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As 2014 begins, aspiring entrepreneurs are challenging themselves to create and abide by their New Year's Resolutions. This is the chance to start off with a clean slate; go out and do what you've always told yourself you were going to do. Perhaps this is the chance to get out there and start that business you've always dreamed about.

A New Year means a fresh start for many, and what better way to kick things off than by opening your own business? Startup business loans are out there waiting for savvy entrepreneurs to snatch them up and put them to good use, but how exactly does one do that? These 5 tips should help you prepare to take on the world of business ownership by storm.

Most entrepreneurs want to cast a wide net when applying for loans. Traditional bank loans, secured business loans or unsecured business loans… these are all valid questions that small business owners often consider when seeking funding.

Can I Get a Small Business Loan from the Government? This is the question on many an entrepreneurs' minds, and the answer is not so cut and dry. The short answer is no, there is no such thing as a government small business loan. However, there is gray area.

Earnings and business credit scores of women-owned companies soared in 2013, according to Biz2Credit.com, the leading online credit marketplace, which analyzed more than 10,000 applications from all across the U.S. on its platform during the past year. Average earnings for women-owned businesses rose to $54,114 in 2013 from $35,135 in 2012 -- a whopping 54% jump in a year-to-year comparison. Further, the average credit score for women-owned companies rose to 610 in 2013, up from 592 in 2012.

You may not realize it, but your website can damage your ability to get a loan. It would be crazy to imagine that if you have an existing business website when you apply for a loan your lender would not look at it. What do you want them to see? You want them to see a site that will draw and keep customers. After all, how can you pay back a small business loan if you do not have customers?

Everyone knows that opening a restaurant is a difficult undertaking, but it doesn't have to be all blood, sweat, and tears! Here, we break down some tips that will streamline the process of opening your own restaurant and help entrepreneurs obtain restaurant loans to start and grow their businesses successfully.

After going to school for the time and money it takes to become a veterinarian, most graduates are ready to get to work as soon as graduation is done. Whether you decide to jump straight into business for yourself or do some time in an established veterinarian's office first, when the time comes to branch out on your own you are going to need a lot of support. From finding loans for a veterinary practice to finding a location, there are going to be challenges. Where should you start?

When it comes to dealing with issues such as debt management, loan qualification, and credit scores, everything is surprisingly interconnected. Most people's bad debt comes from misuse of their credit lines and loans. When credit scores drop, they discover that getting personal and business loans can be much more difficult. -

So what exactly is a microloan? The Microloan Program was developed in 1992 by the SBA for the purposes of making available very small loans to business owners who need small business loans. Nonprofit intermediaries are used to make the loans. Currently, 170 nonprofit organizations are administering the Microloan Program, in almost every state. Since 1992, the Microloan Program has handed out over 12,000 loans, totaling a whopping $112 million. The funds of a microloan can be used for many business needs, including capital, inventory, supplies, and equipment.

Before you even write up your loan application, carefully consider how much money you need. Set a limit for your expenses, and stick to it! Think about the money you absolutely must spend on bare essentials (i.e. real estate, basic equipment), and avoid paying for things you don't absolutely need for opening your small business. (Remember, you can always buy them later if your start-up is successful!)

Whether you are starting a new company, buying more real estate for your established business, or acquiring new equipment, you will most likely need to apply for a small business loan to secure financing. The process of acquiring capital can be a lengthy one.

The reasons for the big bank pullback, Arora says, are three-fold. First, big banks have more challenging underwriting standards and they may be waiting for 2013 tax returns from businesses. The harsh winter has also wrought havoc on business sales as customers stayed home and businesses themselves pulled in and perhaps sought fewer loans. Lastly, Arora says, banks haven't done a good job automating their loan processes, so it slows down their loan approvals

If you're looking to start a small business and you don't have a trust fund, wealthy friends, a mega-rich godfather or haven't won the lottery, chances are you'll more than likely need a small business or bank loan. This means tons of paperwork and personal time. It's a process that can take months to get a green or red light and even longer to pick up the cash.

A new study found that Latino small business owners and entrepreneurs across the U.S. often struggle to get business loans from banks and often turn to non-bank lenders with higher interest rates to secure financing, according to Biz2Credit.com.

Banks made it easier for businesses to get loans in the first quarter, fueling increased purchases of products and equipment as well as more merger activity, the Federal Reserve said Monday.

New York-based small business loan marketplace Biz2Credit said it analyzed average revenue, age of business, average credit scores and other financial data to determine the rankings. It defined "small businesses" as companies having fewer than 250 employees or less than $10 million in annual revenues.

At a time when peer-to-peer mortgage lending in the U.S. is actually feeding loans to small banks, the situation appears to have flipped for small-business loans: alternative lenders are approving fewer loans, while big banks are approving more, according to monthly numbers from Biz2Credit. In September, large U.S.

How it grew: With a website that makes it easy for small companies to apply quickly for commercial loans online, seven-year-old Biz2Credit has positioned itself for profit. Biz2Credit's ever-expanding group of lenders, including a number of small banks, is eager to make deals with small firms at a time when bank loans under $1 million have stagnated, according to a Federal Reserve Bank of New York survey. Last year, Biz2Credit facilitated $380 million in loans, up from $200 million in 2012.

If you are applying for a loan to finance your small business, you are probably aware that lending institutions will scrutinize your credit score. But perhaps you've made a couple mistakes in your financial history that caused your credit score to lower, and you ended up with sky-high interest rates whenever you applied for loans. Or worse, you were denied loans altogether.