Raising funds for a small business can be tricky. You are too small to go the way of a traditional bank loan, but you need money to play with the big dogs in your field. There are options that let you 'fake it' until you can get your business up and running and 'make it'. 

Credit Cards: Credit cards are a classic 'fake-it-til-you-make-it' strategy. The cards give you access to purchasing power to get what you need for your business now. While it is not fiscally wise to max out your cards, entrepreneurs are often willing to take risks. Keeping your utilization to 20 percent or less can help maintain your credit score and lessen that risk.

Cash Out Refinancing: If you own a home, talk to a lender about your equity. Now that the housing market has settled down, banks are letting consumers cash out their equity again. If refinancing makes sense for your situation, the cash can come in handy for your business growth.

Online Auction Sites: Selling all the stuff you've collected over the years is a great way to raise funds for day-to-day living while you are faking it. For some people, it is easy to purge their closets and let things go. For others, it is hard to part with favorite items. It is all just stuff. Stuff doesn't grow your business; money does. Besides, you can buy a better one once you make it, right?

Invoice Factoring: If this sounds like a complicated math problem, it is – sort of. Invoice factoring is where you sell your outstanding invoices to a company that can afford to wait the 60 to 90 days before the invoice become due. If you need cash fast for the next step of your business, you can sell these accounts receivables at a discount. The best part is that the client never knows you were short on cash so you can maintain your 'fake-it' status.

Peer-to-Peer Lending: New websites are emerging that connect normal, everyday people who need to borrow money with normal, everyday people who want to loan money. The loans aren't huge and the interest rate is fair. More often than not, the loan is crowdfunded to spread the risk over many lenders. It's a great example of how micro finance can help small businesses, like yours.

Payday Loans: Payday loans get a bad rap, but it is not always warranted. If you need them for your day-to-day living expenses, you can easily get in over your head. If, however, you need to borrow money in order to get a big account or to buy the equipment needed to land a specific job, then using them wisely -- for the short term -- can be to your advantage. 

Parents: Asking your parents for a loan hurts. We get it. If you truly believe in your business and your future success, they do, too. Let them help you. Be sure to pay them back as soon as things take off. Heck, you could even take them out for dinner – your treat.

To learn more, visit advanceucash.com.   

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