#Venture Debt Lenders

[zayncapital]

Navigating the Uncharted Waters of Lahore: A Guide

Lahore, the heart of Pakistan, is a city brimming with culture, history, and modernity. As the second-largest city in the country, Lahore offers a unique blend of ancient heritage and contemporary development.

[espressocapital]

Growth Capital Investments

Espresso Capital specializes in growth capital investments designed to fuel your company's expansion without diluting equity. Our flexible financing solutions empower high-growth businesses to scale operations, enter new markets, and achieve long-term success. Partner with us to access the capital you need to reach your full potential while maintaining control of your business. https://espressocapital.com/

[yeyinde]

"Don't trust me?" "I don't even know you—" His hand lifts, metal fingers spreading lazily as he holds his palm in front of you. A peace offering. The sight of it makes you scoff.  "Fair. For what it's worth, I don't trust you much, either, but—" another inhale of his cigar. His voice is pinched when he speaks, his breath ghosting white with the smoke congealing in his lungs. "We have to make do with what we have, don't we, love?"

》 WARNINGS: allusions to political corruption, mild horror (maybe??), mentions of death and murder; more banter in a pub; Price has a past

》 WORD COUNT: 8K

》 NOTES: This was originally much longer but the second part delves heavily into the mechanics of the world (we FINALLY see MC—I'm not good at creative nicknames—go into the underground/black market and it is like, a Thing!!!!) and it felt like a bit of an overload with soooo much being revealed at once. So, I split them up. More Reader x Price in a pub. Bantering. Because, ummm, I’m so goddamn creative, lads. 

SERIES MASTERLIST | PREVIOUS : NEXT

Makarov's outburst clots in the fibrils of your still reeling mind, replaying in an incessant loop that keeps you up into the early morning hours, unable to sleep. 

Each time you close your eyes, you see the unavoidable truth in blood looming before you. Inner Circle. Inescapable. 

All this time, you'd been under some false assumption that Makarov was the sole lender to whatever medical intervention was needed to bring you back from the clutch of death. It would make things easier. 

People die every day. 

It was the macabre ideal you clung to, digging into the notion until your nails cracked and bled. The only constant in your life that brought some semblance of hope. 

After all, the dead can't collect any debts. 

But a corporate entity can. 

You're pulled out of your reverie when the sound of a news alert fills the silence of your penthouse. The screen flickers to life at the apex of dawn, just when the indigo sky above splits into a varicoloured smear of pastel pink, ochre, and lavender. The looming horizon—sun a hazy flaxen—swallows the tenebrous that gnaws on the skyscape outside of your window. 

The vacuum fills the familiar jingle of your normal routine. A man sits behind a podium. The chyron below warns of a biblical rainstorm approaching, enough—

"—to wash the whole city away," the newscaster jokes as he jogs the stack of papers in front of him. A bead of sweat catches in the flushed light of the newsroom. The implants on his cheekbones flash; the chromatophore upgrade in his sleek skin shifting in a kaleidoscope of colour. "It comes at a good time, though, as reports of sickness are spreading through the medical bays. It must be flu season—," he titters before shifting his attention over to a man on the other half of the screen. 

He wears a black poncho and a wide grin. 

"A flu?" He echoes, the words swallowed by the passersby in the city square. The jumbotrons in the back bath him in a hazy, neon smear. "In this economy?"

They chatter in the background about a sickness spreading through the city, the storm looming closer, Atlas Corporation putting in a series of patents for some big, technological feat of engineering—Four Horseman has some steep competition this year! Atlas is the up-and-coming tech company that has new, innovative ideas and a focus on the environment!

It's the only mention of Four Horsemen Corp.

It doesn't surprise you. 

Money is a powerful tool. Those who weren't already in their back pocket were quickly added, and those who couldn't be paid off were—

Enticed. 

Whatever Anatoly—his primary enforcer—couldn't do, an encrypted file deep in Makarov's secured vault filled the gap. 

The White Horse is a multifaceted venture. On its surface, a luxury club that caters to a specific clientele. Its exclusivity makes it desirable. People fall over themselves just for the chance to enter. The prestige alone from saying, "I've gotten an invitation," is worth more than money in the circle of the upper echelon. It's elusive. Draped in mystique. 

Coveted. 

They want to get in so bad, just for the sole purpose of throwing their weight around and saying they've been, that they don't stop and think about the potential dangers that lurk. 

After all, a club funded by the Inner Circle and owned by Makarov—the White Horse—could hardly be dangerous. 

It's not the club they have to worry about but the man who owns it. The one who has people in high positions of power froth at the mouth for a chance to attend. 

It is impossible to convince a man with millions to risk his neck for someone else. 

But blackmail does the trick. 

From the utter silence of the media regarding this, barring a few fringe sites that are too small to bother with, you'd wager that your hard work was utilised now more than ever before. 

"—pull out your umbrellas, because—"

You reach out, pressing the power key. It clicks off. The hologram darkens to sleek black. 

Your face stares back at you, shaded in tenebrous. Empty. Vacant. Sometimes, you try to piece together what you might have looked like as a child, but all that surfaces is a void. Nothingness. 

It isn't a mental block, but an absence of everything. Anything. A gaping hole. 

You think of the missing man—Alex Keller—and something rotten gnarls between empty ribs. 

Six days. 

Three years. 

You wonder if anyone is still looking for you now. If your face is plastered on the communication poles on some distant planet. If the uncanny likeness of you is whispered in a neighbourhood in Al Mazrah where your family mourns. Or if there is now an empty spot at a dinner table that will never be filled. 

You doubt it. 

Nothing ever appears in the searches. No one ever stops you when you wander down the streets, and belts out an unfamiliar name. The closest you'd come to some sense of recognition was that man. The closest you'd come to thinking finally, finally, someone knew you. 

But he didn't. Doesn't. 

He isn't combing the shady side of down for you, but for Alex. A missing man who's been gone for six days—long enough for the man to tear through the redlight district and force your hand to aid him in finding out where Alex had gone. 

(You wonder if someone fought that hard for you.)

Ugly. Stupid. 

No one is looking. Makarov assured you of this when you asked him. 

You're a nobody, kitten. A stray. I picked you up off the streets and brought you back. You want your family? Well, all you have is me. Ain't that swell, kitten? What more could something like you ever hope for?

Worthless. 

You're caged up like an exotic bird. A toy to be kept on the highest shelf until it's needed. 

A pet. A plaything.

But Makarov's reach is everpresent. His eyes are everywhere.

You can run, and run, and run—

You should know better by now. No one touches what belongs to me. 

—and he'll always find you.

You have this recurring nightmare that started a year into waking up.

Makarov's idea of avoiding the hassle of you constantly asking questions about the unfamiliar world around you was to just preemptively teach you about it all. In a single session.

Despite the hesitation from the man administering the chip that would flood your mind with knowledge of the world, he pushed for it. And really—who is going to stand up to a man who not only pays their bills, but funds a vast majority of the country?

Against all codes of ethics, you were given the chip.

There is no way of describing the pain of suddenly knowing, but it left a mental scar on your psyche, one that is fundamentally irreparable. A bruise that's always there. A sore spot in your mind as it slowly heals itself from the aftermath of information overload.

But in that knowledge, came the awakening of something else.

Something that the man touched on briefly. Your lack of implants. Cybernetics. The flesh on your body is unblemished by technology, save for a small port where your spine meets your skull. It's always been there. You woke up with it.

It is covered by a layer of tissue meant to keep debris from getting in, and most days you forget about it's existence entirely.

Until, of course, days like these.

When you remember a piece of that overwhelming puzzle that was forced into your head. Artificial intelligence. Androids.

Project Sentience.

It's now considered a cruel, awful experiment conducted by the forefathers who founded the technological epoch that bloomed, by many accounts, out of control and transformed life within a few, short decades.

The project was started with good intentions. They meant to mind the gap between the limits of knowledge and erase the blemish of human error. Where they dreamed up the impossible, the AIs were meant to fill in the missing holes in the theorems and puzzles.

Working, together, for a better future.

But there was an unseen flaw.

The sentience wasn't foolproof. The android working with the engineers thought themselves to be exactly what they were: human.

It was then that project commenced in secrecy. They led the androids to believe they were real, flesh and bone, but when the flawed aspect of the human ego (a byproduct of their tweaked code to mimic the behaviours of humans to seem more passably real) led them to declare themselves the greatest engineers of all time, it was then that human engineers made it known what they were.

It wouldn't be so bad, maybe, if they were just confined to the lab. But they weren't. They were meant to be human, and so—

They led human lives. Love, dislike. Heartbreak. Some had gotten married. Some had lobbied against AI agency.

All had thought they were human.

The ripping of the veil was a nasty one.

Their partners were ostracised. Lives ruined. Their agency was taken away from them in fear of an insurgence from the androids who were now feeling the distinctly human emotion of abject horror.

Everything they knew was culled overnight over something so disgustingly simple as human envy.

It was deemed too cruel to continue. Public outcry made it so that any android made with sentience was told they were artificial, and treated as such.

The lawing of this pulled people in different directions. Subservience. Superiority. Purist.

You think of that experiment, and then of the many markers left behind that give someone an advanced understanding of their anti-humanism. The first, naturally, being a lack of noticeable enhancements. Why would something made to be perfect need an upgrade or an implant when they can just be designed with that specific feature?

The second is a sudden awakening into cognisance.

An emptiness. Nothing. And then—

They're awake.

You think of that as you stare at yourself in the mirror, but it passes just as quickly as it came. Your attention was stolen away by flickering light overhead.

They warned of an oncoming storm, didn't they?

It draws your eye, and you watch the light recede in small bursts as it struggles through the power surge of the grid. It's a common sight. Static in the air. The taste of rain.

You've always been more attuned to the change in the weather, almost as if you could feel the building of kinetic energy buzzing across your flesh.

From the prickling goosebumps ghosting over your skin, you know it'll be a bad one. Biblical, they said.

You turn back, mind blank, sluggish. It's weird. All of this is—

The face in the mirror is not your own.

Well. No. No, it is. It's—

You.

But—

Your flesh drips. Raindrops of flesh slide down your cheeks, dripping into the porcelain basin of the sink where it hits the ceramic with a sickening splat.

(Pat, pat, pat—)

It doesn't hurt. You don't feel anything. Nothing, nothing at all—

And you should, shouldn't you? Agony over the slippage of skin falling off of your face in wet flakes until the smooth curve of metal is shown—

Metal.

Your chin dips. A mass breaks away, the ruination of Pangea, and falls into the basin with the rest until sleek gunmetal remains. Wires crossed, connected. You feel—

Nothing. You feel absolutely nothing.

Where terror should brim, you're empty. A vacuum.

(Made in his image.)

You force yourself to reel back, to fling away from the thing staring at you—the thing that can't be you, can't be, can't be, can't be—until you trip. Until you fall to the ground with a thud that you can only hear but not feel.

You know you're sitting down on the solid ground because you can feel the physical weight of gravity pushing against you, and meeting a barrier in the middle. Something stops it from sending you down, down, down.

The floor. Your fingers dig into the marble. The whine of metal across flat, recrystallised limestone meet your ears, but the breaking of your nails causes you no pain. No blood, either. Nothing. The uncapped tips of your carbon fingers leave scratches on the polished surface.

He'll kill you, you think, mechanical and distant. You ruined his floor.

It doesn't hit you the way it should. It doesn't do much of anything.

It feels like you're floating. Suspended. You can't feel the ground, or the floor, or the wall against your back. All that filters in is the knowledge that you are on a stable foundation, and not caught in a free fall.

You catch sight of yourself in the brass handle of the door.

A metal face stares back at you.

You open your mouth to scream but nothing comes out.

A blink back into wakefulness, and you're in your bed. The mattress is soft beneath your feverish body, the sheets saturated in your sweat. They cling to your skin, trapping you. You feel the weight of gravity. The solid frame of the bed keeps you up.

Your hands fly to your face, nails scratching against your skin.

—Skin. Skin.

It takes hours to calm down, and days to shake the terror of looking into a mirror.

You sit, huddled in your room, and wonder if maybe all the signs were there.

Sometimes you wish that if Makarov had really, truly, made you from scratch, he would have given you solid gold plates for skin, and diamonds for bones, so at least every pound of flesh would be worth something.

(Worthless.

You are—)

Your loyalty to Makarov is a tenuous thread, one frayed and knotted from the inherent sense of ownership he lays on you. An obligation of recompense for saving your life—something you'd never asked of him. 

And so, it doesn't really feel like much of a surprise when you pull the rim of your hood low over your brow, tug your mask high up the bridge of your nose, and sneak past your guard for the evening to meet him instead. 

The place he picked is known as Industrial City—so aptly named for its abundance of postmodern buildings from somewhere in the mid-to-late twenty-first century. The crumbling ruins of an archaic homage to humanity's progress now sit abandoned in a cluster of rotting steel, cracked concrete, and mouldering asbestos. 

It's a haven for small-time gangs, and at one point, was thought to be the hideout of a notorious Purist leader who tried to sever the dependence on technology, and plunge the world back into a natural darkness. 

(He got as far as snipping a single wire from the Grid before he was detained for terrorism.) 

Bathed in an inky black, and void of the artificial neon smear of lights and LEDs, it looks almost haunting in the indigo gloam. A graveyard of the past. 

There's a prevalent feeling of unwelcomeness simmering low in the air around the abandoned buildings, one that grows ever-potent as you wander past it, and down the overgrown path leading to an old warehouse on the opposite side. 

Tension thickens the air. You feel it clot in your lungs. An uncanny sensation of being watched. Hunted. Your eyes skirt the row of crumbling industrial buildings, peering into the black voids of the smashed windows. Jagged cuts of glass, opaque from a thick layer of dust, grime, and the inevitable decay passage of time brings, gleam in the pale light of the moon suspended in the aether. 

It's dark. Uncannily so. 

The only light illuminating your path is the jaundiced glow of the moon and the buoyant flicker of the shuttles docking on the station. An infinitesimal dot against Tycho's vast, grey dip. Barely enough to make a difference in a place that leaks a palpable sense of unwelcomeness from the tenebrous surrounding you. 

Something shifts in your periphery. Your eyes dart to a third-story window of a vacant building. 

The stark, unfathomable blackness gives nothing away but you still feel the unmistakable sense of something, someone, glaring back into your eyes. Eye contact from the void. 

Your gaze drops to the underbrush. 

The static in the air grazes your skin. You're being watched. Stalked. Hunted. 

In the furze, you make out a depression in the dirt. Oval-shaped. Plain. 

It's a footprint. 

It rained all morning—a small appetiser to the biblical flood they promised: a looming thundercloud inched closer to the city each day—but the print in the wet ground was undisturbed. Fresh.

Above it, you find another. And another. Another. Until it disappears between a bottleneck of the two buildings. 

The path leads you back to the broken window—to the vat of black. 

The mini-gyrojet you stole from Yuri a long time ago sits heavy in the waistband of your trousers. Barely the size of your hand, and certainly less potent, but the laser is just as deadly as its parent. Comforting, almost. 

Your fingers twitch. You stifle the urge to grab it, and force yourself to turn around. Back to the enemy. Stupid. You know better. 

But whatever is looming in the shadows isn't a concern of yours. 

(And maybe, maybe, if they did shoot you in the back, you'd know once and for all what your insides were made of.)

Stupid. 

Nails bite into the soft skin of your palm leaving a crescent indent against your lifeline. The flash of pain, of discomfort, quells the knot in your stomach, the one that curls tight around your organs, and claws its way up your esophagus. Fear. Anxiety. They pollute inside of you with each step through the industrial mausoleum and toward the dilapidated building in the distance. 

An old parking lot sits to your right. The cracked concrete is barely visible under the thick overgrowth that congeals around the space left behind. Nature reclaiming Her land. Against the hazy ochre smear in the distant horizon, slowly being consumed by the vat of indigo that follows swiftly behind it, the tangled vines of emerald green look ethereal in the gloam. 

It's a vivid glimpse into the past when this place meant something to the people who ventured here. Office buildings. A parking lot where archaic vehicles using gasoline to run once sat, wheels on the concrete. Feet on the ground. They wandered to the buildings—just another cog in the machine. 

You wonder sometimes what they would think if they could see the world today. The broken line between fantasy and reality where slipping a chip into their brain stem could create a gap in time, one that lets them wander through any period of history, any memory inside their head. 

They called it virtual reality. 

Another plane of existence they hadn't the technology to exploit fully. A digital dimension that lingered between the layered worlds. 

Some live inside that realm exclusively, refusing to risk themselves in the physical plane where an errant jet could end their lives. 

It's a strange juxtaposition from that to this. Where the graffiti that stains the crumbling ashlar is now considered with reverence to this world as a handprint in a cave was to that one. 

A noise echoes through the vacant lot. The sound of a cut-off shout. Your eyes dart to the left, taking in the sight of two men standing outside of a Burger Town, jostling each other over the last jetbike parked in the charging dock. 

Inside the restaurant, a man leans against the tinted glass, cigarette in his hand, watching the same tousle as you. Under the flickering neon sign, his lips quirk up in amusement when one of the men loses their balance, tumbling to the pavement. 

It's another odd juxtaposition. A rotting graveyard of the past, some buildings salvaged and converted into a strange array of low-brow pubs, and—

Neon lips open, a pink tongue glides over the plump line of red before disappearing into a closed-mouth smile. It repeats. 

—a pseudo redlight district for those who can't afford the rent on the main boardwalk. 

The graffiti on the wall of the building is faded. The paint peeling, and weathered from the passage of elements. But you can still make out the shape of a yellow dick on the wall. 

Bars. Fast-food. Sex. Testosterone. 

The world might be different, but the people certainly aren't. 

You pull your hood down lower over your brow, and quickly keep moving. 

The converted warehouse doesn't have any markings on the outside to identify it as a pub, and you almost miss it until your tracker chimes, indicating your arrival.

Upon first glance, it's just a long, rectangular two-storey building made of chipped burgundy brick and scattered windows, all crusted with grime until it's tinted in a thick, opaque grey. 

You check the map again—just once to be sure—and send off a delayed alert with a timer set to go off an hour from now to Yuri. 

If you don't turn it off before the time runs out, he'll know where to find you.

(Or whatever is left of you.)

Everything about this, in hindsight, is pretty dangerous. Meeting a man who slings accusations at your saviour, and somehow knows about you, about your debt, in a graveyard that reeks of mildew and wet concrete is something people will hear about in passing, and wish you ill in the afterlife for being so stupid. 

But you're here. 

The choice has been made—whether or not it's a smart one has yet to be determined. 

Military. They have power. Influence. However pantomime it might be in the face of overwhelming wealth, it's still something. You thought they were all corrupted by the Inner Circle's clandestine whispers of affluence—sign here, Colonel, and we can give you armour and weapons beyond anything you'd ever seen before (just look the other way while we sell the antis to your enemies—can't let you get too powerful, after all). It seemed like they were. The parade of men and women who congregated at White Horse, or any of the other subsidiaries around the city, the world, was a testament to that. 

But he seems different. 

(And really, you've always had a thing for gruff men who'll disappoint you in the end. 

The heartbreak always tastes sweeter when they're worth something.) 

You glance down at the screen, staring at the timer as if it was your last lifeline, and hope, desperately, that you have. 

Your finger lifts. The screen fades to black. The white emblem of Four Horsemen Corp., gazes, almost accusatory, back at you. 

(If anything, Makarov will kill you before the man has any chance of breaking your heart.)

Turning back now is forfeiture, weakness. 

And you'd rather not walk through the graveyard again.

The door is made of rusted metal, and whines loud enough to echo through the barren landscape when you push it against the hinges. Muted gold leaks through the crack, spilling out onto the dirty pavement below your feet. Light catches on the motes dancing in the beam, and cuts through the murk of the falling night. 

Inside, you hear the fading tune of an old song playing out its last chorus. The scrape of a mug being pulled across wood. A low murmur. And nothing else. 

The normalcy of everything so far—or as normal as a strange retro pub in the middle of a mouldering neighbourhood could be—goes against the theatrics Makarov likes to pull, and you know from that alone that if this was somehow a trap, it wasn't his design. 

Anatoly would be jeering at you from the very top of Makarov's tower, fingers pushing against your shoulders until you were forced further back with each question you didn't answer. All the way to the ledge, where Makarov would intervene—always wanting to play the part of a saviour—and spare you. 

Just answer me this, kitten, and I'll put an end to it all. 

But the moment you opened your big, stupid mouth and gave him what you wanted, he'd begin monologuing by the sidelines, pacing as he speaks, until—

Well. We can't all be heroes. Sometimes, we need to be knocked down a peg. Anatoly would move closer, oblivious to your pleading demands for leniency, and Makarov would smile, sharp and shark-like, and say, as if it pained him: or a few stories. 

And you'd fall. Three hundred floors to your death. 

By the time you hit the pavement, you'd be a wet puddle of mush. Unidentifiable. They'd ensure it by removing your identity chip, and anything else that would give the mess of your remains a name. 

You've seen it play out enough times to know how it goes. The script might bend to fit the needs of the accused, but the plot was always the same. 

Theatrical. Dramatic. 

Your fingers curl into fists by your side, and find some solace in the fact that a two-floor drop probably won't kill you. 

This is survivable as long as you're useful. 

A new mantra is craved in the recesses of your mind. Useful. Useful. 

You repeat it to yourself as you pull the door open wider, glancing in the room warily. Hesitant. 

Whatever you expected, this wasn't it. 

It's normal. Archaic in design. 

Lanterns are strung across the rafters crisscrossing the ceiling, bathing the small room in a muted gold. It complements the raw topaz colour of the wooden decor inside—herringbone floors, shiplap-covered walls, dark spruce tables and benches—and something about it all feels almost homey. Comfortable. 

The size and cut of it err into intimacy or claustrophobia, and you wonder if that's why he picked it. 

On the opposite side of the entrance is a dark hallway. A flickering exit sign glows softly in the gloom. Two darker doorways branch off on either side of the back door. Washrooms. You can vaguely make out the light spilling from the insignia etched into the wood. 

It's flush against the rightmost wall where a series of old photographs sit, crookedly, on the panels. The images are too faded, jaundiced from time, for you to make out the shapes, but they all look human. Humanity from a bygone era. You catch sight of an old aeroplane, the vessel barely longer than the height of the man standing in front of the large propellers. 

The rest of them are of people standing together near old landmarks that no longer exist. 

Metals line the interior of one, kept guarded behind a new protective seal. They shine in the soft glow, and the label beneath reads: chest candy. 

These are personal photos. Family heirlooms. Staring at them, struggling to make out the full shapes of the children, the men, and the women, standing around and smiling happily make you feel a touch voyeuristic.  Gazing into a tomb not meant for your eyes. 

You pull away from the wall, glancing at the one that sections off the washrooms from the main room. It, too, is decorated in photographs, but these ones are less personal. Images of long-gone celebrities. Artistic renditions of landscapes that evolved over the last centuries into something new, something different. 

The theme of the wall is aerial. You make out old etchings of aircraft in all sizes. Commemorative pieces. Militaristic in its design. 

Three booths sit flush against the wall, all made of dark wood, and each seat empty. 

Against the leftmost wall is the bar itself, separated from the seating area by a long, oak countertop with six bar stools pushed up close. A mug sits, half-empty, in front of one. An empty glass in front of the other beside it. An ashtray in the middle of the two seats, filled with cigarette butts. One still burns away, wheedling down to a snubbed point. 

The wall is lined with bottles. A tap behind it. At the end is another doorway which must lead to the back area. The sign above says employees only. 

Near the only window in the room is where you find a solitary table with three chairs. In the seat facing you, back angled between the cut of the walls, shoulder turned to the bar, is where you find the man. Watching you. 

A glass rests in front of him, half-empty. A burning cigar in an ashtray curls wisps of smoke over his face. 

The implant in his eye glows sapphire blue, expanding as he reads the information in front of him. The other is darkened under the flushed light, almost black. Gazing right at you. 

It's a contrast that makes you shiver. 

"Made the right choice then," he says, words low as he lets them fade under the steady cadence of the song playing somewhere in the back of the bar. 

It isn't much of a perfunctory greeting, but you take the opening all the same, and make your way toward him.

"That's yet to be determined."

"You're still here." 

The wood is warm under your palms when you press them against the grain, shuffling into the bench across from him. Warm, and sticky. 

You peel your fingers off, glancing at them warily. "Not much of a choice, though—" your eyes find him, narrowing into slits when he snorts, shaking his head at the disgust in your gaze. "What's so funny?" 

He huffs and the blue light flickers out, fading into dark blue. "You," he offers as if it was obvious. The condescension bleeds from his lips when he speaks, and leaks into his clear eyes when you fold your hands into your lap. "Not the kinda place Makarov normally takes you, hmm? Ain't you spoiled."

"Makarov doesn't take me anywhere." 

"That so? What? You his dirty little secret?" 

Your brow furrows. "What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Nothin', love. Nothin' at all." 

He's baiting you. The condescending draw of his voice, thick with derision, sets your teeth on edge, and makes the knots in your stomach tighten. 

"Look," you start, sticky fists cleaned tight in your lap, irritating the indents in your flesh from earlier. It's enough to ground you. "I didn't come here for games. This is my head on the line, and—"

"Mine, too." 

You scoff. "You started this." 

"And it's my men who are out there, yeah?" 

He leans forward slowly, the wrinkles in his brow deepening under the hazy glow until all you see is darkness cascading over a rucked canyon. Anger pinches at the corner of his eyes, the near snarl of his mouth. 

He'd go for the jugular, you think. Sink his teeth into your flesh until a pound is ripped out, reaping his dues. 

You wonder if his fury is as animalistic as the teeth he bares in anger, in warning.

"Gettin' injured, killed. Goin' missin'. Fighting a battle your men are waging." 

"Makarov isn't waging anything. You don't know much about him, do you? The only thing he cares about is his stocks and his public image. Whatever you think he's doing, or he's behind, I can assure you—he isn't." 

"You sound certain. What, hmm? Ain't the kinda pillow talk he likes to indulge in?"

"Pillow talk?" His words make you reel back until you're flushed against the chair, eyes widening. "I think there's a massive misunderstanding here."

He says nothing, merely opting to reach for his forgotten glass of scotch and dwindling cigar. 

Pillow talk. "You think me and Makarov are—? No. No! That's—" you fight a shiver of disgust, knuckles digging into your thighs. "No. Makarov wouldn't—it's not like that. He's—"

"He's what?" He implores, resting his elbow on the countertop, cigar dangling dangerously between his lax fingers. The look in his eye is sharp, keen. 

"He's my—" 

You bite your tongue suddenly, stopping the familiar words from slipping out. It's the response you give when people ask what you are to Makarov—why he keeps you around on such a short leash. 

My saviour.

The words have different connotations inside Makarov's sprawling skyline palace. Where his guards simply nod, in understanding, and accept your words as is, because he, too, is theirs as well. A common ground where nothing else needs to be explained as one word covers everything. 

You won't find that here. Not with him. And maybe, maybe, some part of you is shying away in shame over the word. Saviour. You sound like the zealots running around proclaiming they heard god whispering to them in the grid, and felt Its holy touch when they plugged something in. 

Electric, they say, reverently. Our saviour is stuck inside the machine—!

(You wonder, now, if Makarov chose that particular word on purpose, and know, immediately, that he did.)

"I owe him money. Why wouldn't he keep me around with such a staggering debt?" 

Bringing it up gives you the opportunity you need to shift the conversation away from the game of Messiah and Disciples Makarov likes to play, and you knot your trembling fingers together tightly in your lap. 

"Speaking of—" you huff, gaze fixed on him. Taking everything in. You might not have the same implant that he does, one that allows him access to the net in an instant, and feeds it right to his cerebrum, but you've always been good at reading people. Catching their tells. "Makarov isn't the one my debt is owed to. It's the Inner Circle. Still think you can erase it?" 

He hesitates. Briefly, almost indecipherably, but you catch the dip of his cigar when his body tenses, fingers tightening too quickly on the stem. It twitches only once before he steadies it. His eyes cut to yours, impassive and unreadable, as he takes in the information you just offered. 

The Inner Circle banking division was notorious for having contracts upon contracts to avoid buyouts without some hefty fee attached to make up for the lost interest. 

It's a roadblock. Almost everyone you've met so far, ones with idealistic dreams of stealing you away from the clutch of Makarov, bulked at the number alone. This, this new piece of information, was bound to make him flee. Cut ties. Run. 

Another hero with too much on his shoulders to bear another burden, leaving you behind to rot. 

Tough luck, kid, one of them said after a three-week-long courting period that left you feeling moon swept and dizzy. Wide-eyed and jejune. Naïve little kitten, Makarov taunted the morning after you found yourself alone on the dock, bags packed, waiting for a man who'd never show. But Makarov met you there. Yuri, with sorrowful eyes, took the bags gently from your trembling hands, downcast as he murmured in your ear, you'll be okay, kitten.

Anatoly's biting laughter haunted you for months. Christ, he howled. You really thought there was a man on earth more powerful than Makarov? Damn, he swindled you good, dumbass. Was he at least a good fuck? I'd be so goddamn pissed if this happened to me and the idiot was lousy in bed. 

But it was Makarov's palm against your cheek that broke you the most. The icy eyes never softened despite the coo of sympathy in his voice. 

It hurts, doesn't it, kitten? Who knows if this is your first heartbreak, but I'm sure it feels like it is, doesn't it? Ahhh, You should know better by now. No one touches what belongs to me. 

"Now about this betrayal…" 

He had you locked in your flat for months, and everything iota of your time monitored in some capacity. The leash was shortened. The collar tightened. 

The punishment for your betrayal came weeks after, when a package arrived at your flat. A golden box weighed down with precious gems and metals. 

A holographic card popped up when you opened the package, hands shaking around the heavy box. 

Makarov's voice flooded the room. What's more precious than gold and diamonds? The latch on the box clicked. You lifted the lid. At first, it didn't make sense. Your mind blanked, wiped, as you struggled to figure out what it was you were staring at. 

A heart, kitten. His heart.

Then—

Horror. Stomach-churn terror.

Your hands snapped back, and the box dropped to the floor as mocking laughter met your ears, static and faded over the recording. 

The still-beating heart tumbled out, connected to an array of small wires that kept it alive without a host. Without—

Your hand pressed against your lips as you fought the bile rising from your throat. 

Betray me again, he said, and I'll make you cut it out next time. 

You stare at the man across from you and know that the wishfulness inside of you will soften his flaws, blur his lies until anything he says just sounds right. A dangerous precipice. The yearning knotting around your mouldering ribcage is hungry. Wanting. 

He'll ruin you. And you'll be forced to ruin him. To carve his heart out as Makarov keeps him alive the whole time. The last thing he'll ever see would be you holding his still-beating heart before Makarov makes you crush it between your trembling, bloodied fingers. 

The image surfaces—horrific, garish, gut-wrenching—and you wish you were a little more jaded, a little less idealistic, to have that alone snuff the last vestiges of hope from your rotting heart. 

"Doesn't change anything," he grouses, and then brings the glass to his lips. He downs the scotch in two swallows, and you can't pull your wide eyes away from the way his throat bobs, and stretches, as he tilts his head back. 

When he's finished, he huffs. The glass hits the countertop with a clang that seems to shake something inside of you. 

"They're all rotten," he snarls, words a rough rasp that makes you shiver. "All of 'em. Rotten to the fuckin' core."

The corruption never surprised you. Maybe the exposure to it all, feeding Makarov the names of the politicians and diplomats that wanderers through the club's door numbed you to it all, but seeing his visceral disgust over it makes something swell inside of you. 

He's not too different from the heroes you've met, the ones you read about, but where they cut their anger into pieces of understanding and compassion, he wields his like a claymore. A battle-ready man brimming with a fury that leaks from his marrow and into the icy blue of his steel gaze. 

He doesn't give you kind smiles or false promises. No, he gives you third-degree burns on your flesh from the molten heat of his rage. 

"Who are you?" You demand, the words slipping out before you can chomp them down. "And why do you think I can help you?"

It doesn't make sense, not really. 

The look he levels at you knocks the air from your lungs. 

Fear curls in your gut. Wariness. The urge to flee wells, and you just barely manage to push it down. 

"I told you already, didn't I?" He leans closer, drawing the cigar to his lips. "Heard about you, 'bout your debt." 

"Yeah, and you thought I was Makarov's—lover—;" the word nearly makes you recoil. "But I'm not. He tells me nothing. Still so certain I can help?" 

He takes a drag of the cigar, the tip burning through the dim interior of the empty pub. His eyes never waver from yours, but you know that this piece of information must, in some way, change things. He sought you out specifically because of your assumed relationship with Makarov. The precariousness of your debt has doubled into not just an inconvenience, but a legal issue with extra fees added. 

You're more trouble than whatever you might be able to weasel out of Makarov. 

More trouble than your worth. 

The smoke curls in front of him like a hazy shroud of white. The light catches the indent in his cheekbone, and down the side of his face where his implant sits, humming with kinetic energy even while unlit. 

Without the beanie on his head, you can make out more of the circular insignia on his temple, but the crest is unfamiliar to you. Unknown. You've never seen it before, and that unnerves you. 

You know all the clubs, the crests, the gangs that roam the streets. From the upper echelon of the Shepherd family to the 54 Immortals seizing the power gap left behind by the fall of Brakov in a neighbouring country. It comes with knowing the underground. With making friends in the shadows. 

But this one escapes you. 

He shifts, moving the cigar from his lips. A waterfall of smoke rumbles from his mouth when he breathes out. 

"Yes," he says, pinched from lingering smoke in his lungs. "I do."

"How?"

"Told you, love. Heard 'bout you—from many sources."

The back of your neck prickles under his reproachful stare. Something in those cerulean depths makes you tense. 

"From who?" 

His metal knuckles clink against the glass when he nudges it out of the way, resting his forearm down on the wood, bringing himself closer to you. With your spine flush against the back of the chair, there is nowhere to run. It hits you, then, when he draws himself into the scant space separating the two of you, angling himself until he takes up the entirety of your periphery, that this was intentional. 

Of course, it was. Of course. 

"Oh, from lot's a'people a lil' thing like you shouldn't be hangin' around." Despite the derision in his voice, his brows lift, arching high until his forehead wrinkles, and you catch something that seems almost impressed when he dips his chin, staring at you from down his nose. "You get places most can't. That's useful."

"Useful enough to wipe a debt? How do I know you're good for it, and this isn't some scam?" 

"You don't," he answers simply, and something snaps inside you. 

"Are you joking—? Do you have any idea what Makarov will do to me, and you can't even give me some—"

"Like I told you, I know people in high places." He shrugs like it's nothing. Like it isn't your life in balance. "They want to remain anonymous, but can settle your debt." 

"How?" 

"Don't trust me?"

"I don't even know you—"

His hand lifts, metal fingers spreading lazily as he holds his palm in front of you. A peace offering. The sight of it makes you scoff. 

"Fair. For what it's worth, I don't trust you much, either, but—" another inhale of his cigar. His voice is pinched when he speaks, his breath ghosting white with the smoke congealing in his lungs. "We have to make do with what we have, don't we?"

It isn't fair. It isn't right. A part of you wants to rebel, to grab the cigar and crush it under the heel of your palm. The anger wells inside of you, white-hot and aching, and brings with it the strong urge to scream yourself hoarse. 

You believed him—if only for a moment, for a single second, but it was long enough for the vestiges of hope to claw their way up the prison you kept it in, and leak back into your marrow. A pollutant that wrecks you viciously. 

But—

Maybe you expected this. It doesn't sting as much as you thought it would. He's never really committed, and said—

"But," he continues, and you wish he would shut up, shut up, shut up, shut—

"I promise it'll go away once we're done, yeah?" 

Fuck. 

Your voice wobbles when you speak, soundly dangerously thick, and wet. You peer up at him and wish with everything inside of you, there wasn't a thin veil of tears gathering across your lash line. Weak. You haven't cried in two years—

(You look so cute when you cry, kitten—)

"You promise, huh?"

He lifts his hand to his temple and taps his index and middle finger against the strange insignia implanted there. The hard metal of the crest meeting the soft polymer cover of his fingertips makes a muted thud not at all dissimilar to your beating heart. 

"On my family name, I swear it." 

Why—

To go so far for someone he barely knows, and doesn't trust—

And then it clicks. It isn't about you at all, but some personal vendetta, a promise to himself, that he'll accomplish what he sets out to do, and so, making this little oath with an outsider, the pet of the enemy, is nothing to him. It's performative as much as it is sincere, and the warring contrast makes your chest ache, and heat bloom under your skin. 

"You—;" you start, but stop yourself. 

He's not at all unlike the heroes you've read about in fantastical stories or the ones you'd met. The one whose heart you held in your trembling fingers as it slowly stopped pulsing in the palm of your hand. Whose blood you scoured from your skin until it was raw. 

But where they offered a smile at the end of the promise they swore they'd keep, he frowns. 

He doesn't strike you as the type of man to go out of his way to make others feel better. He believes in himself, and his prowess, and speaks about that in clipped, gruff declarations that are not meant to sway, but reinforce what he knows. 

He will win. This isn't a question or a belief, but a statement. A truism. 

Hope surges. The levee cracks. 

"Who are you?" You ask, dazed. 

The man who cupped your cheek, and whispered to you about escaping the clutches of this festering city, of going so far away, that grasping hands could never reach you, and greedy fingers would never again touch your flesh, didn't fill you with this same sense of awe, of pure belief in the words he said. But this man, this man, makes you feel like anything is possible. Hope blooms, brims bright inside of your chest like an inflating balloon drifting up to the heavens—

His mental hand splays flat over the table. "Names John Price."

The man sitting across from you is someone you know. 

It makes sense, then. The insignia on his temple is the Price family emblem—a conglomerate in its own right, mostly composed of military men with staunch, unflinching moral codes. The incorruptible. The untouchables. 

They were the ones who led the counterattack on the coup that changed the political landscape from the Feudalistic tyranny of the past, to—

Well. It was meant to be free reign, or maybe democratic, but the technological boom a few years after the liberation from the iron fist made little things slip by as the world was suddenly painted a lovely shade of roseate. Why worry about mega corporations becoming richer than most of the governmental bodies, and countries, when they made this new piece of cybernetics that let you see like a hawk, that introduced a new colour spectrum to the general public, when sickness, injury, and even death itself came something that could be bartered over for the right price. 

The things that they let slip stacked up. It piled higher and higher until the free future the Price family, among others—Laswell, Shepherd, Walker, MacTavish—foresaw was smothered out in favour of the blatant mega capitalism that rules. 

It might not be with an iron fist, but it is with a monetary chokehold that always seems to get tighter. 

Their legacy is one founded on a strong moral core that is unbendable. 

It makes sense why you didn't recognise the emblem at first. 

The last of their pristine lineage—tarnished.

The man responsible for the power gap left behind by Brakov. The one who threatens his superiors, and uses brute force to get his way. John Price—the one who gave into temptation and was ousted from his family, and from the military, for taking bribes from people in low places. A man who'd side with anyone—for the right price. 

Political turmoil and espionage must run in the family, then, as you somehow find yourself sitting across from the man implicated in a failed coup. One that resulted in the collapse of Urzikstan.

John Price. 

Disgraced former captain. Rotten to his core. There's a graveyard filled with people who died because of his choices; a massacre that made headlines just a few months before you woke up. A man you know by sordid, rotten reputation alone, who somehow escaped condemnation for the people he indirectly (and, by many accounts, directly) killed. 

John Price. Swindler. Scoundrel. Swine. 

"John Price?" You echo, numbed. "The John Price?"

He leans back in the chair, posture relaxed, at ease, as if this wasn't a massive reveal. As if he wasn't a war criminal who was exonerated because of those friends in high places he so casually mentioned before. 

"So," he rasps, pulling his cigar back to his lips. Despite the ease in his mien, his eyes tighten. A cobra ready to strike. "You've heard of me." 

(—it blooms, and then all at once, it bursts.)

Nothing says cyberpunk like a morally ambiguous character.

[nobossinc]

CASH FLOW: The Bloodline of Business

See Into Your Financial Future

In the dynamic world of entrepreneurship, success hinges not only on brilliant ideas and strategic planning but also on mastering the art of cash flow management. Cash flow, often referred to as the lifeblood of a business, is the movement of money in and out of your business, and understanding its importance is paramount for new entrepreneurs.

The Importance of Cash Flow

Cash flow is the heartbeat of your business, fueling its daily operations, growth initiatives, and long-term sustainability. Here's why it's crucial for new entrepreneurs:

Survival and Stability: Positive cash flow ensures your business can cover its day-to-day expenses, such as rent, utilities, payroll, and inventory. Without sufficient cash flow, even the most promising ventures can falter and fail.

Opportunity and Growth: Healthy cash flow provides the flexibility to seize opportunities for expansion, innovation, and investment. Whether it's launching new products, entering new markets, or scaling operations, a robust cash flow empowers entrepreneurs to pursue growth with confidence.

Identify potential cash flow problems early on.

Make better business decisions.

Attract investors and lenders.

Debt Management: Effective cash flow management helps entrepreneurs avoid excessive reliance on debt to finance their operations. By maintaining positive cash flow, businesses can reduce interest expenses, improve creditworthiness, and mitigate financial risk.

Risk Mitigation: Anticipating and managing cash flow fluctuations allows entrepreneurs to identify and address potential risks before they escalate into crises. By maintaining a buffer of cash reserves, businesses can weather unexpected challenges and maintain financial stability.

 The History and Complexity of Cash Flow Statements

In 1987, the Financial Accounting Standards Board mandated that firms provide cash flow statements. Following this, in 1992, the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) issued International Accounting Standard 7 (IAS 7), titled Cash Flow Statement, which took effect in 1994, requiring firms to provide cash flow statements.

Two primary methods exist for calculating cash flow: the direct method and the indirect method. The Direct Cash Flow Method involves totaling all cash payments and receipts, including payments to suppliers, receipts from customers, and salary disbursements. This method is simpler, particularly suited for very small businesses operating on a cash basis accounting method.

However, most companies utilize the accrual basis accounting method, where revenue is recognized upon earning rather than upon receipt. This distinction leads to a disparity between net income and actual cash flow. Consequently, certain items, such as accounts receivable (AR), inventory, taxes payable, salaries, and prepaid insurance, necessitate reevaluation when calculating cash flow from operations. For many new entrepreneurs, navigating these intricacies can be challenging.

New entrepreneurs may find that traditional Cash Flow Statements are not immediately beneficial to their business endeavors, and are better left for their accounting software to generate and for an Accountant to review. Instead, their efforts are best directed towards the daily activities of the business: documenting transactions, monitoring cash flow, and making informed decisions in real-time. By prioritizing day-to-day cash flow management, entrepreneurs can sustain financial stability and swiftly respond to changes in their business environment. It's more valuable for them to gain a thorough understanding of the inflows and outflows of cash within their business operations.

What affects cash flow the most?

Typically, sales and revenue affect cash flow the most, though this can vary from business to business. An increase in sales generally contributes positively to cash flow, while a decline can hinder cash flow. 

Additionally, expense management can make a huge difference in a company’s cash flow as it directly impacts the amount of cash retained. The timing of payments also plays a crucial role — even profitable businesses can face cash flow issues if it doesn’t manage the timing of receiving payments and settling financial obligations like debts and payroll.

What causes a lack of cash flow?

Declines in sales or revenue, high expenses, and slow-paying customers can cause a lack of cash flow. Ineffective financial management or a lack of planning can also contribute to cash flow shortages, which is why adopting technology to help you track expenses is crucial for business.

A Groundbreaking Tool for Tracking Cash Flow:

Because cash flow management is imperative for business success, NOBOSS has a more practical and efficient approach to handling finances on a day-to-day basis: the Cash Requirements report.

This innovative tool provides entrepreneurs with real-time insights into their cash needs, allowing them to anticipate, plan, and manage financial resources with precision and agility.

By leveraging the Cash Requirements report, entrepreneurs can stay ahead of cash flow challenges, make informed decisions, and optimize their business operations for sustained growth and profitability.

Managing Cash Flow with the Cash Requirement Report

With Cash Requirements report, managing cash flow becomes not just a necessity, but a strategic advantage in navigating the complexities of entrepreneurship.

For new entrepreneurs, mastering cash flow management requires a proactive approach and a solid understanding of key principles.

Here's how the Cash Requirements Report identify and manage cash flow effectively:

Track Cash Flow: Update and diligently tracking your cash inflows and outflows on a regular basis.

Forecast Cash Flow: The beauty of this report is that you can see into your financial future!  Develop cash flow projections to anticipate future income and expenses based on historical data, market trends, and business objectives. This forward-looking approach allows you to plan ahead and make informed decisions.

Manage Accounts Receivable: Accelerate your cash flow by invoicing promptly and following up on overdue payments. Implement clear payment terms, offer incentives for early payment, and consider using online payment platforms to streamline the billing process.

Control Expenses: Evaluate your business expenses regularly and identify areas where costs can be reduced or optimized. Negotiate favorable terms with suppliers, scrutinize discretionary spending, and prioritize investments that yield the highest return on investment.

Build Cash Reserves: Establish a buffer of cash reserves to cushion against unexpected expenses, seasonal fluctuations, and economic downturns. Aim to maintain a healthy cash balance that covers at least three to six months' worth of operating expenses.

Monitor and Adjust: Continuously monitor your cash flow performance and adjust your strategies as needed. Stay proactive in addressing cash flow challenges, seizing opportunities for improvement, and adapting to changes in the business environment.

 These six essential steps to identifying and managing cash flow are seamlessly integrated into the functionality of the Cash Requirements report. This powerful tool empowers new entrepreneurs with the same level of financial insight and leverage enjoyed by big businesses.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Cash flow management is a fundamental skill that every entrepreneur must master to build a resilient and thriving business. By recognizing the importance of cash flow, implementing proactive strategies, and staying vigilant in monitoring and managing cash flow, new entrepreneurs can navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship with confidence and unlock the full potential of their ventures. Remember, cash flow isn't just about survival—it's about laying the foundation for long-term success and prosperity.

[diliwriter]

What are the bank loan interest rates in Sri Lanka?

Curious about the current landscape of bank loan interest rates in Sri Lanka? Understanding the prevailing rates is crucial whether you're planning to borrow for personal expenses, business ventures, or any other financial need. Let's delve into the nuances of bank loan interest rates in Sri Lanka to help you make informed decisions.

Bank loan interest rates in Sri Lanka can vary significantly depending on various factors such as the type of loan, loan amount, repayment tenure, and prevailing market conditions. Whether you're considering a personal loan, home loan, or business loan, it's essential to compare interest rates offered by different banks to secure the most favorable terms.

Personal loans are often sought for diverse purposes, including debt consolidation, home renovations, or unexpected expenses. Banks in Sri Lanka typically offer personal loan interest rates based on factors such as creditworthiness, employment status, and income level. By comparing interest rates from multiple banks, borrowers can identify the most competitive offers tailored to their financial circumstances.

Home loans, a significant financial commitment for many individuals and families, also come with varying interest rates in Sri Lanka. Factors such as loan-to-value ratio, repayment tenure, and property type influence the interest rates offered by banks. Prospective homebuyers should explore loan options from different banks to find favorable terms that align with their budget and preferences.

Business loans are essential for entrepreneurs and enterprises seeking capital to fuel growth, expand operations, or meet short-term financial needs. Bank loan interest rates for business loans in Sri Lanka may vary based on factors such as business size, industry sector, and loan purpose. Entrepreneurs should conduct thorough research and analysis to identify lenders offering competitive interest rates and favorable repayment terms.

Navigating bank loan interest rates in Sri Lanka requires careful consideration of various factors to secure the most favorable terms for your financial needs. By comparing offers from different banks and understanding the intricacies of loan products, borrowers can make informed decisions that align with their goals and financial circumstances. Consider exploring loan options offered by Siyapatha Finance, a trusted name in financial services, to fulfill your borrowing requirements.

Remember, choosing the right bank and loan product can make a significant difference in your financial journey, providing you with the necessary funds to achieve your goals and aspirations.

Siyapatha Finance

[bluemeloncapitalreviews]

Blue Melon Capital Reviews | 5 Key Factors to Consider When Securing Real Estate Financing

Securing financing for real estate investments is a critical aspect of property ownership and development. Whether you're purchasing your dream home or investing in commercial properties, navigating the complex landscape of real estate financing requires careful consideration of several key factors. Blue Melon Capital Reviews shares some essential elements to keep in mind when seeking financing for your real estate ventures.

1. Creditworthiness and Financial Health

One of the foremost factors lenders consider when assessing real estate financing applications is the borrower's creditworthiness and financial health. Your credit score, debt-to-income ratio, and overall financial stability play pivotal roles in determining the terms of your loan, including interest rates and loan amounts. Before applying for financing, it's crucial to review your credit report, address any discrepancies or outstanding debts, and ensure your financial records reflect a favorable picture. Building a strong credit profile not only enhances your chances of securing financing but also opens doors to more competitive loan options with favorable terms.

2. Property Valuation and Collateral

The value of the property you intend to finance serves as collateral for the loan, influencing the lender's risk assessment and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio. Conducting a thorough property valuation, including appraisal and assessment of market trends, is essential to determine its fair market value accurately. Additionally, lenders may impose specific requirements regarding the type, condition, and location of the property, which can affect financing options. Understanding the collateral requirements and ensuring the property meets these criteria is crucial for securing favorable financing terms and minimizing risks for both parties involved.

3. Loan Terms and Structure

Blue Melon Capital Reviews believes real estate financing encompasses a variety of loan options, each with distinct terms, structures, and repayment schedules. From traditional mortgages to commercial loans, bridge financing, and construction loans, selecting the right loan product tailored to your specific needs is vital. Consider factors such as interest rates, loan duration, down payment requirements, and prepayment penalties when evaluating different financing options. Additionally, understanding the implications of fixed-rate versus adjustable-rate mortgages and the impact of market fluctuations on loan payments is essential for making informed decisions about loan terms and structure.

4. Lender Relationships and Options

Building strong relationships with lenders and exploring diverse financing options can provide valuable insights and opportunities for securing favorable terms. Researching reputable lenders, including banks, credit unions, mortgage brokers, and private lenders, allows you to compare rates, fees, and eligibility criteria to find the best fit for your financing needs. Moreover, cultivating open communication and transparency with lenders throughout the application process can strengthen your negotiating position and increase the likelihood of securing financing on favorable terms. By leveraging diverse lender relationships and exploring alternative financing sources, you can optimize your real estate financing strategy and mitigate potential challenges.

5. Regulatory and Legal Considerations

Navigating the regulatory and legal landscape surrounding real estate financing is paramount to ensure compliance and mitigate risks. Familiarize yourself with applicable laws, regulations, and licensing requirements governing real estate transactions and lending practices in your jurisdiction. Additionally, consult legal professionals specializing in real estate law to review loan agreements, contracts, and disclosure documents thoroughly. Understanding your rights and obligations as a borrower, as well as potential legal implications, empowers you to make informed decisions and safeguard your interests throughout the financing process.

In conclusion, securing real estate financing requires careful consideration of various factors, including creditworthiness, property valuation, loan terms, lender relationships, and regulatory compliance. By prioritizing these key elements and conducting thorough due diligence, borrowers can enhance their chances of securing financing on favorable terms while minimizing risks and maximizing returns on their real estate investments. Remember to seek guidance from financial advisors, real estate professionals, and legal experts to navigate the complexities of real estate financing and make informed decisions aligned with your long-term objectives.

[mymudra]

Apply Online for Quick Loan with Instant Approval

We often run out of finance and need quick funding to fulfill our dreams and aims. The obvious solution for the same is to choose for the loan. But in the fear of rejections or due to less knowledge we often end up taking financial aid from informal sources at higher interest rates. This puts our life in debt and creates financial stress. To avoid all these things the easier solution is to opt for the loan that can help you to overcome your financially harder time. 

There are many financial aid companies that are making the tough task of taking loans easy by helping the borrowers in documentations and processing of the loan. With the introduction of technology many financial aid companies have inculcated and have shifted successfully to the technology to ease the process of loans. Now you can apply online for loan online and avail of the loan without much trouble. The article below is an attempt to make the readers understand about the loan providers companies. Further it will explain to you the benefits of choosing the loan providers. At the end, the article will conclude by giving you the list of top loan providers in Delhi. 

What are loan Providers companies? What are the benefits of choosing Loan Providers?

Loan providers are companies or financial institutions that offer loans to individuals, businesses, or other entities in need of financial assistance. You can apply for quick loan and fulfill your dreams. These loans can be used for various purposes, such as personal expenses, buying a house or a car, funding a business venture, or consolidating debts.

Some common types of loan providers include:

Banks

Credit Unions

Online Lenders

Peer-to-Peer Lending Platforms

Microfinance Institutions

Payday Lenders

Credit Card Companies 

Finance Companies

Choosing loan providers can offer several benefits, depending on your financial needs and circumstances. Here are some of the advantages of opting for loan providers:

Access to Funds: Loan providers offer you access to the funds you need when you are facing financial constraints or have specific financial goals, such as purchasing a home or funding a business.

Flexible Repayment Options: Many loan providers offer various repayment plans, allowing you to choose a schedule that aligns with your income and financial capabilities. This flexibility can make it easier to manage your debt.

Quick Processing and Approval: These companies offer easy loan applications to the borrowers. With the advent of online lending platforms, the loan application and approval process have become quicker and more streamlined. In many cases, you can receive loan approval within a short period, providing you with swift access to funds.

Build Credit History: Responsible borrowing and timely repayments can help you build a positive credit history. A good credit score can open doors to better loan options and lower interest rates in the future.

Consolidating Debt: Loan providers may offer debt consolidation loans, allowing you to combine multiple debts into a single loan with a potentially lower interest rate. This can simplify your finances and reduce overall interest costs.

Competitive Interest Rates: By shopping around and comparing different loan providers, you can find competitive interest rates that suit your budget and save you money over time.

Specialized Loan Products: Some loan providers offer specialized loan products tailored to specific needs, such as home loans, auto loans, student loans, or small business loans.

Online Accessibility: Many loan providers now offer online applications, making it convenient to apply for a loan from the comfort of your home and access customer support through digital channels.

Avoiding Depletion of Savings: Taking out a loan for planned expenses can help you preserve your savings for emergencies or unexpected financial situations.

Top Loan Providers in Delhi 

Here is the list of top finance companies in Delhi with their locations. These loan companies in Delhi shall help you to get instant loan the assistance you need in financial aid matters. 

My Mudra: It is a largest growing fintech having headquartered in Delhi. The company is providing financial services since decades. 

Credset: It is a loan provider agency based in Karol Bagh Delhi. 

Finance loan in India online

 Trust: They are providing different types of loans and have been based out in Netaji Subhash Palace, Pitampura, Delhi. 

KG Loan Expert Pvt. Ltd: It is a loan provider agency based in Netaji Subhash Palace in Delhi. 

GRD India Financial Service: This is a financial aid provider company based out in Ashok Nagar Delhi. 

Conclusion 

It's essential to carefully consider the terms and conditions, interest rates, and repayment terms offered by different loan providers before committing to a loan. Borrowers should also ensure that they can comfortably meet their repayment obligations to avoid financial difficulties. My Mudra is one of the top fintech organizations which has been making loans and helping people since decades. 

[investmentassistant]

Hello, fellow business enthusiasts! 👋

When it comes to financing your small or new business, traditional options like bank loans may not always be the best fit. That's where alternate financing sources come into play. Here are a few reasons why exploring these options can be a game-changer for your entrepreneurial journey. 🚀

Flexibility and Adaptability: Alternate financing sources offer a range of options tailored to your specific business needs. From crowdfunding and angel investors to venture capital and peer-to-peer lending, these alternatives provide a more flexible approach to securing funding. You can find options that align with your business model, stage, and growth trajectory.

Access to a Wider Network: Seeking financing from alternate sources opens doors to a vast network of investors, mentors, and industry experts. These connections can provide invaluable guidance, support, and even future business opportunities. Building relationships within these networks can significantly contribute to the success of your business.

Innovation and Disruption: Alternate financing sources often attract forward-thinking investors who are interested in disruptive ideas and emerging industries. These investors are more willing to take risks and invest in innovative ventures that traditional lenders may overlook. This can be a tremendous advantage for small and new businesses looking to make a mark in a competitive market.

Diverse Funding Options: Unlike traditional financing, alternate sources offer a wide range of funding options beyond traditional loans. This includes equity financing, revenue-based financing, grants, and even community-based initiatives. Exploring these diverse avenues can provide you with creative solutions to meet your financial needs while minimizing debt or equity dilution.

Agility and Speed: Traditional financing can involve complex processes and lengthy approval times. In contrast, alternate financing sources often provide quicker access to funds, allowing you to seize time-sensitive opportunities or address urgent business needs promptly. The agility provided by these sources can be crucial for small and new businesses aiming to stay competitive in a dynamic marketplace.

Remember, every business is unique, and there's no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to financing. By considering alternate financing sources, you can unlock new possibilities and tailor your funding strategy to suit your business objectives.

So, fellow entrepreneurs, be open to exploring these alternate avenues, seeking guidance from industry experts, and taking calculated risks. Embrace the potential they offer for growth, innovation, and achieving your business dreams. 💪💼

Have you considered alternate financing sources for your business? Share your experiences and insights in the comments below! Let's inspire and support each other on this entrepreneurial journey. ✨🌱

[myvortexarchives]

ChatAI Story Idea

I asked this on a ChatAi ... See what it did.

Make a soap opera starring the Trump Family

Title: The Trump Dynasty

Opening shot: A grand, luxurious mansion in New York City, with a golden "T" emblazoned on the gate. Inside, the Trump family members are all gathered in the living room, each lost in their own thoughts.

Scene 1: The Patriarch

Donald Trump, the patriarch of the family, sits at his desk in his private office. He's on the phone, barking orders at his lawyers and business associates.

"Don't tell me it can't be done," he says, his face contorted in frustration. "I want that deal done by the end of the week, or heads will roll."

His daughter, Ivanka, enters the room. She looks worried.

"Dad, we need to talk," she says.

"Not now, Ivanka. I'm busy," Trump replies, waving her off.

"But it's about Eric," she insists. "He's in trouble."

Scene 2: The Black Sheep

Eric Trump, the youngest son of the family, has always been the black sheep. He's never quite lived up to his father's expectations, and his business ventures have all been failures.

Now, he's deep in debt to a shady lender, and his life is spiraling out of control. He's been drinking heavily and is on the verge of losing everything.

"I don't know what to do," Eric tells his wife, Lara, in a moment of vulnerability. "I'm a failure. I'm letting down the whole family."

Scene 3: The Rival

Meanwhile, Trump's arch-rival, Joe Biden, is on the rise. He's gaining popularity among voters and is a real threat to Trump's political aspirations.

Trump is furious, and he vows to do whatever it takes to bring Biden down. He rallies his family members to his cause, urging them to use their wealth and influence to smear Biden's reputation.

Scene 4: The Betrayal

Ivanka is torn between her loyalty to her father and her own conscience. She knows that the attacks on Biden are unfounded and unfair, and she's beginning to question her role in the family business.

One day, she receives a phone call from an old friend, a journalist who's been investigating the Trump family's business practices. The journalist offers to spill the beans on some of the family's dirty secrets.

Ivanka is torn. Should she betray her family and expose their wrongdoing, or should she stay loyal to her father and protect the family's legacy?

Scene 5: The Fallout

As the drama unfolds, the Trump family members begin to turn on each other. Secrets are revealed, alliances are broken, and the family is torn apart.

In the end, Trump's political ambitions are crushed, and his reputation is in tatters. The family is left to pick up the pieces and try to salvage what's left of their once-great empire.

Closing shot: The Trump family is gathered around the dinner table, the mood somber and tense. They all know that things will never be the same again. As the camera fades to black, a voiceover intones, "The Trump Dynasty: where power and ambition come at a cost."

[mariacallous]

Editor's Note: A version of this op-ed was originally published by MarketWatch on March 15, 2023.

The failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) is a failure of supervision as well as regulation. The two terms are used interchangeably but are different concepts: Regulation is about creating rules, supervision enforcing them. Initial reactions to SVB’s failure focused on debating whether the Trump era deregulation caused the failure, ignoring the fundamental question of whether the rules that existed were being properly enforced. The answer is that they weren’t and that the Federal Reserve failed as a bank supervisor.

The Fed supervised SVB from head to toe, with the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank in charge of both the bank and its larger parent holding company. SVB was the largest bank the SF Fed supervised. SVB’s CEO even sat on the SF Fed’s Board of Directors up until the day the bank failed. I count at least four classic red flags of the bank’s conduct that should have sent the alarm bells ringing, which the Fed appears to have slept through.

Explosive asset growth. SVB nearly quadrupled in assets in four years.

Hyper reliance on uninsured deposits. Almost all (97%) of the deposits at the bank were from customers with more than the FDIC’s limit ($250,000), often tech firms. Uninsured depositors are more likely to run, making the bank inherently less stable.

Huge interest rate risk. During the 2019-2021 period of explosive growth, SVB bought over $100 billion of mortgage backed securities issued at low interest rates. They failed to buy hedges to protect their value if interest rates rose.

Dash for cash to the Federal Home Loan Bank. As SVB needed cash they used the arcane Federal Home Loan Bank system to borrow heavily becoming the SF FHLB’s top borrower with $20 billion. The FHLB is called the lender of next to last resort, and when a bank fails the FHLB is the only entity that gets paid out ahead of the FDIC. Thus, the more in debt a bank is to the FHLB, the greater the losses born by the taxpayer if the bank fails.

Each of these red flags should have triggered greater scrutiny from the Federal Reserve. Combined, they become a red laser beam screaming for greater scrutiny. After all, SVB is not a Main Street bank and never was. Regional banks of its size ($200B) have around 1,000 branches: SVB had 16.  This does not even include more potential red flags about the relationship between SVB’s venture capital arm and the bank’s customer base, a potential red flag the Fed’s regulation of the bank holding company should have analyzed.

The Fed has already launched an inquiry into its own failure, but that is likely to be insufficient. Past Fed self investigations of failures of its regional banks failed to discover leaked information by the Richmond Bank president (the FBI found it and he resigned in disgrace) and failed to publicly disclose dates of unethical trading by both the Dallas and Boston Bank presidents.

The Fed is ultimately accountable to Congress. Congress needs to investigate what happened with its own investigation. Simply asking the Fed Regional Banks to fix themselves will likely be insufficient. A law requiring the Fed to integrate their boards passed in the 1970s was widely ignored; the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank did not integrate its all white Board until 1992.

Improving Fed governance is important but insufficient. Bank regulators guard their supervisory reports from the public, so we never know what conditions the banks are in or whether the regulators are doing a good job. Bank regulators should make these reports known as CAMELS public so that we can all judge both how the banks are doing and how well the agencies are supervising them. Learning what grade the SF Fed gave SVB would go a long way to understanding how badly they mis-supervised the bank.

Congress writes financial regulation with two possible outcomes: setting specific rules in law or empowering regulators to figure out the details. In both cases Congress relies on regulators to enforce the rules. Congress cannot legislate judgement or competence. Our current financial regulatory system places substantial confidence in the judgement and competence of bank regulators, particularly the most powerful: the Federal Reserve. In the case of Silicon Valley Bank that was misplaced.

The Fed has continually been tasked with more responsibility as monetary policy setter, bank regulator, lender of last resort, payment system operator and regulator, producer of economic research and statistics, and more. Perhaps it is time to fundamentally re-think the role of the central bank. An oft forgotten fact is that Senator Dodd’s original proposal, in the law that became Dodd-Frank, envisioned moving regulation of banks like SVB out of the Fed. That idea was voted down 91-9 and the law ultimately expanded the Fed’s authority and power over the nation’s banking system. In the case of Silicon Valley Bank, that has been a failure.

[cazort]

I think intent is important. There's a big difference between going into a relationship being uncertain whether or not it will lead to a lifelong commitment, and having it not work out (which is painful, but understandable), and making a lifelong commitment like marriage, only to have it not work out.

There's a big difference between trying a new job for a few years, getting paid for it, and realizing you don't like it and then moving on to something else, and investing many years of your life and going into huge amounts of debt for something like law school or med school, only to realize that you really don't want to work as a lawyer or doctor.

There's a big difference between running a business that earns you decent money for some time, and then starts slowing down and you decide to stop doing it before you lose too much money, and taking tons of life savings and/or taking out loans or venture capital to start a business, only to burn through all the funding and end up losing tons of money and having to close it and now having bad credit and maybe alienated personal lenders and blown your life savings.

The stakes are different.

I don't think about this stuff in terms of some vague notion of "succeeding" vs "failing". It's all about risk management, your level of investment and commitment.

Life is better when you take risks that offer low costs but high rewards. When it comes to something big though, like spending huge amounts of savings, taking on huge amounts of debt, or having kids together with a person, the stakes are high so it makes sense to be extra careful and extra selective about entering into those situations and taking on those risks.

If you can start a business with minimal investment and risk, only resources you are comfortable losing, then by all means do it. Try it out. If you can get your education funded, then get that degree. There is little risk. I have two master's degrees and I don't really use either of them directly, but it's okay because they were both funded. It would not be good however if I had taken on many tens of thousands of dollars of debt to get those degrees. Yeah, I'd still be alive and kicking but my life would suck a lot more.

Risks with people often are high-reward, low-risk. Like so what if someone doesn't stay close to you long-run? You didn't lose anything if you weren't friends with them to begin with. Some friendships last, others don't, and that's fine. I think about this a lot with respect to professional relationships too, there is often very little risk in reaching out and trying to connect with someone, even in asking people for something. The worst case scenario is you mildly annoy someone who probably wasn't going to like you anyway so you usually lose nothing. But you can often make valuable connections that go places, so the reward can be really huge.

I think a lot about how we as a culture have turned “forever” into the only acceptable definition of success.

Like… if you open a coffee shop and run it for a while and it makes you happy but then stuff gets too expensive and stressful and you want to do something else so you close it, it’s a “failed” business. If you write a book or two, then decide that you don’t actually want to keep doing that, you’re a “failed” writer. If you marry someone, and that marriage is good for a while, and then stops working and you get divorced, it’s a “failed” marriage.

The only acceptable “win condition” is “you keep doing that thing forever”. A friendship that lasts for a few years but then its time is done and you move on is considered less valuable or not a “real” friendship. A hobby that you do for a while and then are done with is a “phase” - or, alternatively, a “pity” that you don’t do that thing any more. A fandom is “dying” because people have had a lot of fun with it but are now moving on to other things.

I just think that something can be good, and also end, and that thing was still good. And it’s okay to be sad that it ended, too. But the idea that anything that ends is automatically less than this hypothetical eternal state of success… I don’t think that’s doing us any good at all.

[espressocapital]

How to negotiate a successful term sheet: Espresso Capital

As a founder or CEO, anytime you raise capital, whether it’s equity or debt, the investor you partner with will ask you to sign a term sheet with the details of the investment. And while term sheets are usually stated to be non-binding, investors expect you to honor them once signed. For that reason, it’s critically important to both understand and negotiate the provisions of the term sheet before you agree to them. Otherwise, you may find yourself in a deal with long-lasting and undesirable implications for your business. For more information :- www.espressocapital.com

[saifawaisi3211]

Starting a Private Limited Company in India: Advantages, Requirements, and Insights

For business owners seeking a scalable, legally recognized, and financially feasible business structure, forming a Private Limited Company in India is a great option. Limited liability, enhanced credibility, simplicity of financing, and continuity are just a few advantages of the private limited company structure. Forming and running a Private Limited Company in india  is made simpler and more efficient with the help of an expert partner like Bizsimpl, which will save you money, time, and effort.

We’ll go over the main benefits, prerequisites, and crucial information for forming a Private Limited Company in India in this guide, providing you with the knowledge and assurance you need to move forward with your business.

India's Private Limited Company Benefits

Limited Liability: Limited liability protection is one of the main advantages of forming a private limited company in India. This implies that shareholders’ private assets are protected against business debts. Shareholders do not lose their personal savings or property in the event of a corporate loss; they only lose the money they invested in the company.

Simpleness of Capital Raising: In India, a Private Limited Company’s structured form attracts investors. Authorized shares allow the business to raise money from venture capitalists or individual investors, which facilitates growth and scaling. Because of its legal recognition and openness, this structure is preferred by many investors.

Independent Legal Entity: In India, a private limited company is regarded as an independent legal entity, which means that it has the right to own property, make agreements, file lawsuits, and be sued on its own behalf. A degree of security and legitimacy is added by this division between the owners and the company.

Continuity: In India, private limited companies remain in operation regardless of ownership changes, in contrast to other company structures. The business keeps running well even if directors go or shareholders transfer their shares.

Credibility: A Private Limited Company in India has greater credibility with prospective customers, lenders, and investors due to its registration under the Companies Act of India. Businesses looking for expansion prospects may benefit from this official recognition, which fosters confidence.

Bizsimpl helps entrepreneurs fully profit from these advantages by providing end-to-end support for forming a Private Limited Company in India. Bizsimpl guarantees a seamless procedure and a solid basis for your company by simplifying every stage, from documents to compliance.

Indian Private Limited Company Formation Requirements

When the prerequisites for forming a Private Limited Company in India are known, the process can be easier to handle.

In India, a private limited company is required to have a minimum of two directors. A crucial regulatory requirement is that at least one director be an Indian resident.

A minimum of two shareholders, up to a maximum of 200, shall be present in the company. Individuals, businesses, and even non-resident Indians (NRIs) can be shareholders.

Every Indian private limited company is required to have a registered office address in India so that formal correspondence and notifications can be sent there.

Capital Requirements: Although establishing a Private Limited Company in India does not require a minimum amount of paid-up capital, founders should choose an initial investment that fits their company’s requirements.

The Director Identification Number (DIN) and Digital Signature Certificate (DSC) are both necessary for the participating directors. The DIN is a special identification number needed for every director, while the DSC is used for online signings.

The Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA) are important documents that outline the goals, governance, and extent of the business’s activities.

PAN and TAN: For financial transactions and tax compliance, the business needs a Permanent Account Number (PAN) and a Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN).

Entrepreneurs may quickly and simply handle these needs by using Bizsimpl. Bizsimpl offers a consolidated platform for managing the required paperwork, applications, and filings, guaranteeing a stress-free and easy process for establishing a Private Limited Company in India.

How to Register a Private Limited Company in India: A Comprehensive Guide

Step 1: Acquire certificates for digital signatures (DSC) Getting DSC for each director is the first step, which will allow them to digitally sign papers. By offering end-to-end support for DSC applications and minimizing the amount of documentation needed, Bizsimpl simplifies this stage.

Step 2: Apply for a Director Identification Number (DIN)  In India, every director of a private limited company needs to have their own DIN. Your application will be accurately filled out, validated, and sent to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) thanks to Bizsimpl.

Step 3: Use RUN to reserve a name You can obtain a distinctive name for your Private Limited Company in India by completing the Reserve Unique Name (RUN) procedure. You may easily file for the RUN application, suggest alternatives, and verify for name availability with Bizsimpl.

Step 4: Draft AOA and MOA These documents describe the governing structure and operational scope of the business. The legal professionals at Bizsimpl can assist you in drafting the AOA and MOA in a way that supports your company’s goals.

Step 5: Submit an application for incorporation You can save time and money by electronically filing for incorporation using the SPICe form, which combines all required paperwork. On your side, Bizsimpl manages the SPICe file, guaranteeing precision and compliance with MCA guidelines.

Step 6: Acquire the TAN and PAN For tax and financial compliance, PAN and TAN applications are necessary. These apps are managed by Bizsimpl, which offers a smooth transition to operational readiness.

 Step 7: Open a bank account in step seven. Bizsimpl helps you open a business bank account when you acquire the Certificate of Incorporation, making sure all the paperwork complies with bank regulations.

Compliances for Private Limited Companies in India After Incorporation In India, forming a private limited company is only the first step. The business needs to comply with a number of post-incorporation requirements in order to operate smoothly.

Annual Filings: It is required to file annual returns with the Registrar of Companies (ROC). Accounting and Audits: For transparency and tax compliance, accurate bookkeeping and yearly audits are necessary. Statutory Compliance: Upholding legal integrity requires adherence to regulations such as GST, income tax returns, and regular board meetings. By providing yearly filing services, automated compliance notifications, and professional advice to keep your company safe and compliant, Bizsimpl streamlines these continuous responsibilities.

Why Use Bizsimpl to Form an Indian Private Limited Company?

Bizsimpl provides thorough assistance for establishing a Private Limited Company in India thanks to its knowledge and experience in company creation. This is how Bizsimpl differs:

One-Stop service: Bizsimpl offers a comprehensive service that covers all aspect of establishing a Private Limited Company in India, from name reservation to post-incorporation compliance. Professional Advice: By making sure you comply with all legal standards, Bizsimpl’s team of experts lowers the possibility of mistakes or delays. Time and Cost Savings: Bizsimpl expedites the incorporation process and reduces paperwork by managing every stage online, saving you time and money. Transparent Pricing: You can be sure you know exactly what services you’re getting with Bizsimpl’s competitive and transparent pricing. Compliance Management: Bizsimpl’s services help you stay on course after incorporation by providing timely alerts and assistance with all regulatory compliances. Bizsimpl can help you at every stage of creating your Private Limited Company in India, regardless of whether you’re new to entrepreneurship or growing an already-existing company. Their experience makes the process of starting your business hassle-free.

Conclusion

Limited liability, ease of funding, and increased credibility are just a few advantages of forming a private limited company in India. It is not as difficult as it may appear to set up this business structure if you have the correct information and direction. You may establish a solid basis for your company by being aware of the benefits and prerequisites.

By working with a seasoned provider like Bizsimpl, you can eliminate uncertainty from the company creation process. Bizsimpl provides the resources and assistance needed for entrepreneurs to launch a Private Limited Company in India with ease and confidence, from helping with paperwork to guaranteeing compliance.

Are you prepared to start operating as a Private Limited Company in India? Get started with a reliable partner that makes company formation easier for Indian enterprises by visiting Bizsimpl right now.

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From Startup to Success: How a Private Limited Company Structure Can Help You Grow

From Startup to Success: How a Private Limited Company Structure Can Help You Grow Share Post : Every prosperous company venture starts with a strong base. A Private Limited Company (PLC) structure serves as the cornerstone for many entrepreneurs. Few other arrangements can match the reputation, financial security, and development potential that come with registering […]

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Startup Incorporation: Your Essential Guide to Launching a Business Legally and Successfully

Startup Incorporation: Your Essential Guide to Launching a Business Legally and Successfully Share Post : Establishing a business is both an exciting and difficult endeavor. A strong foundation is the first step in any successful startup, and startup incorporation is a crucial component of that process. In addition to giving your company legitimacy, incorporation

[personal-finance123]

How to Improve Your Business Loan Application as a Female Entrepreneur

In today's competitive business world, female entrepreneurs are on the rise, taking charge of their financial futures and pursuing their dreams of owning successful businesses. However, one of the biggest challenges female entrepreneurs often face is securing funding to start or grow their businesses. If you're a female entrepreneur looking to improve your business loan application, here are some expert tips to help you stand out and increase your chances of getting approved.

Understanding the Importance of a Business Loan

Before diving into the tips for improving your business loan application, it's essential to understand the importance of a business loan for female entrepreneurs. A business loan can provide the necessary capital to start a new venture, expand an existing business, purchase equipment, hire employees, or invest in marketing and advertising. By securing a business loan, female entrepreneurs can take their businesses to the next level and achieve their goals.

Tips to Improve Your Business Loan Application

1. Have a Strong Business Plan

One of the most critical aspects of a successful business loan application is having a well-thought-out business plan. Your business plan should outline your business goals, target market, competition, financial projections, and marketing strategies. A strong business plan demonstrates to lenders that you have a clear vision for your business and a solid plan for success.

2. Build a Solid Credit History

A good credit history is essential when applying for a business loan. Lenders will review your credit score to assess your creditworthiness and determine the risk of lending to you. Make sure to pay your bills on time, reduce your debt-to-income ratio, and monitor your credit report for any errors. Building a solid credit history shows lenders that you are a responsible borrower and increases your chances of getting approved for a business loan.

3. Prepare Financial Documents

When applying for a business loan, you will need to provide various financial documents, such as tax returns, bank statements, profit and loss statements, and business licenses. Make sure to have all your financial documents organized and up to date before submitting your loan application. Lenders will use these documents to evaluate your financial health and determine your ability to repay the loan.

4. Highlight Your Experience and Skills

As a female entrepreneur, you bring a unique perspective and skill set to the table. Make sure to highlight your experience, education, and skills in your business loan application. Show lenders that you have the knowledge, passion, and drive to succeed in your industry. By showcasing your expertise, you can demonstrate to lenders that you are a reliable and capable business owner.

5. Seek Mentorship and Guidance

Navigating the business loan application process can be challenging, especially for first-time female entrepreneurs. Consider seeking mentorship and guidance from experienced business owners, financial advisors, or industry experts. A mentor can provide valuable insights, advice, and support to help you improve your business loan application and increase your chances of approval.

Benefits of Business Loan for Female Entrepreneurs

Securing a business loan as a female entrepreneur can provide numerous benefits, including:

Access to capital to start or expand a business

Opportunity to invest in marketing and advertising

Ability to hire employees and grow your team

Increased credibility and visibility in the business community

Potential for higher revenue and profitability

By following these expert tips and understanding the benefits of a business loan, female entrepreneurs can improve their business loan applications and take their businesses to new heights. With determination, persistence, and a solid plan in place, female entrepreneurs can secure the funding they need to achieve their entrepreneurial goals and succeed in the competitive business world. Remember, preparation and diligence are key to improving your business loan application and securing the funding you need to succeed as a female entrepreneur.

[americamortgages]

Secrets Banks Won’t Tell You (Real Estate Bridging Loans)

Looking to access liquidity quickly and easily from your U.S. real estate? AM bridge loans can help! Bridge loans are short-term loans that help cover immediate financial needs until longer-term financing is secured. This is excellent for non-resident investors and U.S. expats who need quick access to liquidity.

What is a Bridge Loan?

Bridge loans provide fast approval and flexible repayment terms, allowing investors to act on opportunities quickly for a purchase or release equity from a property when “conventional” bank options are not available or are not practical. There are a variety of reasons sophisticated real estate investors use bridge funding – it can be used to purchase a new property while selling an existing property, fund renovations on a property before renting it out, or obtain almost immediate access to liquidity tied up in real estate for higher return investments.

As reported by CoreLogic, in Q1 2024, the total home equity for U.S. mortgage holders exceeded $17 trillion, nearing the previous record set in 2023. The increase in home values and equity growth suggests many homeowners have significant potential capital. AM Bridge loans allow foreign nationals and U.S. expat investors to leverage their existing equity to finance short-term needs or seize investment opportunities.

How Can Bridge Loans Help?

Bridge loans can be a vital tool for non-resident U.S. investors and U.S. expat investors. Unlike conventional mortgage bridge loans can be structured to the exact needs of the borrower. Often with high LTV, no monthly debt servicing, and quick closing times – often as short as one week. Bridge loans can provide the needed capital to:

Facilitate Property Purchases: Investors can secure properties quickly without waiting for the sale of another asset.

Avoid Foreclosure: Quick access to funds can prevent the loss of property due to foreclosure.

Expand Business Ventures: Investors can use the equity from high-value properties to invest in other business opportunities.

America Mortgages Case Studies:

A Canadian businessman owned a $10 million property in California. To expand his business, he pulled out 65% of the LTV from his property, amounting to a $6.5 million loan. With an interest rate of 10% over a 12-month term, this bridge loan provided the necessary liquidity to invest in his business without selling the property.

Bridge Loan Helps U.S. Expat Avoid Foreclosure

Facing foreclosure, a U.S. expat property owner sought help from America Mortgages. We helped to secure a $500,000 bridge loan at a 70% LTV and 12% interest over 18 months. This quick access to funds eased his financial strain, preventing foreclosure and protecting his investment by paying off the existing lender and structuring the loan so that he did not have to make monthly payments for 6 months. This allowed the client to relax, reset, and focus on getting back on track.

What is Needed to Qualify?

Equity: Qualifying for a bridge loan is primarily based on the existing equity in the owned property. Bridge loans will typically allow for up to 70% of the current value of the existing property.  If there is an existing mortgage, it will need to be paid off through the transaction.

Income: Normally, there are no income requirements for these types of loans. However, the borrower should be able to either service the monthly payments or have sufficient equity to “roll up” or pay any interest payments due upfront out of the loan proceeds.

Credit: No U.S. credit is required

Eligible Loan Types: Purchase, refinance, and cash-out refinance

Term Lengths: 12-24 months

No U.S. Credit Required

Loan Amounts: US$100,000 to US$100m

Payment Options: Monthly, interest-only, interest rolled up, no prepayment penalty

Purchase Loan-to-Value (LTV): Up to 75%

Refinance Loan-to-Value (LTV): Up to 70%

Cash-out Refinance Loan-to-Value (LTV): Up to 65%

Property Types: Single-family, multi-family (5+ units), duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, condominiums, townhomes, commercial, industrial

America Mortgages offers bridge loans designed to bridge that gap for non-resident U.S. mortgage investors and U.S. expats. Our fast approvals and flexible terms empower investors to access liquidity quickly, whether buying, renovating, or avoiding foreclosure. With substantial home equity available, our bridge loans help leverage existing assets for short-term needs and investments. Trust America Mortgages to support your U.S. real estate goals with tailored solutions that ensure confidence and success.

Schedule a meeting with one of our loan officers using our 24/7 calendar link. Contact us today at hello@americamortgages.com to start your investment journey!

Reference: https://www.americamortgages.com/secrets-banks-wont-tell-you/

Contact Us

Address:  1341 W. Mockingbird Lane, Suite 600W, Dallas, Texas 75247 (HQ)

North America: +1 (845) 583-0830

[fenixventure]

Accelerate Your Startup: The Advantages of Venture Debt

For many startups, finding the right funding strategy is like navigating a complex puzzle. One piece of that puzzle is venturing debt. Venture debt acts as a financial tool that can help startups grow without giving up precious equity. This type of funding provides the necessary capital to push forward with essential projects, all while keeping control in the founders’ hands.

Venture debt stands out because it fills the gap between initial launch capital and traditional venture capital. This makes it an attractive option for startups that have already raised some funds but need more to reach their next growth milestones. By choosing venture debt, startups can access the funds they need quickly and efficiently, allowing them to expedite their plans and capitalize on market opportunities.

Let’s explore venture debt’s unique advantages and how it complements other funding sources. We’ll also explore the critical factors to consider before securing venture debt and outline the steps to obtain it successfully. Understanding these elements can arm you with the knowledge needed to make the best financial decisions for your startup’s growth journey.

Understanding Venture Debt and Its Unique Advantages

1. Definition and Basics of Venture Debt

Venture debt is a type of financing tailored for startups and growth companies. This debt complements equity financing without requiring the startup to give up ownership. Think of it as a loan that provides capital to help your business grow while preserving equity. The repayment terms and interest rates are structured to match the needs of fast-growing companies, making it a suitable option for startups that have already shown some market traction.

2. Key Differences Between Venture Debt and Venture Capital

While both venture debt and venture capital aim to help startups grow, they function quite differently. Venture capital involves selling a part of your company in exchange for funds. This means giving up some control and ownership to investors. 

In contrast, venture debt behaves more like a loan, with the primary obligation being to repay the borrowed amount along with interest. You retain full ownership and avoid diluting your equity. Venture debt can be a less intrusive way of securing funds, allowing you to maintain your original vision and control over your startup.

Why Choose Venture Debt?

Venture debt offers several compelling reasons to choose it over or alongside traditional funding methods. First, it helps preserve equity, allowing founders to maintain control over their business. Second, it provides the flexibility of customizable repayment terms, tailored to fit the unique needs of rapidly growing companies. 

Third, access to capital is usually quicker compared to other financing methods. Lenders experienced in venture debt understand the fast-paced needs of startups and can expedite the funding process. If you aim to retain control, need flexible funding, and require quick capital, venture debt might be the perfect fit for your startup.

How Venture Debt Complements Other Funding Sources

1. Bridging Financial Gaps Between Funding Rounds

One of the strongest roles venture debt plays is in bridging financial gaps between equity funding rounds. Startups often face a period where they have exhausted initial funds but aren’t yet ready for the next round of venture capital. Venture debt can fill this gap, providing you with the capital needed to keep operations running smoothly or to scale specific projects. This ensures that your growth isn’t stunted due to a lack of immediate funds.

2. Enhancing Flexibility in Financial Planning

Venture debt adds an element of flexibility to your financial planning. With the additional capital, you can explore various growth opportunities without immediately impacting your cash flow. This type of funding helps in managing unexpected expenses or capitalizing on sudden business opportunities. Enhanced financial flexibility allows you to allocate resources more effectively, making it easier to achieve your strategic goals.

3. Reducing Equity Dilution

One of the main advantages of venture debt is that it helps reduce equity dilution. When you raise funds through venture capital, you give up a portion of your ownership. Over multiple rounds, this can significantly reduce your stake in the company. 

Venture debt, on the other hand, allows you to secure necessary funds without sacrificing equity. This means you’ll retain a larger ownership percentage and have more control over your startup’s future direction.

By understanding these aspects, you can see how venture debt serves as a valuable tool that complements other funding sources, supporting your startup’s growth in a balanced and effective way.

Critical Factors to Consider Before Securing Venture Debt

1. Assessing Your Startup’s Financial Health

Before diving into venture debt, it’s crucial to assess your startup’s financial health. This means examining your revenue streams, cash flow, and financial projections. Investors and lenders want to see that your business has a solid financial foundation and a clear path to profitability. Make sure you have accurate financial statements and a detailed business plan that outlines your growth strategy. This will help secure the loan and ensure that you can manage the debt responsibly.

2. Planning for Repayment and Terms

Planning for repayment is a critical aspect when considering venture debt. Unlike equity funding, venture debt requires regular repayments along with interest. You need to understand the loan terms, including the repayment schedule and interest rates. 

Creating a realistic repayment plan is essential. Make sure your projected cash flow can handle these payments without causing financial strain. Proper planning will help you avoid unexpected financial challenges and ensure the debt supports your growth rather than hindering it.

3. Evaluating Potential Risks and Benefits

Every financial decision carries risks, and venture debt is no exception. While the benefits can be significant, such as retaining equity and quick access to funds, there are also risks involved. Defaulting on loan payments can lead to severe consequences, including damaging your business credit and jeopardizing your startup’s future. 

Carefully evaluate both the risks and benefits before making a decision. Weighing these factors will help you determine if venture debt is the right choice for your specific business needs and circumstances.

Steps to Successfully Secure Venture Debt for Your Startup

1. Preparing Comprehensive Financial Documentation

To secure venture debt, you’ll need to prepare comprehensive financial documentation. This includes detailed financial statements, business plans, and revenue projections. Lenders will scrutinize these documents to understand your financial health and growth potential. 

Ensure all documents are accurate, up-to-date, and clearly demonstrate your startup’s financial stability and future prospects. This preparation will make the approval process smoother and increase your chances of securing the loan.

2. Selecting and Approaching the Right Lenders

Not all lenders are the same, so it’s important to select and approach the right ones. Look for lenders experienced in venture debt and who have a track record of working with startups. Research their terms and see if they align with your business needs. 

Once you’ve identified potential lenders, prepare a compelling pitch that showcases your startup’s strengths and growth prospects. Tailor your approach to highlight why your startup is a good fit for its venture debt program.

3. Tips for Negotiating Favorable Terms and Conditions

Negotiating favorable terms and conditions can significantly impact the value you get from venture debt. Don’t just accept the first offer; be prepared to negotiate interest rates, repayment schedules, and other terms. Consider seeking advice from financial advisors who specialize in venture debt to help you navigate the negotiation process. 

The goal is to secure terms that provide the funds you need while maintaining manageable repayment conditions. By securing favorable terms, you can make venture debt a powerful tool for your startup’s growth.

Optimize Your Funding: Combining Venture Debt and Equity

Venture debt can be a valuable funding option for startups looking to grow quickly while maintaining control over their business. It provides the necessary capital without diluting equity, offering financial flexibility and helping bridge gaps between funding rounds. 

However, it’s important to carefully assess your startup’s financial health, plan for repayment, and understand the potential risks involved. By preparing comprehensive financial documentation and approaching the right lenders, you can negotiate favorable terms that support your objectives.

If you’re considering venture debt for your startup, now is the time to take action. At Fenix Ventures, we specialize in providing venture debt tailored to the unique needs of growing startups. Contact our business acquisition consultants to learn how we can help you secure the funding you need to achieve your business goals.