Unlike the CEOs of major public companies, whose personal financial situation has little effect on their companies’ borrowing, if you are a small business owner, your personal credit is a major factor influencing your company’s access to capital. The power of personal credit scores to predict small business loan repayment, the legal structure of many small businesses, and small business owners’ use of personal guarantees and personal borrowing to finance business operations, all link small business owners’ personal credit to

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million investment to help small businesses or entrepreneurs create jobs and economic opportunity by providing them with greater access to business education, financial capital, and business support services. The program is based on the broadly held view of leading experts that greater access to this combination of education, capital and support services best addresses barriers to growth. 10,000 Small Businesses is funded by Goldman Sachs and The Goldman Sachs Foundation. The program

SBA is gearing up for National Small Business Week, May 12-16. They are taking the show on the road to celebrate small businesses across the United States. This year’s activity will include forums and panels about trends in small business, innovation, financing, business growth – and more. There will also be matchmaking events and networking opportunities. The week will kick off in San Francisco on May 12, followed by events in Kansas City, Boston and Washington, DC. They’ll wrap up

An M&A deal is the biggest deal of your life, so completing a successful transaction is key. Knowing a few key M&A tips — whether you’re merging or acquiring — increases your odds of successfully completing an M&A deal. Secrets to success include the following: Retain capable and experienced M&A advisors. You can’t complete this transaction alone, and a business owner who represents himself in a life-altering deal is asking for trouble. You need a dispassionate advisor, someone who has been