Category: Small Business
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Crowdfunded debt rating confirmed for investors
Moody’s rating service removed its warning on specific crowdfunded debt securities issued by Prosper and sold to investors through Citigroup. This action by Moody’s came after Prosper increased its loss projection to 13.1% of remaining assets in the pool. This news emphasises what I’ve said over and over: successful crowdfunding is based on good fundamental…
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Comcast hypocrisy on internet service
A Comcast employee was filmed on NBC10 Philadelphia news last evening saying “You can’t connect to the American Dream if you can’t connect to the Internet“. Yet after years of urging by community leaders and politicians, Comcast refuses to connect the rural communities of southern New Jersey located within 60 miles of the company’s Philadelphia headquarters. It…
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A small business marketing resolution
I’ve written recently how I cancelled a small business marketing firm’s contract because my client did not achieve the specifically stated objective of the marketing program which was to show evidence of one lead generated within the first six months of the program. The lead could have been a phone call, an email or an…
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Which of these is different than the others?
Comments about a marketing services sales video Remember those questions on cognitive aptitude test asking you to identify which item in the group is different than the others? Here’s one I ran across today in a video presentation: Item 1 – Marketing message from a daycare Item 2: marketing message from jeweler Item #3 – marketing…
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Open to new ideas in CPA marketing
It is clear that the first 18 months of my new business marketing has been a flop. The consensus advice “you’re on the right track just keep doing what you are doing” is either insufficient or just plain wrong. There is no logical explanation why my mix of marketing has not generated any new clients…
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Crowdfunding data on small business equity financings
I took time last night to analyze newly released data from the first 50 (more or less) small business equity crowdfunding deals completed in the United States. Some interesting trends are emerging that have significance for investors and issuers; I’m sure I’ll have more to say soon.
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Employee or contractor?
Like most small business accountants, I often find problems with misclassification of workers as contractors. Sometimes the problems find me after an employer has been penalized by the IRS or a state auditor and the owner now needs tax penalty relief just to stay in business. Misclassification can be painful. I can cite plenty of casualties where…
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A new market for predatory lenders
I am increasingly concerned that the aggressive marketing of private alternatives to traditional student loan by commercial lenders is bad for consumers and the overall economy. Historically these loans were too risky for commercial lenders but new tech-driven collection tools and tougher bankruptcy laws make it more attractive for commercial lenders today. Since these same lenders…
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State lawmakers tinker with crowdfunding: helping or hurting?
LexisNexis reported yesterday that “Texas securities regulators this month are considering tweaks to state crowdfunding rules that would lift escrow requirements for smaller investments, changes that attorneys say demonstrate the state’s continued eagerness to fine-tune crowdfunding”. Other media sources covered the advancement of crowd funding in North Carolina this week. Many other states are also…
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Small business are under cyber attack
There are only two types of small businesses: those that have been the victim of cyberattack and those that don’t know it yet. The mounting evidence of data leaks is simply shocking. Small business CPAs are increasingly focused on making online security a high priority for our clients. It pays to get an independent review of…