Lauren McKinley

Raising capital doesn’t always mean you have to give up ownership in your business. Non-dilutive funding offers a way to access money without handing over equity, control, or future profits. For many small business owners, that tradeoff makes non-dilutive financing one of the most attractive ways to fund their business needs. In this guide, I’ll…

If you’re planning to use your own money to start a business in 2025, you’ll need to open a business bank account, choose your funding source, complete the transfer, and record it correctly for accounting purposes. Each step comes with specific rules that can impact how you access and report your funds. Understanding these details…

Editorial and Partnership Disclosure The best purchasing cards, also called procurement cards or P-cards, are designed to support day-to-day business buying with stronger controls and clearer tracking. In this guide, I’m covering various options, spanning designated P-card programs and corporate cards, that can be used in the same way, since many offer similar tools for…

This Bluevine review covers how the fintech lender has become a go-to name in small business financing, known for making it easy to get funding without the long wait times or paperwork that come with traditional banks. The company offers a business line of credit for ongoing cash flow needs and term loans through lending…

Whether you’re planning to sell your business, attract investors, or simply curious what your hard work is worth, understanding your company’s value can help you make smarter financial moves. Our free business valuation calculator makes it easy to get an estimate in minutes — no spreadsheets or expensive consulting fees required. There are also different…

There’s such a wide variety of business loans available that it can be overwhelming when trying to figure out where to start, especially when trying to find one that fits your budget. Whether it be an SBA 7(a) loan, which has had over 70,000 approvals so far this year[1], or a more niche type of…

A rollover for business startups (ROBS) is a way for a business owner to access their personal retirement funds tax- and penalty-free. In fact, it’s an increasingly popular method of financing a business. In 2024, over half of the business owners surveyed in Guidant’s Small Business Trends study[1] reported using ROBS to finance their ventures….

Trade credit financing allows two businesses, a customer and a supplier, to purchase goods or services using a short-term financing agreement instead of paying cash upfront. This allows the customer to obtain goods and pay for them later, usually anywhere from 7 to 120 days. This form of financing is commonly used by B2B companies…

The best equipment loans for bad credit have flexible credit requirements, fast funding timelines, and responsive customer support. You may not qualify for a lender’s lowest rates, but the right option should still provide competitive pricing and terms compared with similar lenders. Here are my top picks for the six best equipment loans for bad…

Inventory financing allows businesses to borrow money specifically to buy products they plan to sell, and the inventory purchased becomes the collateral for the loan. This includes both finished products ready for resale and raw materials used to manufacture those products, which can offer flexibility to product-based businesses that may have difficulty qualifying for other…

You can use your 401(k) in a few different ways to fund a business venture, whether you’re buying a company, contributing capital to an existing business, or starting one on your own. In most cases, you’ll access those funds through one of three paths: a Rollover for Business Startups (ROBS), a 401(k) loan, or a…

Editorial and Partnership Disclosure For small businesses looking for a credit card to help finance business purchases, there is a wide variety to choose from. The best small business credit cards offer features that are valuable to your business, like ongoing rewards, low fees, interest-free financing options, and other benefits. When deciding on what card…