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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.

However, the budget deal forged at the end of the year provided confidence that there would not be another hurtful showdown in the near future. As the year progressed, we saw record gains by the stock market and a rebound in the real estate market across the nation. The unemployment rate has been dropping steadily and is hovering around 7 percent, far from the nearly10 percent unemployment rates during 2009 and 2010. Further, interest rates for small business borrowers are still low, and banks are beginning to lend again, although not yet at pre-recession levels. 

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.

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.

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.

There is often a debate in the heads of small business owners over whether they should buy that new piece of equipment or just lease it. It may seem to be a small question with only month to month ramifications, but that fact is that the choice made can affect your tax return as well. It may do so even if you do not intend for it to.

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.

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.

Within the last few years, social media has become a powerful tool that small businesses are increasingly utilizing. Neglecting social media platforms can be a big mistake. It provides small companies with the ability to directly communicate with existing customers and attract new ones. So what are the best ways to use this tool?

According to the new guidelines, a drywall and painting companies that generate up to $14 million annually are considered small businesses, as are children's clothing stores with $30 million in annual sales, convenience stores with $27 million in annual revenue, and liquor stores with $7 million in annual sales.