Over the past few years, online pharmacies have become a preferable alternative to the community drugstores. The increased degree of convenience and safety has made them an instant favorite among the consumers. However, the growth of online pharmacy business led some unscrupulous people in launching illegal websites offering below par products and services. Most patients are often lured by their tall claims and end up getting cheated by these pharmacies. The growing number of such illegal Internet pharmacies has made it difficult for the patients to track down the legitimate ones where they can place their orders.Though all legal pharmacies are licensed and approved by an external authoritative body and generally have a link on their website in support of that, it is practically a cumbersome process for the patients to scrutinize each and every pharmacy website to get a proof of their legitimacy. Under such a scenario, a pharmacy search engine can prove to be an indispensable tool for the patients.A pharmacy search engine offers an interface with a search box in it. The users need to type in the drug name in that search box and click on the search button to get a list of pharmacies dealing in that specific drug. Pharmacy/ Medicine search engines maintain a database that includes all legal and authorized pharmacies operating over the Internet and discounts all the illegal ones. On entering a drug name in the search box, the search engine checks its database and compiles a list of all the Internet pharmacies dealing in that drug. It then returns a list of such pharmacies to users along with the prices offered by them.The usage of a medicine search engine may look similar to that of the traditional search engines like Google or Yahoo. The difference is in the generated results for a search query. On a specific drug query, the traditional search engines may or may not return a result set comprising of online pharmacies. Moreover, patients can never be sure of the credibility of the pharmacies listed in the result sets, as some professionals specializing in search engine algorithms can push their positions right at the top. Pharmacy search engines, on the other hand will return more specific results showcasing various licensed online pharmacies dealing in such a drug.Such results even give an overview of the current stock status, discounts applicable and prices charged by the listed pharmacies. The patients just need to scroll through the results to find the pharmacy that complies with their requirement. A single click of the mouse on the selected result either directs them to the pharmacy website or allows them to place the order directly from the website offering such a search service.Medicine search engines serve as common platform for both the pharmacists as well as the patients. It is a media through which the online pharmacies can showcase their products vis-à-vis the other pharmacies. The patients on the other hand are assured of the credibility of the pharmacies that are returned as a result set for a specific drug query.
Alternative Financing Vs. Venture Capital: Which Option Is Best for Boosting Working Capital?
There are several potential financing options available to cash-strapped businesses that need a healthy dose of working capital. A bank loan or line of credit is often the first option that owners think of – and for businesses that qualify, this may be the best option.
In today’s uncertain business, economic and regulatory environment, qualifying for a bank loan can be difficult – especially for start-up companies and those that have experienced any type of financial difficulty. Sometimes, owners of businesses that don’t qualify for a bank loan decide that seeking venture capital or bringing on equity investors are other viable options.
But are they really? While there are some potential benefits to bringing venture capital and so-called “angel” investors into your business, there are drawbacks as well. Unfortunately, owners sometimes don’t think about these drawbacks until the ink has dried on a contract with a venture capitalist or angel investor – and it’s too late to back out of the deal.
Different Types of Financing
One problem with bringing in equity investors to help provide a working capital boost is that working capital and equity are really two different types of financing.
Working capital – or the money that is used to pay business expenses incurred during the time lag until cash from sales (or accounts receivable) is collected – is short-term in nature, so it should be financed via a short-term financing tool. Equity, however, should generally be used to finance rapid growth, business expansion, acquisitions or the purchase of long-term assets, which are defined as assets that are repaid over more than one 12-month business cycle.
But the biggest drawback to bringing equity investors into your business is a potential loss of control. When you sell equity (or shares) in your business to venture capitalists or angels, you are giving up a percentage of ownership in your business, and you may be doing so at an inopportune time. With this dilution of ownership most often comes a loss of control over some or all of the most important business decisions that must be made.
Sometimes, owners are enticed to sell equity by the fact that there is little (if any) out-of-pocket expense. Unlike debt financing, you don’t usually pay interest with equity financing. The equity investor gains its return via the ownership stake gained in your business. But the long-term “cost” of selling equity is always much higher than the short-term cost of debt, in terms of both actual cash cost as well as soft costs like the loss of control and stewardship of your company and the potential future value of the ownership shares that are sold.
Alternative Financing Solutions
But what if your business needs working capital and you don’t qualify for a bank loan or line of credit? Alternative financing solutions are often appropriate for injecting working capital into businesses in this situation. Three of the most common types of alternative financing used by such businesses are:
1. Full-Service Factoring – Businesses sell outstanding accounts receivable on an ongoing basis to a commercial finance (or factoring) company at a discount. The factoring company then manages the receivable until it is paid. Factoring is a well-established and accepted method of temporary alternative finance that is especially well-suited for rapidly growing companies and those with customer concentrations.
2. Accounts Receivable (A/R) Financing – A/R financing is an ideal solution for companies that are not yet bankable but have a stable financial condition and a more diverse customer base. Here, the business provides details on all accounts receivable and pledges those assets as collateral. The proceeds of those receivables are sent to a lockbox while the finance company calculates a borrowing base to determine the amount the company can borrow. When the borrower needs money, it makes an advance request and the finance company advances money using a percentage of the accounts receivable.
3. Asset-Based Lending (ABL) – This is a credit facility secured by all of a company’s assets, which may include A/R, equipment and inventory. Unlike with factoring, the business continues to manage and collect its own receivables and submits collateral reports on an ongoing basis to the finance company, which will review and periodically audit the reports.
In addition to providing working capital and enabling owners to maintain business control, alternative financing may provide other benefits as well:
It’s easy to determine the exact cost of financing and obtain an increase.
Professional collateral management can be included depending on the facility type and the lender.
Real-time, online interactive reporting is often available.
It may provide the business with access to more capital.
It’s flexible – financing ebbs and flows with the business’ needs.
It’s important to note that there are some circumstances in which equity is a viable and attractive financing solution. This is especially true in cases of business expansion and acquisition and new product launches – these are capital needs that are not generally well suited to debt financing. However, equity is not usually the appropriate financing solution to solve a working capital problem or help plug a cash-flow gap.
A Precious Commodity
Remember that business equity is a precious commodity that should only be considered under the right circumstances and at the right time. When equity financing is sought, ideally this should be done at a time when the company has good growth prospects and a significant cash need for this growth. Ideally, majority ownership (and thus, absolute control) should remain with the company founder(s).
Alternative financing solutions like factoring, A/R financing and ABL can provide the working capital boost many cash-strapped businesses that don’t qualify for bank financing need – without diluting ownership and possibly giving up business control at an inopportune time for the owner. If and when these companies become bankable later, it’s often an easy transition to a traditional bank line of credit. Your banker may be able to refer you to a commercial finance company that can offer the right type of alternative financing solution for your particular situation.
Taking the time to understand all the different financing options available to your business, and the pros and cons of each, is the best way to make sure you choose the best option for your business. The use of alternative financing can help your company grow without diluting your ownership. After all, it’s your business – shouldn’t you keep as much of it as possible?
How You Can Successfully Lose Weight with the Keto Diet
The keto diet has gained popularity in recent years as a way to lose weight and improve health. As with any diet, it can be challenging to stick with long term and many people find it difficult to achieve their goals because of the restrictive nature of the keto diet. If you are considering trying this diet or are already doing so, it may be helpful to know what changes you can make to maximize your chances of success with the keto diet and how to maintain it in the long term.
Why Ketogenic Diets Work?
Ketogenic diets work by inducing a state of ketosis, which is a metabolic process that occurs when your body isn’t getting enough carbohydrates from food. When your body enters ketosis, it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. In fact, studies show that those who adhere to ketogenic diets lose about four times more weight than those who follow low-fat diets.
What Are Macros, and Why They Matter?
Macros, short for macronutrients, are nutrients that your body needs to function properly. For example, carbohydrates are a macronutrient, because our bodies need them to provide energy. There are three main types of macro: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Setting Up Your Keto Diet
The keto diet is a very low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet that causes your body to burn fat rather than carbs as its primary energy source. The aim of the keto diet is to force your body into ketosis, a state where you are able to burn fat for energy efficiently. Ketosis has been shown in studies to cause weight loss around two times more than other diets.
Staying on Track While Losing Weight
One of the most common mistakes people make while trying to lose weight is not sticking to their diet or exercise routine. This is one of the reasons why many people have difficulty losing weight. In order to avoid making this mistake, it is important that you set specific goals for yourself and create a plan for following them.
Common Misconceptions of Keto Diets
Keto diets have been gaining a lot of attention in recent years because they have been proven to be more effective in weight loss than other types of diets. However, there are still some misconceptions about keto diets that need to be addressed.
They are too hard to follow: This is definitely one of the most common misconceptions about keto diets, but this couldn’t be any further from the truth.
What Supplements Should I Take When Starting A Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet is a low-carb, high-fat diet that forces your body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates for energy. This process produces ketones, which are substances that help in the production of energy. This can lead to many weight loss benefits such as better blood sugar control, reduced hunger and increased levels of energy. To make sure you are getting all of these benefits it is important to take supplements.
Macros, short for macronutrients, are nutrients that your body needs to function properly. For example, carbohydrates are a macronutrient, because our bodies need them to provide energy. There are three main types of macro: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.