Business Cash Advance – How it works

Small businesses need funding as much as big corporations does but the business loan models that work for big corporations usually are not applicable to the needs of most small businesses.  There was a time when financial institutions like banks and credit unions process most business loans universally. A large portion of the existing small business and startups’ funding needs are not met, others are overburdened by the monthly payments and tight policies that they have no choice but to close down. 

About a decade ago, the business cash advance loan structure was introduced and while it was met by much skepticism by economists and financial analysts.  Small business owners however, found that it was just the right kind of small business funding that they require.  The business cash advance is similar to a payday loan but the process is tailored specifically for small businesses.   For one, the application and evaluation process takes days and not months and the minimum amount loanable is manageable enough for any small business to handle

What is usually required?

While the business cash advance facility is design to make access to funds easier and faster, there are a few qualifications in order to make the whole process work.

·         The business should have an EFTPOS (electronic funds transfer at point of sale) to process payments.  Should be able to accept major credit cards or preferred cards by the financing company. This is needed because the payment is made on a daily basis through the debit/credit card processors.

·         A minimum monthly credit card or debit transactions. This rate varies depending on which business cash advance provider you approach but it is usually somewhere between $5,000.00 to $10,000.00 credit card/debit card sales per month. 

·         The business should be operating for a minimum of 12 months. This allows the provider to assess cash flow and allowable cash advance amount.

·         The usual businesses that may take advantage of this type of funding source are those who transact daily such as restaurants, retail stores or gift/novelty shops, bakeries, salons etc.

How it works

Approval is usually within a period of 5 to 14 days, and the business owner is given a lump sum which may reach up to 100% of the total monthly sales.  There is an agreed percentage which is automatically deducted from the daily sales and payments are automatically debited to the business cash advance provider’s account.

There is no interest rate, no fixed payment term or payment schedule.  The length of the term will depend on your sales.  The higher the sales, the faster the “loan” gets paid.   

Preparing To Sell Your Business to the Right Buyer

So you have worked hard and are very proud of the enterprise you have established.  For people like you, the business is already a part of who you are and a point of pride.  The decision to sell the business will have an entirely different from someone who wishes to sell for a profit. For people who are considering retiring and selling the business is the only option, it is a good idea to prepare the business in order to attract a wide variety of prospective buyers.  The more prospects you attract the better chances of finding the right person to take your place. 

·         Make yourself obsolete – Make sure that the business can run on its own.  Standard operating procedures should be in place and the best way to do this is to document everything.  Documentation is a very useful tool in daily operations, whether it is manufacturing or trading or in sales.  There should be an existing database from clients to inventory or just how things are done.

·         Make sure your financial documents are up to date – Businesses are evaluated based on numbers.  Most buyers go straight to the audited financial statements and as a seller; you have to make sure they are as attractive as it can be.  There are businesses that minimize their taxable profits but while it may be good for your business, it does not give the buyer an actual picture of how your business is doing.  So prepare your financial portfolio 2 years ahead of time and start recording your actual profits.

·         Create a business plan as if you are not about to sell it. – This gives your buyer a better view of their future if they decide to purchase.  If you have this ready, it is easier for them to decide.  They may make their own feasibility study but your input will definitely speed things up.

·         Feature your core values in your business plan – if you really want to attract a buyer who share the same principles as you have established, this feature in the business plan is sure to attract the ones whose business objectives are aligned to yours.  This would ensure a better transition a as if management and ownership has not changed especially if you wish to secure the tenure of your existing employees.

·         Sign up with a business broker who values your objectives as much as they value the sale - You should keep this in mind especially if you are selling primarily to ensure that your business is intact when you retire.  Letting go difficult but if you know you are leaving everything to the right people, it would not be such a big deal at all.

What to Expect From Business Brokers in Sydney

 

So, you’ve decided that it is time for a change and selling your business is on the list of changes you need to make.  Although Sydney is a densely populated city of about 4.3 million residents, there are probably thousands of prospects for your business, it should be top priority to look for the right business broker to market your business for you.

Sydney is New South Wales’ business center and you will probably find quite a number of them and the choice would probably be a tough one, unless you know what to expect from them. 

·         You know you are talking to the right people when they are open with their marketing approach and are open to give you advice on how to prepare your business prior to selling so you can get the best possible price for your business.

·         Successful business brokers take time to know you and your business before even asking you to sign a contract.  This is how you know that they want to try and sell your company based on its value and not on the basis of the current buying offers.

·         Companies that guarantee a sale within a certain amount of time may seem too good to be true, but there are business brokers who offer this.  They do so because they have a proven system for marketing and selling businesses and they know the Sydney business market well.  They also guarantee that the agent they assign to you is able to do his job 100% of the time which is to sell your business.  Business sourcing, marketing and enquiry handling is handled separately by someone else. 

·         Successful business brokers in Sydney are most likely to have a comprehensive database on the potential buyers, sellers and list prices.  This means they have a baseline on where to go and who to start calling for possible leads.  Their network and relationship with the market is well established that sales go smoothly and in a timely manner.

·         Confidentiality is also one of the more important qualities in business brokers that should be expected.  Ask the business broker how they ensure that everything is kept confidential during the whole selling process.

The main goal in selling any business is to get the best possible returns for the business you worked hard to establish, and to ensure that it continues to grow is how you and your broker choose the buyer. It is therefore crucial that the business broker you hire has the capacity to get you the best price as well as the best possible buyer.

Why Use an Insurance Tender Manager?

The success of the tendering process relies on the expertise of the people handles and manages it. Contracting Insurance Tender Managers allows a company to access their market knowledge and experience for the whole tender process and relieves the company of the otherwise grueling paperwork, analysis and research and constant communication. Most of the problems that companies generally encounter can be avoided by using a tender manager. 

How it works: 
 

Determining Goals and Selection Criteria

An initial meeting occurs between the tender manager and the company to discuss expected outcome of the tender process based on the company’s needs and determine the key selection criteria.  A shortlist of relevant brokers based on the discussion is created. The Tender Manager’s knowledge of the market and the major players in the industry ensures that the shortlist is relevant and the most favorable.

Request for Tender Document (RFT) and Compiling Information Memorandum 

Using the outcomes discussed and agreed upon the tender manager will develop an RFT that will clearly outline the requirements This would ensure that the outcomes are achieved using the key selection criteria as a guideline. An Information Memorandum is compiled with all the information necessary to get necessary tender response including underwriting information and company profile. This reduces the amount of time spent further into the process responding to questions as well as ensuring that all parties have the means to put forward their best tender. 


Managing the Tender Process

The Tender Manager represents the company as a project manager. The main task is to ensure that everyone involved are provided with the same information and expectations that all timelines are met on both sides. Much of the correspondence is also handled by the Tender manager.

Analysis of Tender Responses 

All responses are then compared and analysed and filtered through to distinguish which ones are relevant to the company based on the key criteria. Probable presentations are also
screened and evaluated considering most presenters are sales people and not brokers themselves.

The Favorable Outcome

The client company is then presented with choices that are considered to be the best insurance policy the market has to offer based on the company’s needs and priorities. And outcome is delivered in a timely manner leaving the company to choose wisely.

About Insurance Tender

Is a team insurance consultants who have an in depth knowledge or both insurance market and personalities in Corporate Insurance booking. They aim to find the right combination of cost savings and insurance coverage for the purpose of reducing cost risk and uncertainty in your business.

Dealing With Tradies - A Bargain Is Good but It’s Better to Verify

 

Who can resist a good bargain? It’s the thrifter’s kryptonite.  But when it comes to hiring traders to do a service whether it’s plumbing, electrical or building decks at home, a trader on bargain is not always a good thing. If you skip the essentials like verifying facts, you wind up paying for more than when you do things right at the first time at regular rates.

Good Deals are even better with Credentials

The reason why licenses are required by Australian states is to ensure that you protect your interests. Licenses are given to tradies with proper insurance and experience and that translates to better and smooth service.  When someone offers a certain service at half the price, it’s usually to lure you on the savings you may get and away from the fact that the trader is not legitimate.

Beware of Scammers

Yes, there are wolves out there. And forget about the wolf in sheep’s clothing, it’s more like the wolf in your Grandmother’s clothes.  They will try to gain your trust so you will part with your hard earned money in their favor and leave without doing the job. Legitimate businessmen do not need to entice their clients incessantly.  Tradies with a good track record usually build their client base through recommendations - lack thereof means they are not trustworthy.

A Business with No Sign Is a Sign of No Business

There was a time when advertisement starts and ends with a wooden sign right above the front door of business, nowadays, that sign has expanded to websites complete with profiles and contact numbers.  Tradies who advertise their business or trading profile along with their phone number and office address is an indication that they are willing to accommodate you anytime whether you seek service or complain.

Business Checker Verified Businesses

The Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) website provides Australians with a list of registered business names.  Finding the business name of the trader you have in mind in the National Names Index is a good start.  What the list does not give you is if they have insurance, proper trade licenses and if the contact number and addresses are correct.  If you are looking for a legitimate trader with proper qualifications, check out the Business Checker list of business with good or high rating. 

BusinessChecker is an independent business credential checking service that rates businesses based on their qualifications.

Australian Beef Exports

 

Brief Beef History

            The Beef Industry in Australia has a reputation of producing high quality beef.  It had its beginnings in 1788 when the first herd of cattle was brought into the country to aid in in its development.  Unfortunately, they escaped and was scattered but their numbers grew rapidly until cattle farming became commercial. In 1850, the demand for beef increased as the gold rushes in Australia became rampant.  Today, the total number of livestock in Australia is at 28 million head spread across 200 million hectares of land.  This number is relatively minimal on a global scale but Australian Beef exports are at 60 percent of total production.  This places the Australian beef exports at the second largest beef exporter behind Brazil.

Key Facts and Points

·         Total Herd Size                       - 28 million head

·         Beef Exports                           - $5 billion

·         Live Exports                           -$600 billion

·         Total Export (%)                     - 60 per cent

·         Number of Cattle Producers   - 40,000

·         Largest destination market for Australian Beef Exports are

1.      Korea

2.      Japan

3.      America

·         Australian beef exports come from a variety of breeds depending on market specification and how they handle climatic conditions and these are:

1.      Bos Indicus breed – Brahman

2.      Bos Indicus breed – Santa Gertrudis

3.      Bos Taurus breed – British Angus

4.      Bos Taurus breed – Hereford

5.      French Charolais

·         Australian beef exports have more advantage in the fact that the produce is traceable and it has decease free status which gives the beef industry a strong competitive advantage in the world market.

The Australian beef industry is distributed between the northern and southern production system.  Southern production has the more disparate and fragmented farm ownerships while the northern production is predominantly corporate owned. In addition, cattle produced in the south is of the European and British breeds which produce favorable quality meat and are typically exported to high value markets. Cattle in the northern part on the other hand are processed and sent to the US to be used as hamburger meat.

 

Challenges and the future

            There is an increasing demand for protein and Australia’s beef industry is more than capable in meeting the demands of the market.   Australian beef exports have a clean and green image and the industry’s significant investments in efficiency and productivity improvement in the field of genetics, pastures and marketing ensures a bright future for the Australian Beef industry.  Furthermore, this also results in the industry being able to maintain profitability and will allow it to embrace and capitalize on the opportunities that will in the upcoming years. 

The OZ supplier website provides a list of the Australian Beef Industry’s major players and suppliers. Please click here if you wish to contact a company in the in the Beef Industry.

Plastic Production through Injection Moulding

 

Injection Moulding is a type of manufacturing method for shaping a range of raw materials to a desired form or shape.  Materials such as glass, metals, elastomers for synthetic rubber products, confections and especially thermoplastics and thermosetting polymers for plastics are heated and injected into a mold, the raw materials solidifies as it cools inside.  Injection moulding is a widely used manufacturing process for the production of small components to an entire body panel of cars.

Injection moulding Process

            The process starts with the design of the product and the mold design.  Mold designing is done by an industrial designer or engineer. Individual parts of the final product are carefully designed with consideration to how each part is to be molded and assembled to create a finished product.  Properties and capabilities of the molding machine are very well considered in the design process.  Molds are then precision-made out of steel or aluminum.

            The mold is then fitted to the injection moulding machine.  For the manufacture of plastic products, thermoplastic and thermosetting polymers are used.  Thermoplastics are more commonly used because it is more versatile and it softens and flows evenly when heated. Thermoplastics are also easily recyclable and are safer to use than thermosets.  Thermosets needs to be properly heated and injected in a timely manner, otherwise, chemical cross-linking may occur which can damage to the screw and check valves of the machine.

            Thermoplastics or thermosets are place on a funnel which opens to the injection screw inside a barrel with heating elements.  The screw turns and pushes the heated raw material towards the mold which turns to liquid as it approaches the end of the barrel or the nozzle that leads to the mold. Once inside the mold, the raw material cools down and solidifies.  The mold then opens, releasing the newly shaped component.  The mold closes once more and the cycle begins.

Types of Injection Moulding Machines

·         Hydraulic – the only option for molders until 1983 when the first all-electric injection moulding machine was introduced. It is still more predominantly used today.

·         Mechanical – uses the toggle system where tonnage is required to keep the pressure in the mold consistent.

·         Electric – also called the EMT or Electric Machine Technology is quieter, cost efficient and environmentally safer than hydraulics introduced by Nissei Plastic Industrial Co. LTD.

·         Hybrid – claims to have the best features of the hydraulic and electric machine.  Usually features the robotic arm to remove molded components

For suppliers and distributors of Injection Moulded Components in Australia, visit the OZ Suppliers Website.