Sample 1 - Blog , Business DevelopmentSample 1 - Blog , Business Developmenthttps://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/Business-DevelopmentTue, 06 Aug 2024 05:32:15 -0700http://zoho.com/sites/<![CDATA[What Are The Foundations Of A Sustainable Successful & Scalable Business? ]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/What-Are-The-Foundations-Of-A-Sustainable-Successful-Scalable-Business
Michael Geber in his  Emyth (Entrepreneurial Myth) discusses why so many businesses fail to achieve their true potential, even if they survive the staggering failure rate statistical odds and ultimately what you as a small business can do about it. All this unnecessary failure and consequential suffering it brings stem from lack of awareness of a few fundamentals namely... 
  1. Business is a System
  2. You can't manage People, you can only manage Processes 
  3. Businesses are just vehicles to serve everyone, owners, employees, suppliers, customers, community get what they want from it 
    • For owners, businesses should give more life, lifestyle, choice and abundance but unfortunately for many small businesses the opposite is true 
  4. Most businesses are started for all the wrong reasons and for this, they are already doomed before they are even born.. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital for SME’s and Property Developers.

At the heart of these business systems is a continuous improvement process of.. 
  • Innovation 
  • Orchestration & 
  • Quantification 

If you can't quantify or measure any aspect of your business, how else can you monitor and let alone improve that particular aspect of business or process. It is said, "What gets measured, Gets attention." 


The right "Entrepreneurial Perspective" and the "True Purpose of Any Business." 

Business System's Components 

  1. Marketing: Lead Generation System 
  2. Sales: Lead Conversion System 
  3. Customer Services : Client Fulfilment System 
  4. Finance System 
  5. Operations System 
  6. People Systems 

Lead Generation System - Marketing

Plan and intentional system to create massive targeted performance based reach and awareness, steps #1 & #2.

Lead Conversion System - Sales

Your system to convert the captured qualified leads, steps 3 & 4, generated by reach and awareness activities, steps #1 & #2. This is the selling part of your business systems.

Client Fulfillment System - Customer Services 

Your clients having being sold on your products and services in step 4, step 5 is delivering on the client fulfilment and on-going engagement throughout the customer life cycle and lifetime.

Finance System

Your financial system is all about income & expenditure ensuring business has positive cashflow and reserves to cover operating expenses as well as the unexpected.

Operations System

Technology plays an instrumental and vital part in your business systems, allowing efficient and accurate data capture, processing, reporting providing a 360 degree view of your customers and business whilst also complying to regulation such as data protection etc. 

"Extraordinary business are not built from ordinary people leveraged by extraordinary business systems..." #MichaelEGerber, Emyth author 

People System

Your greatest and most valuable business asset is your people. After all TEAM Work makes the dream not only work but the journey shared and more enjoyable. 

Some of the reasons TEAM's are dysfunctional and not delivery as expected and could be possible are explored in our short video summary, "The Five Dysfunctions of Teams" .

Leaders are only as good as the teams they build!.

By CEO, GIC Capital 


]]>Thu, 28 May 2020 06:33:58 -0800<![CDATA[Traditional Lenders vs Alternative Specialist Challenger Capital Providers... ]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/Traditional-Lenders-vs-Alternative-Specialist-Challenger-Capital-Providers...
Whether you are an established trading business (manufacturer, hospitality business, etc), property investor or house builder, why would you, or why are businesses turning to non-bank lenders for financing - and in many cases paying a premium on the cost of borrowing - even with high-quality assets and or have a solid established profitable businesses? 


There are many reasons why creditworthy borrowers with strong track records and desirable assets turn to non-bank lenders, for which we explore a few reasons below. This also applies to other not so creditworthy companies or investors across entire business sector spectrum. 

Within the Real Estate sector, although not exclusive to real estate, these broad trends driving borrowers toward non-bank lenders, creating high-yield credits that are senior in the capital structure and backed by strong assets and stable cash flows in the UK and around the world are:

We aim to deliver much needed capital for SME’s and Property Developers.

1. Regulation and Regulatory Constraints 

Rigorous and stringent underwriting criteria with banks demanding specific loan-to-value ratios, occupancy rates and average lease lengths etc are some real estate specific examples even when circumstances mean there are significant compensating de-risk factors.

2.  Timing & Simplicity 

Red tape and strict criteria that often doesn’t reflect the nature of SME business models means that the UK’s smallest businesses are often turned away empty handed when they approach mainstream lenders such as banks. 


Fewer questions, less paperwork and instant approval or decline decision with in some cases adverse credit not even negative factor nor none home owner status as is often the case with high street main banks is one big positive factor for alternative lending capital providers. An example of this being "Merchant Cash Advance" or " Bridging Loans".   

3. Business and or Investors' Need For Flexibility 

In the case of Merchant Cash Advance as an example 

This is cash flow finance or funding solution perfectly suited to businesses that have a high volume of customer card payment transactions, such as those firms operating in the retail and hospitality sector. 


Rather than having restrictive monthly payment obligations, you’ll pay a percentage of what you earn - improving cash flow - and loan can be paid off faster, or with time, and in either case not putting pressure on limited cash-flow.   


With Bridging Loans and or Development Finance, these often have options such as, 
    • Differed interest, allowing for lower monthly payments therefore more monthly cash flow 
    • Rolled up interest therefore no monthly payments during loan term 
    • Interest only options 
    • Conversion to longer term finance if for example unable to sell a property on the market etc

All having being said, it’s best to do your homework to find lenders to best suite your business or property funding requirements and will underwrite and structure a loan tailored to your specific needs. Look for those that can offer flexibility and move quickly as often market opportunities require investors and businesses that can conclude transactions within limited timeframes. 


At GIC Capital we understand that there’s no one size fits all policy when it comes to your business or your property finance requirements and circumstances. Your business model, sector, ambitions, and numerous other factors all play a role in deciding which finance option is the right one for you and is the reason why we are here to guide and facilitate your growth capital requirements so you can focus on your business and business growth... 


We are here to assist and facilitate growth capital for all UK Business sectors and some of those listed below 
  • Commercial Real Estate / Property Sector 
  • Product Wholesale 
  • Manufacturing 
  • Engineering / Fabrication 
  • Transport / Haulage 
  • Recruitment 
  • Marketing / Advertising 
  • Printing 
  • Security / Man Guarding 
  • Reactive Maintenance 
  • Cleaning 
  • Telecommunications 
  • Food/drink 
  • Breweries 
  • Computers / Technology 
  • Recycling / Waste management 
  • Clothing / Fashion 
  • Events management 

By CEO, GIC Capital 

]]>Sat, 16 May 2020 07:11:59 -0800<![CDATA[Increase Your Capacity in the Following 4 Areas, If You Want Your Business to Grow]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/Increase-Your-Capacity-in-the-Following-4-Areas-If-You-Want-Your-Business-to-Grow
Every entrepreneur must come face to face with the reality that there is only a limited amount of time, money, and people that you can use within your current position. The question is how do we increase or maximize the things that we find limiting? 


As we walk through our hectic and often over packed ten, twelve, or fourteen hour work days, one of the questions that we should be asking is “What can I do to get more, to do more?” Instead, we just put our heads down and plough through the ever growing mountain of work. We are limited by capacity. 


Webster’s dictionary defines capacity as “the maximum amount that something can contain.” As an entrepreneur, we have to be a little more creative than the average person and find ways to increase our capacity through leverage, teamwork & collaboration. 

Below, we’ll identify the four areas where we need more capacity and ways to get more with less: 

We aim to deliver much needed capital for SME’s and Property Developers.

Call Now 
​+44 (0) 203 2909019

Time

Every human on this planet is granted twenty-four hours a day. That is it. Your capacity is a total of twenty-four hours. Within that amount of time you must manage several different demands. Our goal is to buy back our time, when we can, and operate at peak performance when we are accomplishing our daily task list. 


First, without staying in performance shape, you will lose the ability to stay at optimal performance levels. Our bodies are truly a machine with an amazing capacity, but when it is abused by lack of sleep, improper nutrition, and lack of exercise, you are reducing the capacity at which you are able to work and function. The closer you are to peak performance, the more you are able to accomplish in a shorter amount of time. 


Second is our mental condition. If you are mentally rested, you can think and make decisions faster because you can reason more quickly in addition to understanding the circumstances and information at a faster pace.  


When your brain is healthy, it becomes easier to absorb and process information at a lightning fast rate. Taking the time to allow your brain to rest will give it the ability to function at peak performance. 


Third is our ability to train and delegate. So often, entrepreneurs are control freaks. No one can do it as good, as fast, or with the same passion as they can. While that may be true in most cases, you are only one person with twenty-four hours in a day.  


You’ve got to delegate and accept people’s help. If you add one person that’s willing to give you eight hours of work a day, you have now bought back hours in your day to focus on activities that will generate more income and grow your business. Why wouldn’t you want to add more hours to your day by delegating out the appropriate task to qualified individuals? 


“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.” – Zig Ziglar  

Money, Your Cash.

Money tends to be a sensitive topic. We all have beliefs that were formed through our childhood on the concept of money. With many different views and beliefs on this topic, let’s just focus on the fact that money is a tool that will either help grow the company or a tool that limits a company’s growth. 


It is always amazing that the faster a company grows, the greater the challenge of money becomes, and this could potentially cause the company to implode on its own success. How do we then increase the capacity and have more money available to keep the company healthy? 


Here are a couple of things to watch out for:  
  • Keep an eye on your budget and get accurate figures.  
  • Look at your Accounts Receivables. If they get too long, they could cause significant cash flow issues.  
  • Find investment opportunities. There are many private investors that are often willing to invest in companies that have true growth with solid foundations.  
  • Look at additional profit generators, products, or services that fit within your current business model.  

Each of these are ways to increase the capacity that money contributes to the growth of your business. 

Space and Supply, Your Facilities & Inventory.

Space and Supply are tied closely together. Space is often associated with the production. Do you have a space large enough to meet the demands of the supply? If production can only create 1,000 products a day and buyers need 5,000 a day, there is a huge gap and challenge to meet demand.  

A business needs to understand that challenge, and there are only 3 solutions to this problem: The business figures out how to increase production within the current workable hours, adds more workable hours with the equipment and space, or adds more equipment and space to increase production. 


Space and supplies are assets that can be used towards the businesses advantage. Here are a few questions to ask when making decisions based on space and supply.  
  • Evaluate your supply channel. Are they able to maintain a solid supply of your raw product materials to match your growth as a company?  
  • Are there back up supply manufactures that can create a safety net for your raw products?  
  • Evaluate the amount of space you have available along with the time the space is usable. Can you run a second or third shift with the current space and equipment? 
“The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson 

People, Your Human Capital

Your employees are likely going to be the most important way to create more capacity. We talked briefly about delegating to qualified individuals to increase capacity around your own personal time. The next phase is to create more capacity by adding additional, trained people.  


You need to create leaders of leaders instead of you being the leader of followers. Don’t miss this because the greatest of all companies focuses on increasing their capacity by training leaders of leaders and not just a loyal following. 


Entrepreneurs tend to be a lonely bunch of souls. Too often, we are misunderstood and looked at with slight amount of annoyance. Others just don’t always know how to take someone that is passionately thinking outside the box.  


People skills are a must in order to have more than just yourself work to achieve that dream. As an entrepreneur, develop the social skills to work with individuals that are different than yourself.   


Here is a 3 step plan to have great capacity with people as your allies: 
  1. Start by learning how to delegate your own tasks to buy back your time. Identify the tasks that are easiest to delegate and document how you do them (create manuals & operational procedures as well leverage technology such as CRM, Project Management Tools, ERP etc). This will give you a specific job description, set achievable goals, and create a daily action plan that is now something that is teachable.  
  2. Use this system and apply it to the other things you are currently doing. I would suggest building out an organization chart and dividing the different tasks you do within the company. Then create a plan that will allow you to hire the right person and move you onto the next area in the organization that you will systematize.  
  3. Finally, create the culture. Culture is like a child, it will grow whether or not you pay attention to it. So be intentional. Learn what it takes to build a culture that attracts the employees that want to be there and grow with the company.  

Each of these four areas has an incredible amount of potential to increase your capacity, and allow your business to grow. Don’t attempt to tackle everything at once. Identify just one area that you will commit to grow within the next three to six months. Take action and implement.  

GIC Capital – Matching Capital With Opportunity  London +44 (0) 203 290 9019

]]>Thu, 19 Sep 2019 05:54:38 -0800<![CDATA[Why the Commercial Property Market is on the Radar for Savvy Investors]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/Why-the-Commercial-Property-Market-is-on-the-Radar-for-Savvy-Investors


Finding an investment that generates income can be a hard thing. For many investors, commercial property is an attractive prospect because it’s a route that offers strong returns, insurance against inflation and an income stream that is less vulnerable to overall market changes.

For these reasons- and many more – clever investors are looking long and hard at the commercial property market as the place to put their money.

Read on to find out why investors are so enamoured the commercial property market.



Less Risk, More Diversification


Spreading investments with commercial property is a great way to mitigate risk and build some diversification into your portfolio.

Free from attachments to the stock market, equities and bonds, commercial property is a great way to secure an investment that moves independently of outside forces. If the markets are volatile, your investment won’t fluctuate wildly. Commercial property prices are determined by valuation, which means short-term volatility isn’t an issue and you can acquire a safe, stable investment backbone for your portfolio.

Additionally, income from commercial property is less likely to see dramatic falls because legally binding leases are in place. Long-term agreements between commercial tenants and property owners are set in stone, so the income stream from them is constant. Again, it’s an example of how commercial properties are not so vulnerable to wider economic issues.

This low-level relationship between commercial investment properties and equities and the wider economic picture means commercial property is an excellent low-risk, diversifying option for your investments.



The How


There are many ways to invest in commercial property, from full ownership to indirect property funds.

  • Direct investment is the simplest – and most expensive – form of commercial property investment. It means buying all – or a share – of a commercial property outright. Many investors may lack the level of funds needed for this option, but it is a good way to secure an investment long-term. It also offers the benefit of a cash boon if property prices rocket upwards. 
  • Direct commercial property funds are a more accessible avenue for most investors. You invest via a collective investment scheme straight into a commercial property like a warehouse or office building, seeing a share of income in return or capital growth from increasing property values. This is usually done via an investment trust or similar instrument. 
  • Indirect property funds are, unlike the other options on this list, linked to the stock market. This doesn’t hold the same diversification security of the other routes discussed and more focuses on investment in the shares of a property company. Obviously, shares can move up or down in value and it’s an approach worth taking only if you have great confidence in the company you’re investing in.  


Ultimately, a direct commercial property fund may be the best avenue for the investor looking to enter the commercial property market. The risks are the lowest and it offers the security of income and potential growth in property prices.

Want more commercial property or business capital advice? Get in touch with us now. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Wed, 20 Jun 2018 20:02:00 -0800<![CDATA[Why e-commerce customer support and interaction is so important ]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/Why-e-commerce-customer-support-and-interaction-is-so-important



The e-commerce industry has come on leaps and bounds in recent years, fuelled by a continuing reliance on technology as well as a complete shift in the way that people shop.

While it harbours many benefits for businesses, one area that it can fall down on is customer support and interaction. So, how can businesses continue to practice good communication with their customers via e-commerce platforms and why is it so important?



Customers expect it


You might not realise it, but customers shopping on e-commerce platforms actually expect businesses to interact with them. Most of the time this is because they feel that they need assistance with shopping. A survey even revealed that 83% of online shoppers expect assistance within 5 minutes of visiting a site. In the interest of keeping your customers happy, it’s vital that you have a responsive communication strategy in place for your e-commerce site. 



It ensures that you are seen as a reliable company


With so many rogue traders now operating on the internet, anything that you do to distinguish yourself as being reliable is beneficial. Engaging is positive communication with your customers is one way to do this. When you are just establishing your business on an e-commerce platform strong communication will ensure you are distinguishable from your competitors.



It builds brand awareness


Another important element for businesses that are just establishing themselves, strong communication between employees and customers will help to build brand awareness. There really is no better way to promote your business than through good word of mouth. Customers who have had a positive experience shopping on your site are much more likely to be speak favourably of your services to their friends and family, thus resulting in more business for you.



It improves attitudes and relationships between employees to


If you want to build a strong and successful business it is absolutely vital that there are good working relationships between your employees. Good attitudes towards customers is likely to lead to positive reviews which will boost morale and also improve productivity and efficiency within your workforce.

If you’re struggling to keep your team motivated, consider the benefits of encouraging more customer communication and rewarding positive reviews and progress. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Mon, 23 Apr 2018 20:24:00 -0800<![CDATA[Innovative companies that you should be taking inspiration from]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/Innovative-companies-that-you-should-be-taking-inspiration-from

.


While mimicking other companies isn’t something that you should ever be engaging in, taking inspiration from businesses that do things well can help you grow and succeed.

Innovation is about adapting to change and helping to transform things around you and there are a number of companies that act in a highly innovative way.

Check out these businesses and consider how you can take inspiration from the way that they operate.


BetterView

This Insurtech start-up is based in the USA and has cleverly merged insurance with engineering in a seriously inspiring way. The company uses drones to capture aerial images and then files reports for their clients. This allows their customers to see exactly what might affect them in the future and choose an insurance policy that will work well for them.


What you can learn from this company – How you can use data to treat customers as individuals and find solutions that address their individual needs.


Rasello

Based in Africa, this company helps its customers to manage and communicate better with the people that matter to their business. Its offering means that businesses can simplify the whole communication process. 


What you can learn from this company – Users of Rasello are updated by SMS when a company that they are interested has something to say, so take from this how non-traditional methods of communication can help to reduce costs and improve efficiency.


Tinybop

This company from Brooklyn is revolutionising the way that kids engage online. The Explorer’s Library features 7 educational apps – The Human Body, Plants, Homes, Simple Machines, The Earth, Weather and Skyscrapers to give kids as young as 4 the chance to engage with fun and educational science information. 


What you can learn from this company – The power of engaging with younger audiences, particularly when it comes to encouraging them to partake in online activities, a platform that younger generations are increasingly drawn to.


Noora Health

This Indian company is a pioneer is its industry and is cleverly combining education with healthcare. The organisation trains patients and their families with health skills that can help to save lives. Hospital hallways and waiting rooms are turned into classrooms where family members can learn about practical skills to help their loved ones.


What you can learn from this company – How to cash in on a major industry with a new angle that engages an often overlooked audience. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Sun, 04 Mar 2018 23:08:00 -0800<![CDATA[6 questions you should be asking your accountant]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/6-questions-you-should-be-asking-your-accountant



When you go about hiring a new accountant, it is imperative that you ask them the right questions to gauge their experience and how well they will be able to get to grips with the way that your business works.

While some may think that all accountants work in the same way, smart SME owners know that this simply isn’t the case at all.

Read on to find out about the 6 questions you need to be asking your accountant now.


How long have you been in business?

Coherent finances can make all the difference to your SME, so an accountant that has been in business for a number of years and has relevant experience is going to be much better for you than one that is just starting out. Ensure that their portfolio aligns with your business- if they have worked with companies of a similar size and industry to your own, even better.


How do you communicate with your clients?

When it comes to managing money, communication is key and you need to make sure that you are on the same page as your accountant from the get-go. Do you want to hold regular face to face meetings with them or would you prefer everything to be handled electronically? Whatever your preference is, be sure to have this conversation early on so you can establish what works best for both parties.


How are you going to go about improving my bottom line?

The role of an accountant is to use all the means at their disposable to minimise your tax exposure. Be sure to provide the accountant with information regarding your current financial situation. They will then need to study this and present you with plausible ways that you can go about retaining more of your money each month.


Will my account be handled by one person?

Ensuring that your account is only managed by one person is going to result in more consistent reporting and will mean that you develop a better relationship with your accountant. A good firm will know the importance of this, so be sure to ask this question during your initial meeting.


Do you have references?

Would you ever hire a new member of staff without first checking their references? The answer to this is hopefully no, and the same should be true when you are shopping for a new accountant. You need to hear from other businesses about their experiences of working with a particular accountant. If they have developed a good relationship and experienced financial success, it’s likely that you may as well.


What do you think are the most significant risks to my industry?

This is a really important question as it will help you to determine how proactive an accounting firm is. If they are able to recognise potential risks, it’s likely that they are in the know and will be able to steer your firm in the right direction. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Thu, 22 Feb 2018 21:30:00 -0800<![CDATA[Does your start up show any of these SME risk factor signs? ]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/Does-your-start-up-show-any-of-these-SME-risk-factor-signs

 


Starting up any new business endeavour is, as we all know, riddled with risk. Whether it’s due to finance, market placement, or just a lack of interest from prospective customers, there are a number of things that can go wrong when you start your own SME and being prepared for failure is crucial if you want a shot at success.

There are a number of risk factor signs that suggest that your business might be in a detrimental position, so read on to find out how to spot them.


A lack of cash

Even if your business is making profit and is increasing sales, if your outgoings are significant and you don’t have enough money to pay staff and lenders, you could run into problems.


An ineffective team of staff

The people that you have working for you are the backbone of your organisation and if their skills, experiences and goals don’t align with those of your company, you could find yourself in an upward struggle. It’s also important to develop a team that works well with each other and gets on. This is going to make things much easier for you in the long run and can easily be achieved with team building exercises that can help to boost morale.


Strong competition

Of course, healthy competition is a good thing, but if you are planning on entering a market that is completely saturated, it’s likely that your business is going to face some problems when it comes to getting up and running.


Bad marketing

These days, an effective marketing strategy is an intrinsic part of any new businesses plan. There are a number of fundamental mistakes that you can make that can spell out poor marketing. Funnelling too much money into marketing can be detrimental as it can mean that other aspects of the business fall by the wayside. There is also the risk of one bad campaign tarnishing your businesses reputation in the early days.


A lack of passion

Sure, there might be a new type of business that is taking off at the moment and earning people heaps of cash, but if you don’t feel any passion about the venture, it’s unlikely that it will be a personal success story for you. You are going to live and breathe your new business idea, so it’s important that you can at least enjoy and appreciate what you are doing on some level.

 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Wed, 21 Feb 2018 21:30:00 -0800<![CDATA[5 brilliant apps that all SMEs need to know about ]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/5-brilliant-apps-that-all-SMEs-need-to-know-about



As an SME, remaining digitally present is of the utmost importance if your business is going to thrive and facilitate growth.

In our electronically driven era, most people will go online to gauge information about products and services that they are interested in, so having a strong online presence is going to help your business grow as well as ensuring that you remain competitive and keep attracting new custom.

It’s estimated that 2.5 billion people will be using smartphones by 2019, so engaging with apps is also important if an SME is going to be successful.

Read on to find out about five of the best apps for SMEs at present.


NowFloats

For most consumer-focused businesses, setting up an online store is imperative if they are going to increase their sales and stay ahead of the competition. Luckily, technology firm NowFloats makes this possible and can help companies by taking care of all of their online needs. Whether it’s helping them to achieve an online presence, ensuring they meet SEO requirements or helping them to find relevant leads for content updates, NowFloats can help SMEs get to where they need to be online.


Shopmatic   

Founded in 2014, Shopmatic’s headquarters are in Singapore but also has offices in Gurgaon and Bangalore, India. The international e-commerce company has been launched to help business owners sell their products and services online. From developing a cutting-edge web store to listing their business on social media channels, Shopmatic ensures that businesses effectively manage everything that they need to in order to grow their business.


Podio

As an SME, one of the most important things that you can do is stay on top of your projects and tasks. Podio is a useful app that helps you to effectively manage leads and clients, diary dates and expenses, ensuring that you always stay on top of things and don’t let anything slip your mind when the workload is piling up.


Bufferapp

Effective and timely posting on your social media channels can help you to increase engagement and grow your brand, and with the use of this app you can ensure that your posts are always sent out at the right time. Bufferapp will schedule tweets and updates for you at the most opportune times while you continue with other pressing tasks.


Gratitude

Sometimes a little bit of reflection at the end of the working day is all you need to ensure that your mindset stays positive. Gratitude helps with this by encouraging users to write down five good things that have happened throughout the day. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Mon, 12 Feb 2018 23:11:52 -0800<![CDATA[What are the merits and drawbacks of traditional bank loans and alternative types of finance? ]]>https://lololol.zohosites.com/thoughts/post/What-are-the-merits-and-drawbacks-of-traditional-bank-loans-and-alternative-types-of-finance




Securing finance for your SME can be a challenging and, at times, very confusing process, mainly because there are so many different types to choose from.

Whether you are opting for a traditional bank loan or are choosing to go for an alternative type of finance, ensure that you always make the right decision by checking out our guide to the main differences between the types of finances available to you, including the merits and drawbacks of the ones that you are considering.

 

Traditional bank loans

Banks are the largest small business lenders and are also the first thing that most businesses think of when it comes to securing finance for their SME. Bank loans can be an effective source of finance in the sense that they offer very low, fixed interest rates along with predictable monthly spending, making it much easier for you to manage your money on a day to day basis.

Sounds good, right? Well, unfortunately bank loans do come with their downsides that include lengthy paperwork and a longer waiting time to secure the money, meaning it’s not a particularly good option if you need funding fast.


Venture capital funding

If a venture capitalist believes that a business has potential and can also recognise a unique selling point or competitive advantage, it will choose to invest money in it. While a venture capitalist is unlikely to get involved in the day-to-day running of a business, what they can do is help the business to focus its strategy. While there are a number of merits of this type of finance, it also comes with a number of drawbacks. Firstly, it can be a very costly and time-consuming process. Your business will also incur legal fees whether an investment is secured or not.


Crowdfunding, also known as P2P or Peer-to-Peer Lending

This is becoming an increasingly popular way for businesses to obtain funding and is essentially when companies are connected with thousands of investors, some of whom may either be current or future customers. Raising equity finance in this way through internet-based crowdfunding platforms can be an alternative to seeking angel or VC finance through more traditional routes for start-up, early-stage and growth companies.


Pay as you trade finance

Pay as you trade finance is a good option for any businesses that have a high volume of customer card payments and transactions such as firms working in the retail and hospitality sector. This type of finance option will improve your cash flow because rather than having restrictive monthly payment obligations, you pay a percentage of what you earn. 


If you need to secure funding for your SME startup or to facilitate the growth of your more established company, get in touch with GIC Capital today to find out how we can help you reach your full potential. 

We aim to deliver much needed capital to start-ups and SMEs

Call Now +44 (0) 203 2909019

]]>Wed, 07 Feb 2018 22:32:00 -0800