The combination of vision, gumption and hard work can bring small businesses to life. Keeping them going, however, can be more of a challenge, especially if management doesn't have a solid handle on financial reporting. That begins with accurate, timely and dedicated tracking of financial transactions and proper handling of various tasks that are essential for a business to thrive, such as invoicing customers, managing payroll and paying the firm's bills on time.

Whether your fiscal year matches the calendar year or ends in the middle of September, at some point, you must close the books on this year and open them on next year. What’s the best way to prepare for the transition from last fiscal to the next fiscal year? That depends on the goals for your business.

 In business lending, a personal guarantee is a very crucial element. It is a legal promise by the owner or owners of a business that in case a business fails to repay a loan, they will personally repay the outstanding debt. Although a loan can help to fund your business, in most cases, personal finances can end up being dragged into the picture in the form of personal guarantee. The banking institutions or other parties that lend money often demand a personal guarantee from the borrower to ascertain that the loan will be repaid even if the company does not have assets that assure repayment on its own.  

Well-established companies generally provide their Sales and Executive team with corporate credit cards to use for travel expenses and networking activities such as dinners and Happy Hours. Company-issued credit cards allow employees to expense work-related expenditures without having to rely on their personal credit card alleviating the stress of incurring late fees. If you are looking into the benefits of a corporate credit card, there are a few things you should know before making a decision.