August is National Black Business Month – a time to recognize the rich economic contributions made by Black entrepreneurs.

No matter how steady your profits or loyal your customers, your business will eventually need money to finance its growth. The choice between small business loans and credit cards is a fluid one; most entrepreneurs will use a combination of both to meet their business targets at some point.

When you buy insurance, you hope you’ll never need to use it. But sometimes, the unexpected happens and disaster strikes. You need to know how to file your insurance claim so that you don’t end up paying for damages you’d otherwise be covered for.

When it comes to business success, good gossip has always been marketing gold.  Get people talking about your product and you’ll convert mere shoppers to customers. Loyal customers. So, if your current customers are happy with your product, how do you capture the power of these opinions?

If you are like most independent contractors, you value your freedom. You work when you want, where you want, and, if you are really lucky, as often as you want. That freedom does not extend to your business taxes, however.

Your business ideas are hot -- and fire in your belly is going to keep them that way. That’s the attitude that launches promising start-ups and sustains industry icons. It can’t be learned, faked, or manufactured. So hold onto it. It’s gold.