Securing Your Business: 5 Practices to Secure Your Business Online

Extra financing a common problem for small businesses. Maybe you need to hire an employee or you require additional equipment to manage incoming orders. Whatever the case, you need capital to keep the business not just running but growing too. There is the traditional bank loan, but you’re not sure you’ll qualify. Maybe your application was rejected. Now you’re wondering what alternatives you have. If you’re looking for alternative financing options for small business, then check out these choices. One of them may be the right fit for your business.

Check Out a Merchant Cash Advance

The first alternative financing option to consider is a merchant cash advance, or MCA. This is different from a loan, because the lender looks at your future sales. They examine your past credit card sales to determine trends in the business. They use that information to estimate your likely future sales. Then they make you an offer for a cash advance. The MCA offers more flexibility than a traditional business loan, which makes it more attractive to small businesses. Your payments can fluctuate with your actual sales. If you do more credit card sales in a month, you’ll pay your advance back faster. If you have a bad month, your payment will be smaller, which can take the pressure off your business.

Think about a Line of Credit or Credit Card

A line of credit or business credit card are flexible options. These financing solutions are known as revolving credit. That means you can use them, in full or in part, to fund pretty much whatever your business needs at the moment. You can then pay them back as possible. As you pay down the line of credit or credit card, the funds become available for you to use again. This could be a great solution for a business with ongoing credit needs or one with some small cash flow issues.

Consider a Microloan

If you only need a small amount of money, you may be turned down for a business loan through the bank. That’s because institutional lenders tend to make big loans. They’re more lucrative for the lender. One option you have is a microloan. Microloans are typically offered by online lenders or other businesses, not big institutions, so do your research and choose a lender that works for you.

Look at Peer-to-Peer Lending

Yet another option you have is peer-to-peer lending. This could be a loan from a colleague or it might be run through a P2P lending platform. In the business world, there might be business-to-business, or B2B, lenders as well. These lenders can typically make you a better offer than an institution, and they may be more willing to finance smaller loan needs. You can usually find them online.

You Have Plenty of Options

As you can see, there are plenty of financing options available for small business. If you’ve been turned down for that bank loan, don’t fret. You can still find the funding you need. Is a merchant cash advance the right solution for you? Get in touch with the experts, and get the funds you need today.

And The Winner Is...

The results are in. This year’s winner of the 2M7 Forward Thinkers Scholarship is Claire O’Brien. As a member of The University of British Columbia’s Sauder School of Business, Claire was able to overcome stiff competition in this year’s contest. To do so, Claire not only demonstrated a strong performance in her academic journey thus far, but also clearly  communicated a keen interest to harness the knowledge she acquired to this point, to succeed in the world of business as she moves toward her professional goals. Claire exhibited the enthusiasm, and aptitude that 2M7 Financial Solutions’ CEO, Avi Bernstein was looking to reward, and intended to encourage with the creation of this scholarship opportunity.

“Each year, university students face multiple challenges in their pursuit of their academic goals; and these stretch far beyond the classroom. Post-secondary schooling is extremely expensive and places a significant financial burden on those who attend, which can potentially negatively impact the studies of these students as they see to the financial obligations that arise with school funding. That is why I made it one of my goals to help lessen this burden: these students have enough “on their plate”; I want them to focus on what they are paying to study not on how they are going to pay for it. Claire’s essay not only exhibited her potential for business success, but also showed me a character that the 2M7 team strives to promote when we do business. Congratulations, Claire.

The 2M7 Forward Thinkers Scholarship is an annual scholarship that is available for post-secondary students studying in a business related field; and offers the winner a reward of $2,500 so they can better manage the expenses of their schooling. This year we had another strong applicant pool; and we encourage those not selected this year, to re-apply during next year’s contest, for their chance to get a generous amount of financial assistance. We at 2M7 would like to thank all those who participated in this year’s contest; and we wish all those that did decide to vie for this scholarship all the best in their future endeavours.

Almost three quarters of business leaders say they aren’t prepared for a cyberattack. As breaches become more common, business owners and IT experts must protect their businesses. These five best practices make securing your business online easier.

1. Educate Your Employees

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‍One of the best things that helps securing your business online is to train and educate your employees. With the right training, they’ll be able to use the right security techniques.

2. Stay Up to Date

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‍Another important step you can take towards online security is updating your software. Software developers are always testing and patching potential problems. These patches and updates help keep your business more secure.

3. Firewalls Secure Your Business

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‍A firewall protects your internal networks from outside threats. If you let employees bring their own devices, these security measures are even more important.

4. Limit Access to Your Network

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‍Another important step is limiting who has access to the Internet through your networks.Secure access by creating accounts and monitoring privileges. If you have a public network, be sure to change the password regularly. That way, cybercriminals can’t gain access through hijacked devices that have stored login information.

5. Invest in Website Security

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‍The last step to creating online security for your business is to secure your website. Invest in an SSL certificate. Make sure you’re compliant with standards such as those for the payment cards industry.If you’re not sure what security measures you can take, ask your host. Online security isn’t just your responsibility. The partners you work with should also take steps to protect your information and your business.If you require quick access to cash to support your business online – a merchant cash advance is the fastest and easiest way of getting the necessary funds. Talk to us to discover options on how we can help you secure and grow your business.