Incidents of payments fraud continue to increase as fraudsters take advantage of the digitization of work, shopping and general operations and communications. Despite growing attacks and attempts on digital payments — ACH debits and credits, wires, virtual cards, mobile wallets and cryptocurrency — the payments most vulnerable to fraud continue to be a more traditional method … [More]
The Compelling Case for Impact Investing and Its Potential to Reshape the Future
The double bottom line is not just greenwashing
The case for impact investing is increasingly compelling, not just as an adjunct to traditional investing but as an evolution of how we influence the flow of capital in and across society. After decades of viewing investment purely through a financial lens, where the primary goal was to maximize returns to shareholders, we’re beginning to understand that a broader perspective … [More]
Unlocking Opportunities with Hard Money
When does hard money lending make sense for businesses and investors?
In today’s dynamic business and real estate investment landscape, the availability of fast and flexible financing is frequently the key to success. That’s where hard money loans come into play. Hard money lending is a type of financing that allows borrowers to secure loans based on the value of real estate assets rather than their creditworthiness. While traditional … [More]
The Hidden Costs of Friendly Fraud in e-Commerce
Protecting consumer rights with chargebacks
In the 1980s, there were approximately 2,500 shopping malls in the U.S. There are only about 700 malls left, and experts predict that number will drop to 150 in the next ten years. Their brightly colored storefronts, ornamental fountains and gleaming escalators have been gradually replaced by the incredible ease of online shopping from anywhere at any time, away from crowded … [More]
Cash Management Strategies to Help Navigate Economic Uncertainty
Apply best practices and creative solutions
With the market in an ongoing state of financial flux, business owners may need to take new approaches when it comes to managing money. Just as budgeting can support business goals under typical circumstances, establishing plans for challenging periods can help ensure successful outcomes. Financial decisions require thorough consideration before acting, but applying best … [More]
Thinking of Selling Your Business?
Key steps for Arizona business owners to take
Baby boomers own approximately 40% of privately-owned small businesses and franchises in the U.S., according to MBAStack. Gen X-ers own the highest percentage of small businesses at 46%, and their relative share is increasing. With boomers already in or reaching retirement age, and Gen X only 12 to 15 years behind that, many business owners are considering selling their … [More]
Position Your Business for Acquisition
It takes time to develop and execute a strategic plan
Many entrepreneurs launch their companies with an eye toward eventually selling them. But preparing a business for an acquisition is not as simple as making the decision to sell. The process can be complex and take several years, depending on objectives and the state of the business, which can leave the founders or owners unsure of where to begin. Regardless of company or … [More]
Determining Strategic Asset Allocation
Establishing goals and risk tolerance within a given time frame
A strategic investment strategy backed by a comprehensive financial plan can help provide comfort in a volatile market. Below, we explore how asset allocation should be customized to an individual’s goals and risk appetite. Establishing Goals One of the most important steps to building asset allocation is to establish goals, along with a timeline, with one’s financial team. … [More]
Two Phoenix Public Financing Organizations Impact Local Communities
Investments benefit under-resourced communities
The Phoenix IDA, as outlined in the IDA Act, the state law that created it more than four decades ago, promotes community and economic development. Through innovative financing, the Phoenix IDA helps attract private capital that boosts economic development in the Greater Phoenix area. Additionally, as administrators of the Phoenix Community Development & Investment … [More]
While Economic Clouds Gather, It’s Still Sunny in Phoenix
Growing population and manufacturing are among the differences for Phoenix
Despite predictions of a mild recession, 2023 may be the first year since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic when the economy feels almost stable. Inflation is coming down, the labor market remains vibrant, and huge shifts in spending across sectors are looking like a thing of the past. Best of all, the coming trends play directly into the Phoenix area’s greatest … [More]
Strategizing around Volatile Interest Rates
On Dec. 14, 2022, the Federal Open Market Committee (a committee within the Federal Reserve System) raised its target rate +50 basis points, making the new upper limit of the Fed Funds Rate to set at 4.5%. While the actual change in the target rate came in as expected, the still very hawkish stance from the Fed may have surprised some market participants due to the recent … [More]
How to Manage Business Finances in a High-Growth Market
A growing market like Phoenix can present both a wide range of financial opportunities as well as challenges for business owners. Arizona holds more than 150 of the nation’s fastest-growing companies, according to the Inc. 5000 lineup, a list ranking business revenue growth over a three-year period, from 2018 to 2021. The listed businesses, mostly located in the Phoenix area, … [More]
Finance & Accounting: Strategies to Recession-Proof One’s Business
Despite some positive signs in the Arizona labor market, growth may slow in the next couple of years. Unemployment is low, prices on housing and consumer goods are high, and average consumers are cutting back on spending as their paychecks fall behind expenses. Given this, how might smart leaders prepare their businesses? Keep Perspective The economy works in cycles. A … [More]
Tumultuous Economy Challenges on Companies’ Consumer Relations
A potential worldwide recession may be on the horizon. Additionally, buyer priorities are changing in customer services and the overall customer experience. How will a tumultuous economic period such as this one impact the customer service industries as a whole? As we see the pandemic period ending and a potential worldwide recession on the horizon, we are starting to see … [More]
The Bankruptcy Alternative You’ve Likely Never Heard Of
There is a quicker, less expensive and more flexible alternative to a business bankruptcy and liquidation that most business owners have never heard of — the Assignment for the Benefit of Creditors, or ABC. More than 13,000 businesses in the United States, including 210 businesses in Arizona, filed for bankruptcy between March 2021 and March 2022, many of which could have … [More]
Microloans Level the Playing Field
The 5 C’s of Credit — character, capacity, capital, collateral and conditions — is an old term that outlines what business owners need to have established to secure financing and grow. The Census Bureau reports that 5.4 million businesses were formed in 2021. Many of these new businesses haven’t had enough time to establish the 5 C’s of credit and therefore may be at a loss as … [More]
Eye on Arizona’s Economy
From inflation and Arizona’s local real estate market to the national energy scene and other global geopolitical issues, every day seems to bring new economic news to the forefront, but with little real-world context into how these developments will affect growth at the grassroots level. Putting Issues into Context At Alliance Bank of Arizona’s most recent Economic Forum, … [More]
Successful Healthcare Real Estate Investment
Stock market uncertainty resulting from Russia’s war in Ukraine has many investors looking for options yielding better returns. Real estate has historically provided excellent profit, especially in recent years with apartments and industrial facilities, including distribution and data centers, in high demand to keep up with explosive growth in the Phoenix area. Because … [More]
