A Day of Thanks

The bounty of the harvest is certainly an appropriate time to give thanks for the seeds sown throughout the the year. Although not everyone grows their own food anymore, everyone still plants seeds hoping they'll bear fruit. This is a time for reflection and recognition of one's blessings. It is a gentle reminder of what's important in life.

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May this day provide you with that moment of clarity when worldly cares subside, and you recognize what you are thankful for.

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Happy Thanksgiving!

We The Free, Honor Our Brave

On this Veteran's Day, we the free honor our brave.

Although we have a tendency to wait for days such as this to express our gratitude, those of you who serve, take heart that you are supported everyday in the hearts and minds of those you protect.

We honor you not just for you bravery and sacrifice, but for the example you set for all American citizens.

The History of Veteran's Day

The Cash Flow Legacy

In the course of human interraction, the question is bound to come up..."...and what do you do?". And every so often my response is met with a matter of fact, "Never heard of it.".

True enough, cash flow isn't as much a house hold term like it's financial peers banking or venture capital. Even so, it's roots are deep and established.

Cash flow encompasses a wide variety of funding opportunities for both businesses and individuals. The common thread, is that there is some kind of 'promissory paper' to which payments are being made. This makes it unique in the financial world since it is neither debt-based nor equity-based funding.

The fact is that today's cash flow industry can trace it's roots as far back as ancient Mesopotamia. The story goes that under the rule of King Hammurabi, many elements of civilization were pioneered, among them, the concept of factoring. It is said that the Romans made the next significant contribution, by adding an actual paper note to the transaction.

During the American Colonial period, factoring was common, particularly in the garment and timber industries. In those days, the long voyages between England and America put a significant strain on merchants and in particular suppliers. Due to the long shipping periods factoring became an ideal tool to keep the cash flowing, and production moving.

During lean times since then, such as the 1930s, and the high interest rates of the 1970s...cash flow funding was called upon again. By the 1980s and early 90s, the loose affiliations of professionals in this line of work began to coalesce in to the current cash flow industry.

Today's cash flow industry involves many varieties of types of funding. The factoring (or accounts receivable funding) of long ago remains, and has grown into various products that meet the various needs of clients. There are many others now as well, including credit card receivables, delinquent debt, purchase order funding, and business notes to name a few.

Businesses of nearly every stripe utilize these financial tools from the Fortune 500 level to the small business owner. The one thing they have in common is the desire to use the best tools for the job.