Education: AA Liberal Studies, Limestone University
Erica has been writing about small business finance and technology since 2008. She joined Merchant Maverick in 2018 and specializes in researching and reviewing business software, financial products, and other topics to help small businesses manage and grow their operations. Her expertise has been cited in MSN, Reader’s Digest, Vox, U.S. News & World Report, and Real Simple. She is a Certified ProAdvisor for QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Payroll, a graduate of Limestone University, and currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina.
One form of relief offered to small businesses is the Employee Retention Tax Credit. First introduced in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this tax credit could be claimed by eligible employers on quarterly tax returns. This program was expanded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law in December 2020, making the credit accessible to more employers.
The SBA offers a variety of loan programs that vary according to business needs. Its flagship program is the 7(a) loan program, which offers loans for most general business purposes. However, it also offers special programs such as microloans and disaster loans. Find out more about SBA loans, including who qualifies.
QuickBooks Online is cloud-based accounting software. It has the complex accounting capabilities that small business owners need and supports numerous integrations. Quickbooks Online has a lot to offer in terms of features, accounting, and usability.
Wondering how to accept credit card payments without a merchant account? Learn what third-party payment processing is, and the pros & cons for small businesses.
A particularly confusing and misunderstood fee is the monthly minimum. Rather than a direct fee, it’s the minimum amount in processing fees you’re required to pay your provider monthly. If your processing fees fall short of this minimum, you’re billed the difference; if not, there’s no extra charge.
With a modern restaurant ordering system, you can have online orders sent directly to your kitchen display system, servers can send orders from the floor with handheld tablets, and dine-in customers can pay at their table without having to wait for the server to go run their credit card. And those are only a few of the many cool things you can do with a good restaurant ordering app.
What’s a point of sale system? And do you need one? Check out our guide to types of POS software, the most common features, and how to choose a POS system that gives your small business the tools it needs to succeed.
Franchises are a tried-and-true way to start a business, but they can cost a lot of money up-front. Want to buy a franchise, but can’t afford the startup costs? Learn about your best option for starting a franchise with no money right here.
Not accepting credit cards simplies some aspects of running a business, but can a cash-only business really succeed? And how does it affect your overall business? Take a closer look at what going cash-only really means for you.
The business of credit card processing is changing quickly. These days, only the old-line established processors have long contracts with ETFs that penalize you for ending a contract early. Newer processors with different business models can offer you better deals, and you can easily shop around and avoid contracts with ETFs.
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The vendors that appear on this list were chosen by subject matter experts on the basis of product quality, wide usage and availability, and positive reputation.
Merchant Maverick’s ratings are editorial in nature, and are not aggregated from user reviews. Each staff reviewer at Merchant Maverick is a subject matter expert with experience researching, testing, and evaluating small business software and services. The rating of this company or service is based on the author’s expert opinion and analysis of the product, and assessed and seconded by another subject matter expert on staff before publication. Merchant Maverick’s ratings are not influenced by affiliate partnerships.
Our unbiased reviews and content are supported in part by affiliate partnerships, and we adhere to strict guidelines to preserve editorial integrity. The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone.
