Just as the name suggests, cash flow involves the money coming in and going out of your business. If more money is coming into your business than moving out, you have a positive cash flow. This not only indicates that your business is gaining funds, but it also ensures you can meet your business needs- such as settling any outstanding debts, making investments, paying your employees, and managing other expenses. A positive cash flow is essential for business growth. However, if more money is flowing out of your business than is coming in, you are at risk of being overdrawn and unable to meet your vital expenses. Let’s explore how you can improve your cash flow and use that to achieve your business goals.

Marketing: just the word can strike fear into a business owner's heart. You love your business, that's why you started it- but you also want to spend your time in your business, not on Twitter! However, an effective marketing strategy is the most important tool in a small business owner's toolbox. You could have the best business in the world- but without marketing, who would even know it? It's easy to get overwhelmed, so start small! Marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. Here are 10 marketing tips you can take action on today to propel your business forward.

The StreetShares Foundation named annual sponsor of the 4^th Annual Veteran Awards (Vettys®), presented by the Academy of United States Veterans.

The digital revolution is here. Today, over 2 billion people use smartphones across the globe and the numbers continue to rapidly grow. As a result, smartphones are opening fresh new opportunities for commerce. If you examine the Google Analytics data of your business website, chances are you’ll notice that most of your traffic comes from a mobile device. A small business looking for growth can take advantage of this massive number of potential clients by creating digital marketing platforms that are mobile friendly and suit the needs of these users. We’ll explore why your veteran-owned business needs to be mobile friendly and how you can take advantage of this technology to continue to grow your business.

This year could be your small business’s best yet—and right now is the perfect time to devise new strategies to fuel growth and make changes for your business’s long-term success. Here are just a few resolutions every small business owner can make to get 2019 off to a great start:

Everyone knows that a personal budget is key to financial success, but getting started can feel overwhelming. If you’re tired of getting to the end of your budget before you get to the end of the month, we’re here to help.

Money management is tricky but with discipline and determination, you can make your money work for you. There are several steps to take to create a successful personal budget. Creating a successful and manageable budget will keep you in the green and help you better understand where all your money goes. A personal budget will also help you when you ask for a raise or looking to make more money in your career. You will want to look at two to three months of your spending habits to get an idea of your current spending habits versus your income. This will make it easier to understand how savings will factor into your future. Whether you want to save money for a big trip or retirement, you’ll be able to calculate what you need to save and how long it will take. There are several tools you can use or you can go old school with spreadsheets and a traditional bank account. 

Create a simple budget that you can actually stick to. Here are nine simple things to take into account:

Even for veteran small business owners who are accustomed to multi-tasking and problem-solving, the entrepreneurial quagmire is still a reality. Entrepreneurs don't want to stop creating products and enhancing their services in order to spend time marketing. Running a business is a juggling act that requires developing the product or service, attending to administrative demands, and managing professional relationships. So where does that leave time to trumpet the company value propositions with a social media marketing strategy?   

In order for a business to stay vibrant in today's economy, it’s necessary to establish your brand, create brand awareness and get the word out. Even if your business is brick and mortar, it’s even more important to stay relevant and promote your business online.

The idea of utilizing social media to promote your business might seem tedious but think of it this way: online presence isn't just shameless promotion. If approached correctly, it's an opportunity to connect with your customers, other servicemembers, veterans and veteran business owners and to start smart and helpful conversations. Here's a basic social media strategy that will boost your company visibility without investing a ton of time or money. 

Responsible lending is a term that can get thrown around in the lending industry—it sounds great and certainly makes financial institutions look good when they use it... But practically speaking, what does it mean? And more importantly, how does it affect you as a business owner?

It matters a lot, actually. If you’re looking for business funding to grow your veteran business, you want to work with small business lenders who will set you up for success. It’s in your best interest to work with a lender who practices responsible credit reporting, has an alignment of interests and provides you with the right-sized funding so you won’t default on a loan.

If your small business lender claims to practice fair and responsible lending, here are the top six characteristics you should expect to see in them:

Did you know that if you went “green”, hired a veteran, or started a company last year you might be eligible for three important but little known tax deductions?

Small tax deductions and credits take a little extra work, but your savings can really add up. Every dollar counts when it comes to running a veteran small business. We’ve compiled some resources of available credits and deductions your business may qualify for: