Category Archives: Women in Business

Dress Code 101: The Best Business Casual Attire for Women

Are you a business woman or entrepreneur? Do you know that there’s a particular dress code expected of business women? Do you know how to dress for success in business? Well, I will advice you read on as I share with you the best casual business attire for women.

Now whether you like it or not, the first impression people get from you is your appearance and it speaks a great deal about you. Whether you are meeting a customer, supplier, associate, government agents or investors; the way you dress in business is very important because it speaks of you even when you have not opened your mouth to say anything. As a rule of thumb, your dressing should denote class, professionalism and style. Having said all this, let’s now discuss how you should dress when engaged in business related tasks.

     Dress Code 101: The Best Business Casual Attire for Women

Whether you are engaged in an interview, having a board meeting, doing a sales presentation or negotiating a business deal; you should always strive to look professional and stylish. Why? The reason is because professional looking people get treated like a professional.  How you dress sends specific signals to people. So if you are interested in knowing the best business dress code for women, then let’s start from head to toe for women.

  Dress Code 101: The Best Business Casual Attire for Women

  • Your Facial makeup

The first and one of the most important parts of your body to consider critically is your face. When attending business events or issues, you should never wear too much jewelry or makeup.  One item of jewelry is enough. A small ring on one finger or small earrings would do the magic.  No big loops ladies. Your makeup should be conservative, just plain powder or concealer and barely any eye makeup would do. You should also avoid applying a lipstick, it is just not professional; but you keep your lips moist with lip gloss.

  • Your Body wear or Clothes

When it comes to suits, a business woman’s suit should be wool, linen, or cotton/polyester. You should also stick with black or navy, gray, and medium blues, at least for business meetings. As for blouses, solid colors and natural fabrics, such as cotton or silk look clean and professional. A scarf says a lot about a business woman; it is a powerful status symbol.

  • Your Footwear

Shoes should never be open toed and stay within 2 ½ inch heels, nothing faddish or multicolored. The color of your shoe should be the same or darker than your skirt. Pantyhose should always be neutral skin tones, nothing outlandish, unless you are interviewing in the fashion industry. A briefcase is an excellent choice for a business woman, but don’t bring along your purse too. It looks clumsy trying to juggle them around. You should choose either brown or burgundy, black or navy, either one is fine. You do not want to ever distract the interviewer or associates with your outfit, makeup or accessories.

As a final note, your personal hygiene is probably the most important of them all. Bad breath, dandruff, body odor, and dirty unmanicured nails do not give a good impression. In fact, they can render your stylish outlook useless. When it comes to body odor, you are what you eat. If you consume a lot of garlic, onions, cilantro, and junk food, not only will it show in your skin, but it will seep through your pores.  So make sure you eat a natural healthy diet so you always smell pleasant.

The ABC of Small Business Loans for Women, Grants, Start up Loans

1.            Introduction to Small Business Loans

What Are Working Capital Loans and How can it help your Business

7 Basic Facts You Must Know When Borrowing Money For Your Business

How to Raise or Borrow a Million/Billion Dollars fast for your Business

2.            Start up Business Loans

How to Obtain Start up business loans

How to make start up business loans to really work for you

Where to find Small Start up business loans

Is it really difficult to get start up business loans?

How much start up business loans do I need to create a successful business?

3.            Small Business Loans for Women

How to Obtain Small Business Loans for Women

Small Business Loans for Women: What to do if your Proposal Gets Denied

Small Business Loans for Women: Four Easy Steps to Applying

Small Business Loans for Women with Bad Credits Record

Small Business Loans for Women: How to Get It Approved

4.            Small Business Grants for Women

Business grants for women: How to Increase Your Chance of Approval

Business grants for women: How to Make a Proposal

Business grants for women: what do you need to get them

Where to find Small Business grants for women

Small Business grants for women: What You Need to Know

New Small Business grants for Minority Women: How to Increase Your Chance of Approval

The presentation of the small business grants for minority women proposal is very critical for its approval. The write up and the financials should be professionally done and should reflect the quality of the business and the credibility of the business owner.

      New Small Business grants for Minority Women: How to Increase Your Chance of Approval

Different institutions have different ways of looking at your proposal. Each institution has its own mandate, its own policies and programs. Because you are the one asking for their help, it is also proper that you approach them in their terms. If you want to get the small business grants for minority women that you need, you have to speak to these institutions in their language for them to hear you.

These institutions are grouped in several ways. The basic classifications are based on business type and program types. For your small business grants for minority women proposal, you need to see each of the institution in your shortlist based on their programs. The following are some of the program classifications of these institutions:

      New Small Business grants for Minority Women: How to Increase Your Chance of Approval

1.            Social Development

This group is more concerned with social advancements. Their program may include values and knowledge development. To be able to get small business grants for minority women from this group your proposal should focus on how your project can help the direct and indirect beneficiaries improve their education or upgrade their skills. You can consider getting trainees and equip them with production, marketing or business skills; you can include developmental trainings, values formation and education as part of your outputs. If you plan to give scholarships for your undergraduate workers, then discuss that as a major output of your project.

2.            Economic Development

This group is more concerned with alleviating the economic condition of the society. They are for increasing the income potential of the people involved in the project. They want to see the long term economic development of the beneficiaries’ lives as part of the project components. New small business grants for minority women from these institutions should focus more on the financial targets and how many people will be directly and indirectly affected by the success of the project. They will look for number of beneficiaries assisted and the percentage change as major project outputs. For your grant to be approved, you need to gear your project into viable and sustainable operations and provide income generating opportunities for the people involved.

3.            Environmental Development

Caring and preservation of the environment is the focus of this group. If your project proposal is for the improvement of your process that will decrease the impact on the environment, then you can highlight on your proposal the statistics that the project can create, should the business grant for women be granted.

Speaking their language is not equivalent to up selling your project to get that coveted business grant for women approval. These institutions have a lot of experiences regarding funding proposals. They can smell fraud a mile away. Just be upfront with what you need. And let your great business performance and management with integrity speak for itself. The moment you gain their trust and confidence, your relationship with them will go a long way.

How to Apply for Free Government Small Business grants for women

Different institutions giving government business grants for women have different formats when it comes to grant proposals because their focus may require looking at your project from different perspectives. Some have their own proposal formats. Make sure you download the document from their site. It includes guidelines on how to fill out the forms. If they don’t follow any format you can use the general format composed of two main sections: the write up and the financials. The write up has the following sections:

            How to Apply for Free Government Small Business grants for women

                Business Grants Proposal Format/Outline

The write up section

Cover or Title Page: contains the basic information regarding the proposal such as the project title and the basic details of your company.

Abstract: contains the half page executive summary and conclusion of the project or the first impression that the business grant for women institutions will have; which can affect their decision whether to approve or deny your proposal.

Background or Introduction: contains how the project came about and why it is needed.

Goals and Objectives: states how the project plans to address the need for it.

Beneficiaries: explains who will directly and indirectly benefit from the project.

Expected Outputs: contains details of what the project plans to accomplish and how it will be measured.

Work Plan/Time Table: contains the detailed activity to be done to accomplish the outputs and the corresponding schedule when it will be done.

Budget: contains the breakdown of how the fund will be used.

Company Profile: contains details about the company, its accomplishments, its strengths, and its performance.

The financials section contains the following data:

Projected Capital Expenditure: detailing the budget use and the schedule of its acquisition.

Projected Cash Flow Statement: reflects the movement of cash on the business cycle including the infusion of the grant fund.

Projected Financial Statement: also known as the profit and loss statements; details the income generating potential of the project, it also indicates profitability and sustainability.

Projected Balance Sheet: reflects the projected snap shot of the business (assets, liabilities and net worth).

List of Assumptions: contains the details on how the figures are computed.

Financial and Sensitivity Analysis: contains profitability ratios and potential financial vulnerabilities telling the business grants for women institutions if it is worthwhile to invest the money in the project or not.

            How to Apply for Free Government Small Business grants for women

6 Do’s and don’ts in making the proposal for business grants for women:

1.            Do proofread your proposal very carefully. Typos and wrong grammars create the impression of sloppiness and earn you negative points to the small business grants for women approvers.

2.            Do make your proposal look as professional as possible. Put images if it is necessary to drive a point. Unnecessary pictures and designs convey immaturity. It is a negative on the credibility of the business owner.

3.            Do make your discussions brief and meaty. Put only what is necessary. The shorter it is the better because most of the approvers do not have time to sit on a novel type proposal. However, essential content should not be sacrificed in the process.

4.            Do make the proposal as simple as possible. Present graphs and tables in discussing figures. Graphs are easier to digest than numbers so the small business grants for women approvers will appreciate it better. Just make sure that your graphs are professionally made.

5.            Do ensure that your financials are consistent and all statements are connected. The projected cash flow statement flows to the projected income statement and the projected balance sheet. Any inconsistency is a disaster and will merit disapproval from the business grants for women approvers.

6.            Do make sure that the figures in the main body are consistent with the financials. The financials are the quantitative support of your proposal. Both should be speaking from the same page.

And finally, the government business grant proposal is like a sales letter to a potential investor. Only a great letter and presentation can bring home the bacon. This is your shot for your business, so make every effort count.

How to Get Small Business Grants for Women Starting a Small Business

You need to prepare a lot if you plan to get small business grants for women starting a small business from non-government organizations, foundations, associations and like institutions. You can refer to the following checklist on what to do and what you need:

                How to Get Small Business Grants for Women Starting a Small Business

1.            Put down in writing what you will need and how much it will cost to accomplish your expansion project.

2.            Do your research. Make a list of all possible institutions extending small business grants for women starting a small business; that you can apply to for your funding needs.

3.            Learn the details about the small business grants for women starting a small business of your listed institutions. Each institution has specific mandate on how to award their grants. Each will have a different implementing guideline, process and documentary requirements. You have to take note of these details to avoid delays in the processing of your application. Making a comparative matrix of these data will help you get all the necessary details you will need. This matrix will also guide you if ever you need to contact these institutions for further inquiries you may have.

4.            From your matrix, make a shortlist of the small business grants for women institutions you are qualified to apply to. If ever your qualification is unclear, you can always call them and ask for further information.

5.            There will be documents that need to be accomplished to avail of your small business grants for women. Downloadable forms can be found on the institutions’ sites. If ever there are none, you need to ask for these forms from your shortlisted institutions.

6.            You need to prepare the following documents for your business: your latest audited financial report; a copy of your business profile; if you have an annual report, it will help a lot and your detailed business proposal which includes your project feasibility study. Others may ask for your business registration documents so you might as well prepare these too.

7.            Avoid wasting your resources. Submit small business grants for women proposals only to those institutions which you are qualified. Applications can be submitted online or mailed to their offices.

8.            Follow up your applications regularly. It will be best if you post a list of the contact persons you need to deal with regarding your application.

           How to Get Small Business Grants for Women Starting a Small Business

Most of the institutions giving small business grants for women only award grants to organized groups. Research on possible organizations in your area that you can network with; and join the organization that will best suit your business needs. Discuss your business proposal with them to encourage them to do the project with you. It will not only help your business but help other women as well.

Your network group can also be a good source of information for possible angel investors. Develop a good relationship with them so you will not have any problems asking for possible leads. Your network group can also help you raise the funds that you need for your business. They can help you set up garage sales, bazaars and other fund raising activities. You can return the favor by participating in their endeavors as well.

It may be hard work to source out funds for your business expansion particularly small business grants for women starting a small business. But with the right information and a good team of people who will support you, nothing is impossible. The only question is are you up to the challenge?

Start Up Small Business Loans for Women: What to do if your Proposal Gets Denied

Getting a “denied” response from a lender after submitting a proposal is oftentimes heartbreaking. For most women who mean serious business in asking for funds to start-up or develop their money making scheme, being denied from accessing start up small business loans for women is such a sad experience. However, instead of seeing this as a major disaster, a daring and smart business woman will take this setback as a challenge to be more resourceful.

        Start Up Small Business Loans for Women: What to do if your Proposal Gets Denied

On the other hand, the big question that follows after a denied loan proposal is: What will I do next? Well there are plenty of things that you can do after receiving a “thumbs-down.”

                Five things to do if your Start Up Small Business Loans for Women: What to do if your Proposal Gets Denied application gets denied

First of all, it is not all the time that start up business loans for women are being approved by an agency. If a proposal gets denied, it’s nothing personal. The first step to accepting this fact is for you, the loan applicant to understand that there is nothing really personal going on – that it was not just your character which made the results unfavorable. Aside your character, a lending corporation or an agency also looks at several other factors before approving a proposal such as: the debt ratio, credit score and the business’ profitability.

Secondly, being polite to the agency that offers small business loans for women even if your proposal is denied is a decent way to show professionalism. Every business woman or entrepreneur should practice being polite and grateful. For instance, thanking the agency or the institution for reviewing your proposal is a concrete way to show these values. And besides, perhaps if the lender appreciates these values – your next proposal wouldn’t be denied anymore!

Thirdly, review your proposal by asking the lender the reason why it was denied; perhaps the proposal lacks information, or the business plan isn’t very convincing. Lenders of start up small business loans for women always check the business plan – whether the business is more likely to succeed or not.

In addition, it is also essential to take into consideration the lender itself. Perhaps the agency is too big for the proposal or it’s the other way around. If this is the case, it is wise to seek other lending agencies or institutions. Usually, if the proposal is to start a small business, it is advisable to apply in agencies or banks that are supporting small small start up business loans for women.

Lastly, quitting is never an option. Start up small business loans for women aren’t the only sources of funding. If the first proposal fails, finding for other types of loans is another option. In applying for other loans that can fund your business, it is important to consider your resources so that the right kind of loan is taken. For instance, a homeowner can apply for a home equity loan – this is a good choice. Applying for a collateral loan is also a good option.

In conclusion, small business loans for women don’t always get approved. However, even if you have been denied of a proposal, it doesn’t mean that it’s already the end of your career as an entrepreneur. These setbacks in life are just normal. What a determined business woman should remember is that there are always new opportunities ahead. Denied requests aren’t reasons to mope around and complain about things, these things exist to let each woman stand up and improve herself.

How to Apply for Small Business Loans for Women and Succeed

Are you in need for a small business loan for women? Do you want to apply for small business loans for women but you don’t know how to get started? Then read on.

In the past, when one speaks the word “Boss” – it automatically pertains to a man who runs a business. However, times have already changed. Today, this term may not necessarily mean only a male employer anymore; more and more women are already venturing into the world of business. For this reason, more and more agencies or institutions that offer small business loans for women are also on the rise.

        How to Apply for Small Business Loans for Women and Succeed

Applying for small business loans for women is a good decision because it provides a woman enough funds to start up her own entrepreneur project and eventually gain money and even financial freedom. On the other hand, before applying for a business loan, you must act with keenness and good decision-making skills.

There are four easy steps that a willing business woman should take before applying into any agency that provides small business loans for women. These four essential procedures are as follows:

                How to Apply for Small Business Loans for Women and Succeed

Step 1:  Check your assets and liabilities.

In other words, every woman applying for a business loan should check her strengths and weaknesses first. It is advisable for the woman to ask herself these questions:

  • Do I have a good credit report?
  • Did I pay previous lenders the amount as stated in our contract?
  • Do I have the capacity to pay back the funding I will receive from granted small business loans for women?
  • Do I have collateral?

These simple questions are necessary in determining whether you are capable of applying for a loan, and whether the lender will most likely approve your application or proposal.

Step 2:  Identify the lender

The lender and the borrower must complement each other. The loan applicant should be able to find an agency or institution that grants small business loans for women whose criteria suits her business plan or proposal. For small businesses, it is a good move to also choose small lending agencies or banks.

If the lender’s criteria are too high for your capacity, the available option is to get a good and trusted broker (preferably someone you know). If there aren’t any lenders or even a broker, getting a commercial mortgage broker is the last resort.

Step 3:  Sell yourself… or the proposal.

When applying for small business loans for women, the lender will definitely throw out questions and usually, the successful applicants are those who know their numbers well and who are well prepared for these questions. So sell yourself to the lender, and be prepared!

Step 4:  Don’t quit.

Finally, a positive outlook towards the business loan can make all the difference. If your proposal gets denied, it’s never an option to give up. Although it may be difficult to have small business loans for women get approved, it is not impossible. Determination, willingness, and perseverance should be practiced.

Indeed, starting a business without capital is a business challenge that most women entrepreneurs face. The good thing though is that there are small business loans for women that are available in almost everywhere. Although it may not be easy to get a loan approved, with the right strategy and attitude, anything is possible!

Where to Find New Free Small Business grants for Black women

Are you a Black business woman? Do you want to know where to find new small business grants for black women? Then this article is for you.

         Where to Find New Small Business grants for Black women

If you have read my past articles on small business grants for women, you would already have an idea what you are up against in finding free money; especially when you are a black woman. In that article you can clearly see that there is no such thing as free money. Even if it you don’t have to pay for it, you have to search every nook to find it. Time and effort have cost equivalents especially in the business setting. Here are some suggestions that you can try:

                The pros and cons of finding new small business grants for black women

1.            NGO’s

The government cannot help you. That truth we have already established. You can look into non-government organizations and foundations that cater to women empowerment. There are a handful of them that give small business grants for women.

  • Pro: The business grants for women will cost you nothing. Your only investment is time, surf cost and a lot of effort.
  • Cons: The amount you get is very limited. It may be not enough for your business needs.  It will take a considerable period of time before you can access business grants for women from these organizations. You have to pass through their approval process before you can take hold of the funds. This usually takes months. Their qualification requirements are quite stiff. They only cater to specific target beneficiaries and you might not be qualified for it. In the end this option might not be worth the effort unless you really are in dire straits and you have no other options.

2.            Small Business Grants Agencies

Most of these agencies require the presence of women’s group to be able to extend their business grants for women. You need to join organizations in your area to be able to access their funds.

  • Pros: You get to widen your network for future opportunities. You can also help these organizations by opening up the opportunity to them and collectively form a business proposal that you can submit for funding.
  • Cons: It might not be easy to find the right group for your business needs, fund that you will get from their business grants for women will still be limited and it is not that easy when it comes to decision making. You will be bound by the guidelines of the group.

3.            Angel investors

Another option is to look for angel investors. These are people who have the money to invest and who have the heart for helping deserving entrepreneurs. The funds will not be a grant and it is not a loan also. It will only mean that they will be your business partner. They will earn from their share of the business’ income. They will be your silent shareholders.

  • Pros: Funds will be available at a shorter period of time and you can get the amount you need.
  • Cons: You need to have the right connections to be able to get to potential angel investors. It will also mean that you will not be the sole decision maker in your business. They will have a hand in running your business.

4.            Family and friends

If you are not keen of sharing your business with others, you can do it the old fashioned way. You can raise your own funds by whatever way you can such as garage sales, borrowing from relatives and friends, holding bazaars and other fund raising activities.

  • Pros: This maybe the most practical and feasible option for you. You are in control of the situation. You can get the funds you need faster.
  • Cons: It will take all your charm and abilities to pull this off; you may not be able to raise enough in one shot and you need to have good reputation and relationship in your community and your relatives.

Combining all activities while waiting for your small business grants for women from the organizations you applied from probably is the best option.

Start Up Government Small Business Loans for Women with Bad Credit

In this article, i am going to show you how to get start up government small business loans for women with bad credit. So read on.

One of the steps that most women take in starting a business is to apply for a start up small business loan. Fortunately, there are several agencies that are providing small business loans for women with bad credit who are interested in being the employer rather than being just an employee.

On the other hand though, if you, as a woman have a bad credit record, this will be a big hindrance in getting your loan approved. Most women are afraid of applying for any start up small business loan for women since they think that no agency will ever approve it because of their negative record. But this is not the case all the time. There are still agencies willing to lend funds to individuals who have bad credits and they classify these cases as “credit risks.”

 Start Up Government Small Business Loans for Women with Bad Credit

Yes, it is possible for a female to get her application for small business loans for women approved even if she has a bad credit. However, there are still unfavorable things that should be accepted such as: the amount of loan that she can possibly borrow is lesser than what she may prefer. In addition, the interest rate may be a bit higher.

Start up business loans for women with bad credit may also be called in general as bad credit loans. There are several reasons as to why a person or specifically a woman (as the subject of this article) fails to pay her dues and therefore acquire a bad credit score. For instance, the reason could be divorce, a medical emergency, dropping of credit scores, piling up of due fees, job loss, inadequate income, and finally, the plain inability to pay for financial dues. For these women, obtaining a business loan may be difficult – but not impossible.

As long as one has the resourcefulness and the determination, she can have a bad credit loan approved and she can use this funding then as capital for her business. There are also still other ways on how you can gain funding for a potential business. The following are ways in which one can gain funding:

 Start Up Government Small Business Loans for Women with Bad Credit

1.    Home equity loan

There are lending institutions that specialize in bad credit loans. A smart woman can use her home ownership as a means to acquire a loan.

2.   Collateral loan

Applying for a collateral loan is another good idea. Most lenders approve bad credit loans as long as there is collateral because they have the assurance that in the event the loan is not paid, they won’t lose all the money they have given.

3.    Having a friend or relative co-sign on a loan.

A close friend or a relative can cosign a loan- which means, in the event that you cannot pay the debt, your friend who co-signed the loan will pay for it. This option can be used by females seeking government small business loans for women (with a bad credit), but have no house or collateral to use. However, this option may be a bit dangerous as it can put your relationship with other people at risk.

4.     Partnering with a business investor.

If all else fails in terms of getting small business loans for women with bad credit, seeking a partner who can finance the business is another good idea. Usually, business investors would want to be part owners of the business. Others on the other hand, would want to just have their capitals back but with interest.

Indeed, having bad credits should not hinder a female from getting small business loans for women. In fact, there are many alternative options to choose from if you want to really finance your business. In this case, resourcefulness is key.

How to Get Small Business Loans for Women Starting a Business

With the increasing number of females applying to agencies offering small business loans for women starting a business, a business-minded lady should work twice as hard to get the loan approved. There can be many styles as to how you can get your loan application approved, but there is only one sure-fire style – and that is to be prepared!

     How to Get Small Business Loans for Women Starting a Business

        Preparing for the Application

As mentioned, preparation is the key to having your business loan approved. But how should you prepare for it, anyway? The following are tips that females applying for small business loans for women should apply in order to gain the trust of the agency and have her loan application approved.

Six tips for getting your small business loans for women approved

1.            Before applying to an agency giving small business loans for women starting a business, it is essential for a wise businesswoman to request a copy of her credit report. Upon receiving the copy, you must review it meticulously and find possible problems or issues, which need to be dealt with in the soonest possible time. If there are any discrepancies or errors, it is best to contact the associated agency immediately. Remember, a good credit report reflects that the individual is actually someone who pays her dues responsibly.

2. Keep essential records at hand

The agency will definitely ask for documents, records, and other important paperwork; it is important to have these records available.

3.          If there are any negative remarks on the credit report, one should prepare a good and viable explanation as for the cause of these “negative entries”. Preparing for questions that the lender might possibly ask is also important. Agencies that are providing small business loans for women are keen and strict with regards to negative remarks, but having these doesn’t mean that you can’t qualify for a loan anymore. The lender also considers other factors before approving or denying an application.

4.             Define why the funding is needed.

A smart loan applicant will be able to gear the lender to approve the loan by defining very well why the financial aid is needed in the first place. In the case of small business loans for women starting a business, it is important for the female applicant to state what kind of business is she going to start or develop that needs the required funding. In addition, it is also important for you to be able to explain to the lender how you plan to pay the borrowed sum.

5.            Be convincing

Aside from doing the mentioned tips above, it is also a part of the preparation to sell yourself and prove to the lender that you can pay for the loan. Providing collateral is the usual method used by applicants to give confidence to the lender that the borrowed money will be returned.

6.            In addition, you should also present yourself in a professional and formal way during the interview by dressing appropriately. By showing to the agency providing small business loans for women that you are prepared enough for the commitments at stake, you can have a better chance of receiving the loan as compared to the rest.