Most, if not all, small businesses reach a point where a small business loan may be needed. It could be to patch up a hole caused by mounting expenses or other unforeseen incidentals. It could also be used where a company is not yet producing sufficient organic operating capital required to spur growth and take the company to the next level. Without the ability to fulfill the next contract or properly market for future business, advancement can become next to impossible.

There are some small businesses that grow organically from word-of-mouth, but for many businesses owners you’ll have to put some money behind getting new customers in your door and your revenue will cover those marketing expenses. For some businesses, opportunities for growth sometimes come knocking on your door and you may not have the cash flow to support a large investing. This is where some business owners will choose to finance their growth opportunities.

… in business, growth is about more than just hoping for it, and it can often cause more problems than anyone might anticipate. It has to be strategic. It has to be for the right reasons.

A strong economy drives business growth. I think most of us can agree on that. Growth is usually good…But if it is not controlled growth, it simply will not be sustainable.

Scalability becomes even more important for small businesses and startups, which are often operating in arenas so competitive, even gladiators might avoid them! In today’s fast-paced landscape, it’s more essential than ever to not only know the definition of “scale” for business, but to be able to apply it.

Growing your business is an exciting task. It means customers are receiving your business well and you’re bringing in a profit.

Generating new business by growing your customer base is important to your business success. However, it can sometimes be very challenging. Here are some practical tips to help you grow your customer base.

… there are more than a few entrepreneurs online daily talking and marketing the same kind of business, and offering the same services. You log onto social media and you see many of your entrepreneur friends that sell podcast services, build funnels, run ads, can teach you how to use live video, teach you how to create a profitable blog, and the list goes on. Building an online business isn’t easy, and there are some hard realities that you need to realize…

Scaling your business means you're able to handle an increase in sales, work, or output in a cost-effective, reasonable manner. Your company can handle growth without suffering in other areas.

These days operating a business means dividing resources between both the offline world and the online world…Any business that isn’t actively working to grow their business online as well as in-person, may be seriously undermining their long-term potential.

If you are a small business owner, you may need a cash injection to grow your business. A loan can provide the best solution. However, entrepreneurs can balk at the need to pay the interest that every loan carries. While it’s true that interest payments do eat into your profits, you need to look at this issue from a different angle. The question that you should ask yourself before taking a loan is:

Restaurateur Constantine Stavropoulos would be a good candidate to be the poster boy of SBA. Before starting Tryst in Adams Morgan in 1998, he did his homework at the small business development center at SBA’s old headquarters on Vermont Avenue. There he picked out materials on entrepreneurship, financing and how to write a business plan.