Do you really need a Business Plan? In this edition of the Business Finance Bulletin Xtra Rob Warlow from Business Loan Services talks about the importance of having a business plan when it comes to applying for business finance. But as Rob discusses a business plan also has benefits outside of raising finance.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow takes a look at a recent survey carried out by short-term business loan provider Just Cashflow on business owners skills gaps and what they wished they had known when they first started out in business.

Late payment continues to be a problem for growing businesses and Rob shares findings from two surveys carried out by BACS and the Asset Based Finance Association which reveal a mixture of good news and bad news on late payment experiences.

There is news from Metro Bank, one of the growing number of challenger banks, on the revamp of its small business offering.

And in the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob shares insights into problems some of the Business Loan Services’ clients have experienced in terms of their credit reports which are vital when it comes to obtaining business finance.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks at the new government £100m Housing Growth Partnership scheme launched in conjunction with Lloyds Bank. The scheme is designed to boost house building via improving access to finance.

It’s surprising the number of businesses which are holding large amounts of surplus cash according to a survey by challenger bank Hampshire Trust Bank. Are you one of them and could you be earning a better return?

Rob looks at the announcement from Sage, the accounting software provider, of its tie up with Market Invoice and Funding Circle to provide clients with access to alternative sources of finance.

Staying with alternative funding Rob shares news of crowdfunding platform Funding Empire having new majority shareholders which signals growth for this platform.

And in the Business Finance Tip of The Week Rob looks at market disruptors and crowdfunding.

In this first edition of the Business Finance Bulletin Xtra Rob Warlow takes you through the experiences small business owners have when it comes to raising business finance… are they getting what they want?

The need for business finance can be compounded by late payment and cashflow problems which remain a challenge for business owners. Rob looks at how this is affecting them.

Crowdfunding continues to gain in popularity and Rob looks at news from the P2P Finance Association on how the sector continues to grow.

If you’re looking for more traditional sources of finance then Rob takes you through the five steps to getting the business finance you need.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks at Amazon’s entry into the small business lending market by extending loans to businesses operating on its Marketplace.

In the latest figures from the Bank of England Rob looks at the level of support being given by banks to small business with continuing evidence that more finance is going out the banks’ doors.

If you want to avoid the High Street banks Rob shares news of a new £40m SME fund launched by Enterprise Ventures in conjunction with Santander and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund. The fund seeks to provide loans to businesses across the UK, in all sectors and for a variety of purposes.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob talks with Rebecca Jones, the Red Shoe Biz Woman, on developing an entrepreneurial mindset amongst your staff.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks the forthcoming changes in ISA rules and a survey from Yorkshire Bank and attitude to risk amongst savers which could see a boost to the crowdfunding market.

Staying with crowdfunding Rob shares news of the launch of a new crowdfunding platform. Bricks Financial is based in the South West and will primarily focus on servicing the local market.

According to the latest survey from the Federation of Small Businesses confidence amongst small business owners is strong and they are focused on where they are investing their money.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob looks at reviewing and controlling your overheads to ensure you are making the best returns from your business.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow tackles the age-old problem of late payment. Rob looks at recent research from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) which reveals the extent of the problem and possible solutions.

Many businesses don’t realise that to help offset the costs of the impact of late payment they are allow to charge interest and Rob shares news from Lovetts, the debt recovery firm, on how awareness of this right is on the increase.

Unlike bank lending asset finance continues its growth as more businesses turn to this alternative source of finance. The latest statistics from the Asset Based Finance Association show just how popular it has become.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob looks at the benefits of planning ahead and getting ‘finance-ready’ well before you need to approach a lender.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks at a survey from Bibbys Financial Services which reveals the sources of finance that business owners are tapping into.

The SME Finance Monitor Report is quarterly survey on the state of the small business finance market and Rob continues his look at its findings. The question posed is how successful are business owners in getting a ‘yes’ from their bank? The answer may surprise you.

In terms of raising money from banks Rob also shares a conversation he had with a business owner on why asking your bank for too little can work against you.

And in the Business Finance Tip of the Week a clip from an interview in which Rob discusses why it’s important to know that banks are keen to understand exactly why you want to borrow and how the finance you are requesting will be used.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks at how business owners are becoming more aware of alternative finance and willing to consider it as an option to obtain funding. Rob also shares news from Funding Circle of their new bridging loan product.

The Funding for Lending Scheme, launched by the government in 2012 to boost lending to small businesses, may not have been roaring success, but Rob looks at statistics which shows signs of improvement in usage by the banks involved in the scheme.

A clean Credit Report is one thing a lender will look for when assessing a finance request but such don’t necessarily provide a complete picture… until now. Rob shares news from Experian on how additional information now being shared will provider lenders with a better understanding of an applicant’s financial position.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob chats with Gareth Pritchard of Lloyds Bank Commercial Finance in which talks about the key features of Invoice Discounting.

In the latest Business Finance Bulletin episode Business Loan Services’ Rob Warlow looks at highlights from the most recent SME Finance Monitor Report which reveals a number of interesting findings on how businesses are dealing with the issue of raising finance.

In a report from Hitachi Capital Rob looks at how business confidence is on the rise with more businesses looking forward to growth.

Relative newcomer to the banking market Metro Bank is looking to shake up the Invoice Discounting industry with changes announced to its service.

In the Business Finance Tip of the Week Rob chats with Nick Rowe from PricewaterhouseCoopers in which he shares their thoughts on the four levers of growth which small businesses need to be mindful of when planning ahead.