Small Biz Finance

WOJTOWICZ: Is small-business ownership for you?

November 30, 2012
Jean Wojtowicz
The horror stories are sobering: Dun & Bradstreet reported earlier this year that businesses with fewer than 20 employees have only a 37 percent chance of surviving four years and just 9 percent will be around 10 years.
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WOJTOWICZ: Lenders need financial statements to protect investment

August 27, 2012
Jean Wojtowicz
The bank needs to know how your business is doing right now (usually the most recent 30 or 60 days), rather than rely on your current year’s tax return that may have aged several months.
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WOJTOWICZ: It pays to know environmental requirements

June 29, 2012
Jean Wojtowicz
Unexpected problems add to the headaches of opening or relocating a business, and we hear a lot about the hang-ups of required, but annoying, environmental investigations.
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WOJTOWICZ: Temporary program helps refinance commercial mortgages

February 24, 2012
Jean Wojtowicz
A recent study from Credit Suisse found that over $15 billion of small commercial mortgages (under $5 million) are coming due in the next few years.
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WOJTOWICZ: Do homework before meeting business lender

December 19, 2011
Jean Wojtowicz
Prepare to talk in detail about your business, the plans you are making and the reasons for expanding before you show the banker the facts and figures.
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WOJTOWICZ: Character always counts—even in loan decisions

September 23, 2011
Jean Wojtowicz
During these difficult times, small-business lenders are looking harder at intangibles—including a borrower’s character.
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WOJTOWICZ: Missed tax payments could affect business loans

July 1, 2011
Jean Wojtowicz
Property tax billing and collection were at their most confusing during the recession, when businesses were experiencing lost revenue, poor projections and, in general, toughing it out as best they could.
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WOJTOWICZ: Relief available for firms with falling real estate values

June 3, 2011
Jean Wojtowicz
New law allows banks to refinance existing real estate and equipment debt through the U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan program.
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WOJTOWICZ: How to lay your hands on working capital

December 6, 2010
Jean Wojtowicz
Small-business owners looking for working capital would be well-served to do their research in advance and can ask their bankers about several approaches, including financing based on assets.
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WOJTOWICZ: Be careful when locking in low loan rate

August 27, 2010
Jean Wojtowicz
This may be a golden opportunity for small-business owners to lock in a low rate to finance expansion. But make sure you understand the loan agreement.
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WOJTOWICZ: Is it time to buy rather than lease space?Restricted Content

November 28, 2009
Jean Wojtowicz
Buying a building for your business is still possible in a tight lending market, but bankers will review real estate purchases carefully.
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WOJTOWICZ: Stimulus is expanding small-biz lendingRestricted Content

July 27, 2009
Jean Wojtowicz
The economic stimulus package allocated $375 million to the U.S. Small Business Administration so it could offer more generous terms to small-business borrowers.
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Small Business Administration grants loans to Indy businessesRestricted Content

February 23, 2009
These businesses have received loans from financial institutions with a guarantee from the SBA.
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To survive lean times ahead, small businesses must plan nowRestricted Content

November 24, 2008
David Clegg
Small businesses should plan for the worst while being attuned to what is happening in their industries, and to their customers.
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Lean companies have best chance to surviveRestricted Content

November 24, 2008
Jean Wojtowicz
Make your business look as attractive as possible to your banker because you are competing for financing with other small businesses.
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  1. Doug Henning!

  2. These guy were thugs — they grew up in freaking Haughville! Smh, sigh. If the mayor needs/wants "quality" Black Hoosiers who are NOT corrupt, give me a call — I know plenty. Land bank info here - http://www.kubepharm.com/indylandbank/IndyLandBank.html

  3. Magician and illusionist!

  4. The basic idea of nice apartments with parking and retail is a good one, but this design seems overwhelmingly big/tall for Broad Ripple. The size could be disguised a bit with lots of big trees/landscaping, but the complex is too massive to blend in easily. That section of canal between College and Westfield will also need to be upgraded on both sides. Nice apartments facing onto a nice promenade with shade trees/plantings could bring together the canal towpath/Monon recreation, the outdoor seating at existing restaurants, and this project into something that upgrades the whole area. A plan for the whole stretch makes more sense than facing nice new housing onto what looks like a ditch. Is there a plan? Does the public have input? Who pays? The apartment idea seems to be reasonable, but Whole Foods is not a good idea for appropriate retail. Besides the store being physically too big, there are already Fresh Market at 54xCollege and Whole Foods in Nora for fancy groceries. Good Earth and Kroger are within walking distance of the Shell site. There are at least 7 grocery stores within a safe bike ride. Whole Foods would add nothing but traffic congestion. This design is on the right track, but there needs to be more work done to ensure that it blends in with and enhances the existing community. A project that large will set a tone for that whole part of town. It could be a real asset, but only if done right.

  5. I did not move to Zionsville to live in Carmel. This and the subsequent developments to follow will ensure a vanilla uniformity of strip malls and apartment buildings as we seek to bring our town down to the least common denominator. We were warned before recent elections that pro-development council members would make sure their friends (landowners and developers) would be able to make their millions off of the exploitation of Zionsville. Why in God's name would we sell out the best preserved small town in the State of Indiana?

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