Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Start out being friendly but persistent when collecting payments. Accept upfront payments if the customer offers. Make arrangements for payment before you deliver the final product. Follow up every day until you receive your money. Apply your payment policies to every single customer. Contact the credit agencies.

Answer: Don't hesitate to escalate the situation if a customer hasn't paid on time despite your best efforts with the contract. The challenge is to get paid without jeopardizing your future relationship with the customer. Many times a client will ask, "Do you need a check now?" and the business owner says, "No, that's okay, we'll get it at the end."  Don't do this!  If the customer is happy to pay up front - let him! Hold back enough so that they will need to pay you before you deliver the finished job.  It is not unprofessional for you to do so, though many business owners consider this a "low-rent" practice. It's not low-rent - it does not telegraph to your clients that you cannot afford to await payment. Rather it lets them know that you are a professional accustomed to being paid for your work on time. Just say something like, "Hey, Mr. Jones, I have your job all ready to deliver.  Can you have a check ready for me if I swing by around 3 PM?. The balance due is $470.78." This should start the very next day after your payment was due. Obviously, you should try to get paid before this need arises.  However, sometimes, you have a lapse in judgment, or you're lulled into a sense of security by a client you've had no problems with in the past. Once your client realizes your payment policies are lax, s/he will opportunistically attempt to exploit it. Remember - every minute that you are working to get paid is a minute that (A) you are working a second time for money you've already earned and (B) you are not working on a new job, which still needs to be finished on time. Don't give friends, friends of friends or family any special treatment.  If anything, treat them with even less trust than a stranger - they often attempt to take advantage of your relationship. If the client has not paid you by your due date, call him immediately and ask for payment.  If you are put off till the next day, call again the very next morning. Printing a warning on the bottom of your invoices is fine, but if you fail to follow it up, you won't ever be taken seriously. For customers who are consistently late in paying, contact the credit agencies, Experian, TRW, etc., and report late-payers if the payment is more than 30 days late. Call the client first, and let them know that you're terribly sorry to do it, but unless you receive their payment before the 30-day deadline, you will have to report it to the credit agencies, thus damaging their credit.  It's a powerful incentive to pay.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Obtain a personal loan or fund yourself. Get a loan Apply for a grant

Answer: If you have a significant nest-egg socked away, or can obtain a personal loan from a wealthy family member (perhaps in exchange for 5% – 10% of the company royalties), you may be able to cover your start-up costs yourself.  This is the best option for covering your start-up costs.  An interest-free loan means you don’t have to fill out all that pesky paperwork, and can negotiate a more generous repayment plan than you’d ever get from a bank or private funding source.  And if you fund the whole enterprise yourself, you won’t even have to do that. On average, a new home care business will need $50,000 – $75,000 to get started. .  There are a number of financing options available to a new in-home caregiving business.  You could consult a local bank after setting up your business account and negotiate a loan with them.  To do so you’ll have to present your business plan and make a convincing case as to why your business is worthy of the loan.  You could also get a loan with a guarantee from a public or private organization, like the Small Business Administration (SBA).   The SBA has a number of attractive loan-guarantee programs.  These programs require another lender to provide the loan, which is then guaranteed by the SBA. The most logical one for a new in-home caregiving business is the 7(a) Loan Program, which is available to new businesses.  For loans of less than $150,000 (an amount your in-home caregiving business is unlikely to surpass), interest is set at zero percent.  You can start working on an SBA 7(a) loan application at https://www.sba.gov/loans-grants/see-what-sba-offers/sba-loan-programs/general-small-business-loans-7a/7a-loan-application-checklist. .  Grants from a private organization or government agencies are probably the most attractive option for funding a new business.  With a grant, you aren’t spending your own money, or money you’ll have to pay back later.  The money awarded with a grant does not need to be repaid.  However, compared with loans, grants are much more difficult to get.  Most small businesses do not qualify for government grants, but you can use the federal BusinessUSA financing tool online at https://www.sba.gov/loans-and-grants to investigate your options.  Look for local, private, and state grants in addition to the big federal grants.  Community development corporations are a great option for funding.  Always apply early, follow all the directions in the application, and ask lots of questions of the grantor.


Problem: Write an article based on this summary: Apply with a resume, portfolio, and cover letter. Research the newspaper. Interview and meet the staff. Be persistent.

Answer:
Follow the guidelines of a job description for an open position you’d like to apply for. Submit a well-written and formatted resume and a cover letter that illustrates why you want this specific job and why you would be the best fit for it. Send in a digital or physical copy of your portfolio. For any newspaper you’d like to work for, read back issues or check their website to see the kind of stories they typically write and the style of photography they’re used to. Try to show some of your work that most reflects their style, but be true to your own style too, and don’t be afraid to surprise them with something they haven’t seen before. Be on time for an interview if you’re asked to come into the newspaper offices for a job interview. Be prepared for the interview by dressing professionally, being prepared to answer common questions about your photography work and experience, and have questions prepared for the newspaper staff. Even if you don’t land your ideal job at your first-choice newspaper, stick to your goal. Keep checking job listing sites and talking to other photographers and journalists to make connections and be the first to know about new opportunities. Simply keep visiting editors to show them new images as you have them, especially if you know a photographer of theirs is leaving soon.