Shahin Shaath, CEO of KTM Hospitality in Ontario Mills, California has known many lenders during his career, and quite honestly, he’s not easily impressed. With a family history in the hospitality industry and personal experience working with franchisors like Carrows and British Petroleum, Shaath has put together many deals and finds typical bankers bureaucratic and […]
15
Sep
Sep
It’s not every day that a real estate story starts with falconry, but Duane Zobrist of Resort Outfitters is not an ordinary executive. After graduating from college with a master’s degree in public administration, Zobrist set up a really cool business to teach people about falcons. One problem: He didn’t have any customers. “I was forced to cold-call hotels to find business and one out of […]
15
Sep
Sep
Shana Vitoff, owner of Society Dance Hall in Philadelphia, has a simple message for any business owner who is contemplating buying their building: “If I can do it, anyone can.” Of course, she’s being incredibly modest as Vitoff has built a successful dance studio and will soon move into a new building that doubles her space with a mortgage payment that is only about 15% more than her previous rent. […]
15
Sep
Sep
Every business owner seeks validation, and most of the time, it’s realized when you generate sales and profits. For Traveler Guitar President Corey Oliver, he need only look to Grammy Award-winning musicians like Melissa Etheridge and Zac Brown, who are among the many artists who own and play a Traveler. Tough to find better validation than that. So what makes a Traveler so special? While […]
10
Sep
Sep
If you run a business and have time to watch television, your favorite reality show is likely Shark Tank. The show provides lovers of entrepreneurship with a candy-like fix by showcasing interesting business ideas that may or may not catch the attention of the “shark” investors. While I love the show’s entertainment value and admit that […]
10
Sep
Sep
Regardless of the economic climate, arguments can always be made for why small business owners should purchase their commercial properties. With a steadily growing economy and still historically low interest rates, reasons to buy rather than rent are incredibly compelling right now. I have worked with entrepreneurs and the U.S. Small Business Administration for more […]
12
Aug
Aug
Adam Witty, CEO of Charleston, South Carolina-based Advantage Media Group, wears many hats: entrepreneur, publisher, author, speaker and philanthropist. As one of the largest business book publishers in America, with revenue growth of 231% from 2014-2017, he had many options when the time came to finance the purchase of his new building. He chose Fountainhead […]
12
Aug
Aug
For Stephanie Robins, owner of Robins Plumbing in Phoenix, the idea of owning her building was more than a leap of faith. Imagine a leap over the Grand Canyon. Stephanie wanted a building, but a modest step up from her 100-sq-foot home office wasn’t an option. Due to zoning and land use issues, the best […]
25
Jul
Jul
No time for loans? A huge myth surrounding SBA loans is that they’re very complicated to obtain, and the process takes way too long. Fountainhead always emphasizes that the enemy is not the SBA loan. Your experience with them relies on the lender you choose to borrow with. When you choose to grow with us, […]
10
Jun
Jun
The most common question I get from business owners is whether they should rent or buy their property. The answer is simple. In almost every case, it’s going to be far cheaper to own the property than to rent it. Business owners are surprised when we explain how they can own their property without tweaking […]