace so that it's more comfortable or has a better flow could make it more conducive to keeping your team focused and on task. The payoff to you is a business that runs more smoothly, with less time (and hopefully, less money) wasted. Match the loan type to your business expansion plans These examples are just some of the ways you could use a loan to expand your business; the possibilities are virtually limitless. Your needs or growth goals may be different, and that's important to keep in mind as you compare small business loan options. A working capital loan, for instance, may be better for short-term needs while a term loan could be a better fit if you're making a large-scale growth investment. As you consider which type of business loan is best, check the fees, interest rates, and repayment terms carefully. Ideally, the loan you choose to expand your business should fit not only your vision but your budget as well. Rebecca Lake is a financial journalist covering small business, investing, and personal finance. Her work has appeared online at U.S. News and World Report, Investopedia, and The Balance. She also works with top banking and insurance brands, including Citibank, Ally, Discover Bank, and AIG.

Guest Post by Lauren Wiseman The modern consumer doesn’t buy out of necessity alone, and brands can no longer use pricing as their main selling point to attract a loyal client. Even companies that sell physical goods can no longer rely on dry facts when presenting their unique offer to a certain audience. Every brand, product and service-based, needs to sell values and promises first and foremost. A car is no longer just a vehicle, but your reliable companion on a road-trip adventure. In a similar sense, a plumber is no longer just a handyman, but an expert who will improve the function of your home. If you are looking for viable ways to market your service-based business and help your customers understand what makes you unique in a sea of similar offers, then look no further than the following tactics. They are designed to help you make the most of your brand’s authenticity and turn even the simplest of services into experiences modern consumers will love. Define your uniqueness In this day and age, you cannot afford to be just another New York chef or one of many fitness trainers in Melbourne. It’s all about finding, refining, and presenting that special something that makes you memorable and unique in the eyes of your target audience. Without that “edge”, you cannot expect your customers to perceive your particular skill as unique – simply because it truly isn’t. Every market has subcategories and specific “gaps” for that spot your brand should fill. In the pursuit of uniqueness and the best way to express it, you should conduct thorough research of both the market and your competitors. Mimicking their offers will get you nowhere, but you can learn from them and tailor your own offers to target your customers better. Craft a flawless digital presence Even with an incredible team of experts under your wing and an impeccable service record backed up by hard-earned credentials, the world will never know your true value if you stay in the shadows of the brick-and-mortar past. Simply put, you need to translate that wonderful service of yours into the digital realm in order for your customers to be able to relate to your business and fully appreciate your services. For instance, even something as simple as professional bus hire in Sydney can be transformed into an experience that will be worth your while with the help of the right digital approach, such as transparency and ease of navigation. If you make your offers clear with the use of imagery, pair it with rich, descriptive language, and pack it all into a seamless, intuitive presentation, you can rest assured that even the most mundane services can become alluring. Rely on reviews and feedback After you’ve built a fine digital presence, remember that your audience will only be able to trust you if others have given you their trust and you haven’t failed them. Asking for feedback on a regular basis is essential because you can learn from customer comments and improve. Make sure that your business is not only registered on all relevant business directories but that you enable feedback and reviews wherever possible. Of course, use them as a part of your own website as well, so that clients can see quotes almost as soon as they visit. Regular surveys can also help you reveal any gaps in what you do and provide you with invaluable insights as to how you can attract more clients in the future. Connect via social networks Selling physical goods comes with the perk of using alluring images, whereas many services are more abstract, and it can be difficult to give them a visual identity your audience can relate to. However, as a living entity, your brand can come to life even more through social networks. From  interactive contests and engaging comments to discount offers and handling customer service queries via social networks, you can use these platforms to increase visibility as well as brand awareness. Social networks are also perfect for establishing a more personal, one-on-one connection, which is vital when you respond to criticism and when you share positive reviews. These modern communication options are essential for service-based businesses to get traction online. Deliver awesome content Finally, producing content that is inspiring as well as useful is one of those strong points for service-based business models. This is that portion of your digital existence where you don’t aim to sell, but to provide value in the form of solutions, how-tos, educational infographics and video guides. These serve to tell a story, as well as build your company’s reputation. Content is your best possible outlet for establishing authority and making sure your brand will be perceived as a reliable source of information, which will, in turn, increase your chances of winning your audience’s trust. Not to mention the likes, shares, comments, and other reactions your content can inspire. Marketing a service-based business will always pose a challenge. However, if you take these tips to heart, your company can stand the test of time and build a reputation of excellence in your industry.

Guest Post by Joseph Brady If you’ve ever read stories of castles and the knights who guard them, you understand what it means to establish barriers. Barriers for your business are a similar concept. It means to fortify your business against new competition that can enter the market and steal your customers. Establishing business barriers is playing defense. Rather than attack any singular competition, strengthen your own business instead. The best businesses and companies have proved that focusing on your competition and what they’re doing leaves less time to focus on your own business. Create an intent for your business to deliver more value, rather than imitate or repurpose what your competition does. When you’re armed with the right strengths, your current and any future competition will find it a real challenge to break down your walls. Any business with high entry barriers is most attractive to prospective investors and financiers. Building on your value stream is the most important component of business barriers. Your competition is irrelevant when you’re continuously generating value for your business. While factors like government regulations, stringent business requirements, or even exclusive skills required in your industry can build some initial barrier to entry, it is up to you to strengthen your business past this first line of defense. Initial market-entry barriers Patents The starting point of establishing market barriers to entry is owning a patent proprietary to your business. Your competition can’t use or sell the patented invention in the territory of the patent. Even a pending patent application of a pending utility patent can act as a barrier to entry because the competition does not know if the patent will be issued or not. A famous example of this is the pharmaceutical industry, where companies can be barred or banned from manufacturing or marketing the medicine until the patent for the original company is granted. Even if a patent is granted, it doesn’t solve all problems. Even more difficult is protecting the patent and names like Apple and Samsung fighting it out in court are the prime examples of this.    Trade secretsA trade secret is the “secret ingredient” of your business. If your company has a specific recipe, algorithm, process, or formula, then you can file it as a trade secret, which cannot be obtained by other companies, even through legal means. Companies like Coca-Cola and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) have their recipes exclusively filed as a trade secret. It is your business’s responsibility to protect the trade secret.  If it is let out, there’s not much you can do to protect it.Monopoly rightsEstablishing key rights with the right people in your area can be a useful barrier to entry. It can be a little costly but an exclusive relationship with the best suppliers, distributors, licensers, financiers, endorsers, and even customers can be one of the best investments to make for your business. Your competition won’t have a chance of even breaking into the market, provided you put the effort into maintaining these relationships. Second-line of barrier to entry Economies of scale Any business that produces at a larger scale has reduced manufacturing costs which can be a competitive advantage. This is known as economies of scale. If you have an established profitable business, consider expanding or franchising your business to meet this barrier of entry. Although this isn’t easy on the piggy bank either, several financing options can help businesses do this. For businesses that are new to the market, trying to scale their business up right away isn’t a feasible choice which can give you the upper hand. Tactical approach As an established business that has been around for awhile, you have the ability to take risks that your early competition cannot afford to take. Offer products or services on sale or at cheaper prices which can slightly dip in your profit margins without throwing your business off balance. If it isn’t sales, you can reduce your profit margin through other profitable means to establish a barrier.Marketing and advertising Marketing and advertising is one of the best ways to get a quick boost above your competition. Create great advertisements, organize a brilliant marketing plan, or reach out across social media. Anything and everything you can do to engage with your customers brings their loyalty towards your business and brand as well. Attend local events and become a well-known name for the industry. The best marketing technique is through word-of-mouth so make sure your customers have a great experience at your store and share their reviews online and with their circles of influence. The more your business is known, the less your customers will acknowledge any competition you might have. Third-line of barrier to entry High research and development costs Another place to invest your profits is on high research and development to take your business forward. Putting an effort into research and development shows your competitors that you’re into serious business and in for the long-term run. This can help improve all other barriers to business as well, by identifying critical factors that can strengthen your foothold in the market. Market shares Even if your business doesn’t have a great intellectual property portfolio, if you have a loyal customer base, your strategy can be to build a great product and invest largely in customer acquisition and market shares. Even though it may not seem like it, this is a subtle barrier to entry strategy most businesses use.Some of the best brands in the world came to be household names by building their own barriers against competitors rather than fighting against them. Building lines of defense, being adaptable and innovative to suit changing needs, and improving the overall customer experience isn’t easy. Focus on the options that are in line with your industry, and continuously build, expand, and protect your barriers. Your competition is sure to land in the moat. Joseph Brady is Senior Director of Digital Marketing for Reliant Funding, a provider of short-term working capital to small and mid-sized businesses nationwide. He has more than 14 years of experience in B2B digital marketing, optimization, and operations, with a focus on the financial services market.