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The influence of AI on SME financing options
May 29, 2023Even though AI has been around for a long time, it’s hogging every headline visible to mankind at the moment – and for good reason. When it’s applied intelligently, Artificial Intelligence is set to improve all sorts of business operations from hiring processes to marketing efforts. It can even diversify your small business financing options. …
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Business Loans | Blog
What is a business line of credit?
May 24, 2023As fintech experts, we deal with a lot of complicated questions. But we’re also all about making business funding simple. Which is why we’re equally comfortable coming up with innovative fintech solutions to SME-specific challenges as we are answering the question: what the heck is a business line of credit? No pomp and circumstance here….
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Business Loans | Blog
Financing options for South African SMEs
May 08, 2023Only two things in entrepreneurial life are certain: tax season, and needing financing options for SMEs. It’s a universal truth that all small businesses need a funding injection from time to time. Whether it’s to fund cash flow gaps, purchase new equipment, or hire new employees, SMEs are in a semi-permanent state of needing to…
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Blog | Business Loans
How business loans work in South Africa: your 2023 guide
May 02, 2023So, you’ve got a small local business up and running and the time has come to expand your operations, buy new equipment, or hire new staff – which is why you’re staring at your laptop, looking up how business loans work in South Africa. Well, we’re happy to report that you’ve come to the right…
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Business Loans | Blog
Getting a small business loan is a big business idea
April 24, 2023Debt is not regarded with much favour in many circles. We blame Shakespeare. If it weren’t for The Merchant of Venice, maybe getting a small business loan wouldn’t be fraught with so many misconceptions. Honestly, we get it. The idea of owing money to someone else can feel like a pair of shackles. But the…
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Invoice Financing | Blog
Small business invoice factoring vs financing: which one is for you?
April 19, 2023Small business invoice factoring and debt financing are two different things – we know, it’s confusing. But we’re here to simplify things for you. We’ll get into the specifics in a short while, but here’s what you need to know right off the bat: under the right conditions, these short-term business financing models can be…
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Blog | Business Advice
Quick small business loans: how to avoid scams
April 17, 2023One of the biggest and most consistent challenges faced by South African SMEs is securing quick small business loans. Because cash flow represents the lifeblood of SMEs at this stage of growth, speed is of the essence – specifically, a mode of speed that is not possible at the institutional pace of most traditional lenders….
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Business Loans | Blog
The 2023 guide to: how to qualify for a business loan in South Africa
April 11, 2023Whether business owners are at the beginning or in the middle of their journey as an SME, one challenge remains constant: access to business funding. As a result, business leaders are always vigilantly looking out for financial solutions, and they normally begin by investigating how to qualify for a business loan in South Africa. We’ll…
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Business Loans | Blog
Alternative funding for business: revolving credit
March 27, 2023Given just how cumbersome and slow traditional funding channels can be, more and more SMEs are researching alternative funding for business. And why wouldn’t they? If the Minister of Finance’s budget speech and the President’s State of the Nation Address told us anything this past month, it was that South African SMEs are the engines…
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Blog
The role of accountants in SME funding
March 22, 2023If you read our heroic article about why it’s high time that we recognised the very essential (and very cool) role that accountants and business advisors have to play in their organisations, you might think that we’re harbouring an agenda to MAGA (Make Accounting Great Again, obviously). And you’d be right. All jokes and perfectly…
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Blog | Business Advice
Looking to the future with cash flow forecasting
March 16, 2023Chances are when you woke up this morning, you consulted your phone for a few insightful metrics on the weather, the stock market, and the load shedding schedule (boo). Using past patterns to give shape to the future is part and parcel of preparing for every single day – deciding which coat to put on,…
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Blog | Business Advice
Unexpected business finance solutions: Why debt > equity
March 01, 2023When you’re in charge of a young business – or if you’re advising somebody who is – you’ll always be on the lookout for business finance solutions. In the leafy undergrowth of the business world, many young enterprises are striving for a beam of heavenly sunlight (read: funding) from a benevolent celestial overlord (read: angel…
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Blog
Accountants, are you the best financing partner you could be?
February 28, 2023If you’ll bear with us for a moment, we’re getting on our soapbox about something that just isn’t sitting right with us. It’s a travesty, really. You already know, of course, what we’re talking about. We’re talking about the misalignment of accountants and other business advisors in the popular imagination. When did we settle for…
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Blog
What the budget speech means for business funding solutions
February 24, 2023Finance Minister Enoch Gondogwana delivered his annual Budget Speech on Wednesday, 22 February. If you’re reading this article, it’s possible that you didn’t watch it and you need to arm yourself with just enough information not to look like a fool at the water cooler. Or you just like to remain just really, really well…
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Blog | Business Advice
Master finance in business with these top tax tips
February 13, 2023The conclusion of the 2023 tax year is fast approaching and tax season is upon us. With this in mind, we’re sharing a helpful guide on how to navigate tax like a pro. This is by no means an exhaustive guide to tax – you’re better off engaging the services of an accountant or a…
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Blog | Business Advice
The future of financing: Are you ready for 2023?
February 07, 2023Personally, we don’t remember the last time a financing article began with a sentence that didn’t resemble something like, “Businesses have faced unprecedented challenges in the past year…” Take it as a sign of the times. Unfortunately, things are not exactly about to look up for businesses in the wake of the headline-hogging challenges which…
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Business Loans | Blog
BridgePay: Alternative funding for business
January 31, 2023When you’re on the hunt for alternative funding for business, trade credit might not be the first solution that comes to mind. But using trade credit – whether you’re selling to or buying from other businesses – is a convenient and effective way of solving the same cash flow challenges that would push you to…
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Financing | Blog
Calculate your cashflow finance options: funding fundamentals
January 26, 2023Let’s imagine, for argument’s sake, that a timer started running the moment you started reading this article. Remember that timer. Okay, now back to the matter at hand. Because you are reading this article, that means that you are investigating alternative business funding options. Many businesses in South Africa run into cash flow dry periods….
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Business Loans | Blog
Why SMEs that need a business loan are losing interest in business funding
January 23, 2023We’re going to come out and say it: securing business funding sucks. Outdated business funding processes belong to an anachronistic lending system which – let’s face it – is crumbling under the advance of a more customer-centric fintech industry. SMEs that need a business loan are losing interest in these processes – literally. When you…
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Blog
Cash flow, or cash flop? Your January business horoscope
January 17, 2023Depending on what industry you work in, the start of a new year can represent radically different things. Right now, some of us are wound tighter than the purse strings, while others can’t count the cash fast enough. After all, one man’s cash flow is another man’s cash flop. To help you prepare yourself for…
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Business Advice | Blog
Four ways SMEs can prepare for the festive season
December 06, 2022Another year has come and passed, and preparations for a new one are already underway. While it is an exciting time for businesses as they soak up the festive cheer, a lot of preparation is required before we can call it a day. Including in-store and online promotions, marketing efforts to support them, and preparing…
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Business Advice | Blog
An SME’s guide to achieving your Black Friday goals in 2022
November 11, 2022While Black Friday is one of the most profitable times of the year for retail giants, 85% of smaller sellers in Britain say they’re boycotting the event as they fight unnecessary consumerism. It would be interesting to see if South African businesses follow this trend. However, while competition might be fierce this time of year,…
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Business Advice | Blog
How SMEs can prepare for economic disruption
October 11, 2022After one of the most gruelling pandemics in history, we’re also in the midst of a global recession. In light of this, it’s more important than ever to ensure business resilience. If you haven’t done so already, you should be investing time into analysing potential business risks and finding ways to combat these risks before…
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Blog
Supporting South African women in business
September 13, 2022Today, we pay tribute to the incredible and inspiring women in business in South Africa. Thanks to them, people are now benefiting from education advocacy, as well as wine production. In support of women in business, we’re highlighting some of the most innovative women in South Africa, discussing the impact of fempreneurs on socio-economic activity…
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Blog
How automation technology is set to redefine the finance industry
August 24, 2022The financial services sector is the recipient of dramatic digital transformation. We may be familiar with the more consumer-facing elements, such as the proliferation of mobile banking and internet banking, but there is a lot more going on behind the scenes with regards to how service providers, including those offering credit facilities, are embracing new…
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Blog | Business Advice
What small business owners need to know about SME tax
August 22, 2022From deciding your business type, registering with SARS, and understanding special taxes and VAT registration, everything you’ve ever needed to know about SME tax can be found right here. Yes, tax season is not every business owner’s favourite time of year, but submitting returns doesn’t have to be as painful as we know it to…
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Blog | Financing | Industry News
Helping businesses survive load shedding
July 26, 2022In response to the impact of loadshedding on South African businesses, data-driven alternative finance provider Bridgement offers a unique possible financing alternative power solutions to help entrepreneurs and business owners mitigate the effects of energy disruptions. The solution – called Alternative Power Financing – offers businesses a unique way to fund generators, inverters, and other…
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Business Advice | Blog
Everything you need to know about business expansion
July 19, 2022If you are reading this, you’re likely considering expanding your business. Now, you are ready to embrace success and take your business to new heights. As a business owner, it is imperative that you ensure you’re ready for expansion, that you choose a method of growth that works for you and that you’re able to…
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Blog
Why South Africa’s SMEs are vital for economic recovery and upliftment
July 19, 2022In his 2022 Budget Speech, Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana outlined several measures the National Treasury would undertake to support small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures include a bounce-back scheme where small business loan guarantees of R15 billion would be facilitated through banks and other financial institutions, a partnership between…
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Blog | Business Advice
How SMEs can prepare for winter
June 09, 2022The cold is right on our doorstep, which means it’s time to prepare for more nights in, more load shedding and the return of the winter sale. While many businesses can thrive during the winter, others are planning innovative ways to stay above water. Whether you’re going off the grid, finding ways to keep customers…
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Blog | Business Advice
Four things you need to know before starting a small business
May 12, 2022Starting a business is one of the scariest, yet most rewarding things a person can do. You’re about to walk into a world that requires resilience among the journey’s twists and turns, agility when faced with unexpected changes, and gratitude for the small defeats that ultimately lead to success. Luckily, you’re not the only one…
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Business Loans | Blog
A finance partner is better than a loan facilitator
April 12, 2022Gone are the days of walking into a bank and putting both your business and yourself on the line in front of a preoccupied loan officer who could on one hand reject your application because they want to leave early, or accept it and tie you into a lifetime of debt and repayments under the…
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Blog | Business Advice
The importance of keeping staff and keeping staff happy in a modern SME
March 16, 2022It isn’t difficult to find a slew of quotes from the biggest business owners in the world about the importance of keeping staff and keeping them happy in order to grow a successful business, but you might be asking yourself “Why?”. Why is it considered so important to retain good staff and have them as…
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Short Terms Loans | Blog
What you need to know about cash flow lending in 2022
February 10, 2022Whether you find your business in a post-season slump or struggling to get a consistent influx of cash due to the ongoing and unstable landscape of a world dealing with COVID, the answer to ease your stress could be cash flow lending. This type of loan allows small businesses to borrow money based on their…
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Blog | Business Advice
4 Of the most common challenges facing SA entrepreneurs & how to overcome them
December 15, 2021It’s not something exclusive to our shores (especially these days unfortunately), as across the world many small businesses struggle to get going and stay going, but stats show that most South African startups aren’t able to keep the doors open past the three-year mark. Like in many new businesses around the world, most South African…
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Blog | Business Advice
Business trends to look out for in 2022
December 15, 20212021 is just about a thing of the past and while we could reflect on all that’s happened in the last 12 months (let alone the last 24), we chose to rather look ahead at the business trends for 2022. And indeed you can’t have one without the other, our past defines our future and…
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Blog | Industry News
Bridgement + The Slow Fund: Meet Thabang Mafela
November 12, 2021In partnership with the Slow Fund, we’re incredibly excited to announce that Thabang Mafela, founder of Hokae Mobile Billboards, is the second of four entrepreneurs to win a R20 000 interest-free, fee-free business loan from Bridgement. Hokae Mobile Billboards Launched by Thabang during the peak of Covid in 2020, Hokae Mobile Billboards is not only…
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Blog | Business Advice
5 Things SMEs Should Do To Prepare For The End Of The Year
November 05, 2021As we approach the business-end of another year, many of us will be looking forward to a good break spent with friends and family, taking the time to recharge and refresh in preparation to do it all again next year. But if you’re the owner of an SME, or any business, there are a few…
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Business Advice | Blog
4 benefits to owning your own business
September 30, 2021Starting your own business can be two very different things: rewarding and scary, but when you really think about it, if your service offering is thought out and something that consumers will want and come to you for, then history shows us that the rewards far outweigh the risks. And what are some of those…
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Business Advice | Blog
4 Ways to keep your business website fresh and modern
September 08, 2021Even before the world knew what the Novel Coronavirus was, the shift to conducting business digitally or online was well underway. Since the tech bubble burst way back when and the dotcom revolution became old hat, we have been steadily moving towards a digitally connected world. A world wide web. And what comes with that…
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Business Advice | Blog
How Benchmarking can help grow your small business
August 11, 2021The pandemic and resultant lockdowns have triggered economic hardship around the globe, especially for small, medium, and micro firms. In most countries, the majority of firms are SMEs, supplying a disproportionately to employment and the economy. According to a report by the Small Business Institute: “It is in these small businesses, and the aspirations of…
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Blog | Industry News
South Africa’s top 3 businesswomen in 2021
July 30, 2021You don’t have to look very hard to find a plethora of incredible businesswomen in South Africa today. Some of the biggest brands and companies across an array of industries are being steered by powerful women from a range of backgrounds. Not only that, many have forged their own path in the SME arena to…
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Blog | Business Advice
How to avoid a 10% penalty from SARS this 2021 tax season
July 26, 2021Debt and taxes in the time of Corona Benjamin Franklin is often quoted as saying that there are only two things certain in life: death and taxes. Some say that the quote originated in the book written by famous author Daniel Defoe, The Political History of the Devil. Regardless of who coined the phrase, two…
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Business Advice | Blog
How to accelerate growth through a brand collaboration
July 12, 2021Some of the biggest brands on the planet have worked together in the past to create not only memorable but profitable campaigns and partnerships (GoPro & Red Bull – Stratos, Kanye and Adidas – Yeezy, Apple & MasterCard – Apple Pay), why shouldn’t you? You should. Brand collaboration can be a great way to gain…
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Blog | Industry News
Bridgement + The Slow Fund: Meet Simphiwe Mkhize, the first winner of a R20K interest-free business loan
June 07, 2021In partnership with the Slow Fund, we’re incredibly excited to announce that Simphiwe Mkhize, founder of Simmy Bakes, is the first of four entrepreneurs to win a R20 000 interest-free, fee-free business loan from Bridgement. Simmy Bakes Financial analyst Simphiwe Mkhize lost her job in 2018 after working in finance for eight years. As a…
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Business Advice | Blog
4 Simple ways to support local SMEs
June 04, 2021Whether you run one, work at one, or visit one on the daily, as a South African you are guaranteed to encounter an SME (Small and Medium Enterprises) in some form whenever you leave your front door. And now with the online commerce and services experience being more prevalent than ever, you don’t need to…
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Blog | Business Advice
2 Things we learned from the R200 billion Guaranteed Loan Scheme (GLS)
May 03, 2021Two hundred billion Rand was effectively made available to SMEs by the South African president over a year ago, but with less than 10% allocated, only a few thousand recipients, and just weeks left to apply, one has to ask, “Why so few takers?” What is a GLS? Outlined as the biggest portion of the…
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