Which Mobile Payment Service Is Best for Your Business?

by

OnlineShoppingSmall businesses come in all shapes and sizes and setup in all kinds of locations. If you don’t have a physical location for your business, it’s important to be able to take mobile payments. With the advances in technology, small businesses can now accept payments over all kinds of devices like tablets, cell phones, etc. making it extremely easy to sell your products from pretty much anywhere you have cell service or an internet connection. In an article for Inc.com, “Which Mobile Payment Service Is Best for Your Business?”, Maeghan Ouimet compares six top contenders in the industry giving you information on each so that you can make the decision on which would be suit your business’s needs. In this post we will look at a couple of the top contenders. [Read more…]

Using LinkedIn to Help Your Business Grow

by

LinkedinWe all know how much social media has changed the way we communicate with each other. Although it may not be as prevalent, social media has also changed the way small businesses do a number of things. LinkedIn has consistently grown, now with over 135 million individual users and 7 million companies registered, it can obviously offer some value to entrepreneurs and small business owners. An article by Marla Tabaka, on Inc.com, entitled “Unlock the Secrets of LinkedIn” gives entrepreneurs and small business owners a starting point to begin using LinkedIn as a social media platform for their businesses.

Researching Connections and Targeting Customers Using LinkedIn

In the article, Tabaka interviews Barbara Rozgonyi who suggests LinkedIn can be used to research connections and target customers for business development and gives the following tips for doing so:

  • LinkedIn’s advance search lets you target people, groups, and companies. Here you can type in a search term [skill, certification, industry, company, etc.]. Then, check the filters [location, company size, seniority, etc.] for a more defined search. You’ll see results that include a photo, title, and connection to you—something you can’t get on any other network.
  • Check out LinkedIn’s skills section. Here you can research skills and search terms. You’ll find related terms, people and groups who best match the skill.
  • Make a list of your target companies, go directly to the company site and locate someone you’d like to connect with. Then check to see what LinkedIn groups they belong to, join one of them and send them an invitation based on your common membership. This commonality will increase the odds of your invitation being accepted.

[Read more…]

Arkansas Capital Corporation Is Pleased to Showcase the Work of Diane Harper, Dominique Simmons and Barbara Satterfield

by

The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group (ACCG) is dedicated to helping small businesses and entrepreneurs throughout Arkansas succeed. Arkansas artists are certainly entrepreneurs. In 2013, ACCG began showcasing the work of Arkansas artists in our offices and began hosting open houses open to the public to help support the artists, as well as provide our community of staff, clients and visitors with a chance to be inspired by the art and be able to network at our offices as part of downtown Little Rock’s 2nd Friday Art Night. We are continuing that successful public-artist venture with the May 8th Friday Art Night with works by Diane Harper, Dominique Simmons and Barbara Satterfield in a show titled “Southern Curiosities”. Robert Bean is the show curator. Whether you are interested in learning more about the many lending products or just need a little visual inspiration, please stop by our offices Friday, May 8 from 5-8 p.m. Light hors d’oeuvres and drinks will be served. The artists will all be at the event to discuss their work, and all work is for sale with proceeds directly benefiting the artist. Our offices are located at 200 River Market, Avenue, Suite 400, Little Rock, AR 72201. Two nearby parking decks, as well as street parking are available. We are at Trolley Stop 10. Additional details about the trolley are available here. [Read more…]

4 Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Loan

by

BusinessLoanApplicationEveryone knows how uncertain economic times can make it difficult to obtain a loan from a bank. Uncertainty causes banks to be very selective when deciding which applicants to loan money to. There is plenty of information out there that can help inform loan applicants on how to make themselves and their businesses look appealing to banks, but one way to increase the chances of getting that loan is to know what not to do. In an article for Entrepreneur.com, Catherine Clifford discusses 4 mistakes to avoid when applying for a bank loan.

Mistake #1: Underestimating the value of personal credit

Banks want to lend money to applicants who have been responsible managing their own personal finances. If an applicant can’t manage the money that directly affects themselves and their families, then what makes a bank think they will do any better with its money?

Mistake #2: Applying for the wrong type of loan

[Read more…]

5 Tips for Social Networking Success

by

SocialMediaSocial media has made connecting with people far and wide immensely easier. Where old-school professional networking depended on gracious favors, cold calls, and press-the-flesh networking events, social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook for Business have put potential employers and prospects just a click away. But in the oft-quoted words of Voltaire (and Spiderman), with great power comes great responsibility. Successful social networking still demands professionalism, but with social media in the mix it also requires a heightened sense of self-awareness and value. Here are just a few tips to help pave your social networking success. [Read more…]

Social Entrepreneurship’s Impact on Education Abroad

by

By: Brad Cameron In his book Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know, David Bornstein argues that social entrepreneurship originally focused on identifying individuals talented in addressing social problems. Social entrepreneurship evolved to building and expanding entrepreneurs’ capacities to address widespread social issues through formalized organizations that borrow from best practices in business and organizational management. Today, the Internet and other forms of electronic communication connect and empower people  to come together to take on local and global issues. The latest iteration of social entrepreneurship combines the strength of social enterprises with the passion of activists, enabling professionals from a variety of fields to use technology to develop solutions for problems ranging from political underrepresentation to disparities in health care. [Read more…]

2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Winners Announced

by

Top teams to compete in Tri-State Competition in Las Vegas

Battle of the Business Plans

Winners of the 2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Collegiate Business Plan Competition that is managed by The Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, an affiliate of The Arkansas Capital Corporation Group, were announced today at a luncheon hosted at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Ark. Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, served as the master of ceremonies for the event, which hosted approximately 760 business leaders, students, educators and supporters from across the state for the 15th annual Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup. This year, 47 teams submitted business plans from 12 colleges and universities from across Arkansas for a chance to win a share of the $152,000 prize pool. First and second place winners of the undergraduate and graduate teams will compete against the top two teams from Nevada and Oklahoma for the Donald W. Reynolds Tri-State Award in May, where they will be competing to win a share of the $118,000 prize pool. The 2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup winners are: [Read more…]

2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Awards Luncheon Scheduled April 22

by

Governor's Cup
Who: The Arkansas Capital Corporation and The Arkansas Economic Acceleration Foundation, which manages the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup, invite the media to attend the event for photo and interview opportunities. Lunch will be provided. What: 2015 Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Awards Luncheon When: April 22, 2015 at 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Where: Wally Allen Ballroom, Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock, Ark. [Read more…]

Historic Rehabilitation Project Set for Downtown Little Rock’s Main Street

by

Raimondo Family WineryMore positive news on the redevelopment of downtown Little Rock. Moses Tucker announces today the purchase and plans to rehabilitate the former Fulk-Arkansas Democrat Building, located at 615 Main Street in downtown Little Rock. The project will consist of eight (8) loft-style unit apartments with a retail component on the ground floor that will be anchored by Raimondo Winery. The project is anticipated to start in mid May and will cost approximately $2 million. The Fulk-Arkansas Democrat Building is not currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, but is one of the more architecturally significant buildings on Main Street. The 2-story, 13,146 square foot building was constructed in 1916 and was designed by well-known architect, Charles Louis Thompson. Charles L. Thompson was one of the more prolific architects in Arkansas, having been involved in designing more than two thousand buildings throughout his career. Some of his best known works in the state of Arkansas include the Washington County courthouse in Fayetteville, Little Rock City Hall, the El Dorado High School, and the Peter Hotze house in Little Rock among others. The Fulk-Arkansas Democrat Building originally housed The Arkansas Democrat newspaper, known today as the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, between 1917 and 1930. This approximately 14,000 SF mixed-use project is situated on the east side of Main Street between 6th & 7th and is expected to be completed by mid 2016 to allow for tenants to open simultaneously. Raimondo Winery will be situated on the ground floor level of the development and will be open 7-days a week, serving only lunch. The winery will feature a wine tasting room and will offer select culinary events . Customers will also have the ability to purchase other products such as her homemade extra olive virgin oils and premium balsamic vinegars. [Read more…]

Business Planning Basics

by

Business Model
A business plan is a document that describes your business and the future of your business. The business plan tells what you plan to do and how you plan to do it. Completing the business planning process can be the difference between success and failure, between obtaining financing and being denied, between growing your business and floundering, or between knowing your competition and owning your competition. Think of the business plan as a road map for your business. In writing your business plan, you need to make sure that the plan is clear, focused and realistic. Below is a list of major sections that make up a sound business plan: [Read more…]