What the media says about peer to peer lending & crowdfunding
While the catalyst to Wayne Chiert starting his automotive supplies business, Super Cat Converters, was an accidental meeting with an American man and his sausage dog, the secret to keeping it running has much less to do with chance. Super Cat Converters has been using the Marketlend platform since 2017. Wayne says the combination […]
How many potential customers are you losing because you don’t have a website? How many are moving on to competitors because your small business website looks more at home in the 1990s? While these questions are impossible to quantify, they are possible rectify. Recent research by the domain registrar GoDaddy showed 59 percent […]
Upfront costs and unconventional financials have held back the expansion of businesses transforming our energy markets and introducing new ways of delivering electricity. That’s what happened to Planet Ark Power, an engineering organisation which combines modern PV solar panels and batteries with AI powered software to ramp production up or down based on demand […]
Each year it’s worth looking back to take stock, and we’ve been doing some of that at Marketlend – we’re happy to see that Marketlend performance in 2018 was as strong as it has ever been. Watch Marketlend CEO Leo Tyndall outline what it was that made 2018 a strong year for Marketlend’s investors and […]
Selling yourself is a part of every business, and marketing is the way it’s done at scale. But how much should a small business spend on marketing? Like any question worth asking, the answer depends on your situation. Read on for some insight into what businesses are spending on marketing today, and what you need […]
Despite being a fintech, we know the importance of face-to-face interaction with real people. In the lending business, that sometimes means visiting an SME in person and getting to know their business from the inside out. Below Marketlend CEO Leo Tyndall describes the importance of borrower interaction, and why it’s such an important part […]
As a small business owner, you may have already had an experience with a scam targeting your business. It’s reported that Australian small businesses lost more than $2.3 million from cyber attacks in the first half of 2018, with nearly 18 per cent of small-to-medium-sized businesses in Australia having been impacted by a cyber scam. […]
2019 looks like another good year for Marketlend, which is great news for you. A strong year for Marketlend means even more flexible finance for SMEs to grow, and more great opportunities for investors. Watch Marketlend CEO Leo Tyndall’s 2019 outlook, what he’s excited about, and what he sees as the biggest challenges in […]
While some debt is necessary to fund a business, if you’ve ever found yourself turning to a personal credit card to stay afloat… it’s time to stop for a moment and consider your options. Here’s a sobering statistic: Last year, a survey of 1,200 Australian SMEs showed about two thirds of small business owners rely […]
A new year, a fresh start! As you think about New Year resolutions in your personal life, consider also what new goals you can also apply to your business in 2019. New Year resolutions can include reevaluating goals to make sure that you are growing and staying on track. They can also include getting […]
Government getting too heavily involved in business isn’t always a good idea, as it risks eroding the free market’s power to innovate. However, there is a place for regulation that gives all business the best chance to succeed. When it comes to small business lending, Marketplace CEO Leo Tyndall says one simple change would […]
When start-up founders pitch their solutions to social and economic problems, they often sound far-fetched or idealistic. When everyday Australians think about start-ups, they typically think of phones apps, some new gadget at JB Hi-Fi, or a collaboration widget on their work laptop. While these ideas solve real problems and people rely on them, some […]
Small and medium sized business don’t get a lot of tax incentives in Australia, both compared to larger firms and overseas competitors. One of the few SMEs can claim is the Australian Reasearch & Development tax incentive. But Marketlend CEO Leo Tyndall says the R&D tax incentive needs to be improved for SMEs. Watch the […]
Every business has its share of pain points, but SMEs have a unique set of challenges when doing business. Marketlend CEO Leo Tyndall says managing cash flows is the number one SME business challenge in today’s market, exacerbated by a lack of capital with borrowing terms that match the needs to SMEs. To learn more, […]
Each new year brings a chance to make changes for the better, but with a federal election just months away, this year is one of the more unpredictable. One thing is certain: SMEs will play a key role in the development of the major parties’ business policy, and for the resulting direction of the economy. […]
Managing cash flow can be a challenge for any business, especially an SME when a single supplier, buyer or loan can have a big impact. Marketlend CEO Leo Tyndall looks at how an SME can fix its cash flow, particularly making intelligent use of trade credit facilities to extend payment terms. If you want to […]
Marketlend CEO and Founder Leo Tyndall discusses the criteria an SME should look at before deciding not to seek financing. If you want to read the full transcript please see below. So, they shouldn’t seek finance when the finance itself firstly doesn’t match their needs, so if it’s a principal and interest loan. […]
Marketlend CEO and Founder Leo Tyndall discusses how the problems with the FinTech industry as it applies to the SME space. If you want to read the full transcript, see below. So, the issue with FinTechs in the SME space is the fact that the majority of investors and FinTechs have not identified how […]
One of the most critical decisions you will make in your business is when and how to expand it and take it to the next level. Today, it is easier than ever to find the capital for expansion. You don’t have to go to a bank and beg for a traditional loan. Financial technology (FinTech […]
Listen to CEO and founder of Marketlend, Leo Tyndall, discuss the balance needed in borrowing and investing to ensure both parties are satisfied. If you want to read the full transcript, please see below. Well, ’cause they’re gonna have to pay a rate for money sitting in a bank. They’re going to pay […]
Listen to CEO and founder of Marketlend, Leo Tyndall, discuss how to balance the rigorous collection process with caring for SMEs. If you want to read the full transcript, please see below. The way that we balance our collection process with the SMEs, is what I mentioned before that we contact them in the […]
Overreach is one of the biggest mistakes made by entrepreneurs. Despite the mountains of evidence supporting the concept of niche marketing, startups have a hard time fighting the urge to try and be all things to all people. The impulse to abandon the niche strategy and go for the bigger prize is understandable. After […]
Listen to CEO and founder of Marketlend, Leo Tyndall, explain why he created Marketlend. If you want to read the full transcript, please see below. The reason why I created Marketlend is I saw a gap in the market. What I saw was that at the smaller end of town, the SMEs were […]
Listen to CEO and founder of Marketlend, Leo Tyndall, discuss the biggest mistake an SME can make when it comes to its financial health, and why time management and decision making are critical. If you want to read the full transcript please see below. I think it’s difficult to say it’s a mistake. […]
This week The Fifth Estate is reporting about Marketlend’s new clean energy funding option GreenLend, which has garnered the participation of leading Australian renewable energy company Planet Ark Power. The new funding plan is on track to connect more environmentally conscious investors with green businesses. Investors are increasingly looking to invest “beyond” their checkbooks and […]
Listen to the CEO and founder of Marketlend, Leo Tyndall, explain Marketlend’s collection protocols and emphasize the importance of communication. If you want to read the full transcript, please see below. Marketlend has discovered over time that – and it sounds strange – but time is your enemy when it comes to collections. The longer […]
By all accounts, Australia is poised to become one of the world leaders in fintech. We’re an incubator for new ideas and experimentation. Despite this, an inadequate regulatory environment and lack of support for small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) continues to put the fintech industry, and the small business community, at unnecessary risk. The stakes for […]
Listen to Jane Lehmann, Marketlend’s Head of Investor Relations, share what she has learned about Marketlend’s investors. If you want to read the full transcript, please see below. What I’ve learned about our investors is because they’re experienced, sophisticated and/or institutional um, they are as the name suggest, well experienced in the sector so they […]
Founder and CEO of Marketlend Leo Tyndall explains the significant differences that make the Marketlend platform so powerful and supportive for investors. If you prefer, you can read the transcript below. What makes Marketlend unique is that we’re able to give SMEs direct access to the capital markets, but in a secure and also price […]
According to the Centre for Applied Disability Research, people in Australia with disabilities have a 13 percent rate of entrepreneurship, a higher figure than employed people without disabilities. This reflects findings in similar countries like the US and UK, where people with disabilities are turning to entrepreneurship as an alternative to traditional employment. There are […]
In this video, Marketlend’s Founder and CEO, Leo Tyndall, explores why it is so important that Marketlend act as a “fierce advocate” on behalf of its investors, especially when it comes to protecting their investments. Watch the video or read the full transcript below. We see a very significant need for a number of […]
5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Turn Your Hobby into a Business Is your great idea a hobby or a business? When avid Australian gardener Matt Harris became frustrated with traditional plant watering methods, and the pests eating at his produce, he invented a self-watering, enclosed system called Vegepod. In 2016, Harris […]
Watch Marketlend’s Founder and CEO, Leo Tyndall, talk about Marketlend’s loss reserve, a important feature that protects investors. The text of his comments appears below if you prefer to read. So a loss reserve for us in Marketlend is actually built on the basis of protecting against the possibility that we have someone who falls […]
The state of the economy affects every business, especially small and medium sized enterprises. One issue that could be of particular concern for business owners is the recent decline in home prices. Housing Market Conditions in Australia Higher mortgage rates, increased lending regulations and financial scandals have led to a sharp decline in […]
Watch Marketlend’s Chief Investment Officer, Jane Lehmann, talk about what Marketlend looks for in its investors. The text of her comments appears below if you prefer to read. Marketlend has a very specific requirement in regards to its investors. Under the Corporations Act, we are required to only engage experienced, sophisticated, wholesale, official investors. […]
After ongoing investor testing and community engagement, we’ve created a new user experience built for your needs, the Marketlend Loan Exchange (Beta). Making the most of Loan Exchange: When you access the new Loan Exchange you will notice a number of key differences to the existing Exchange. 1.We’ve added some Filters […]
Is social media marketing like using Facebook and Twitter still worth it? That’s a question many small businesses might be asking these days, considering these trends: Globally, Twitter is reported to have lost 1 million monthly active users in the second quarter of 2018, while Facebook is expected to lose as many as 2.2 million […]
Businesses have different schools of thought on how much time and money should be devoted to marketing and which approaches are most suitable for their companies. We’d love to hear about yours. Please take a few minutes to respond to this brief survey. We’ll share our findings and hope they create some interesting conversations that […]
This past week, Marketlend ran an investor townhall. Transparency is integral to how Marketlend operates. Our investors expect it and we are committed to delivering on this promise. The investor townhall offered a chance to roll up our sleeves and explore issues that matter to the investor community. We dug down into the mechanics of […]
So your launch was a success, and your new business is now at cruising altitude. Celebrate, by all means. But keep an eye out for tendrils of smoke in the vents. That’s because some problems in a growing business are like a smouldering fire: you’re often unaware until it’s too late. If you know their […]
Branding, where does it fit? Determining which job functions to prioritise in an SME is one of the most critical resource decisions you’ll make as a founder. The need to focus foremost on services and product development is obvious, but business experts often debate the merits of investing in strong branding. It’s not necessarily […]
Let’s say you’ve come up with a cure for baldness. You’ve patented your formula, written a business plan, lined up investors, hired staff and set up production. Ready for liftoff, right? Nope. Your startup would crash for want of marketing. You can’t sell something, even the cure for baldness, unless people know it exists. […]
$50 million! It’s time to take a moment to celebrate. Marketlend is pleased to announce that we have hit $50 million lent through our first-of-its-kind platform. Our strong investor community and our strong SME community is a major reason for reaching this milestone. We want to express our thanks to you for helping us make […]
Hiring an outside IT consultant is often fraught with anxiety for companies and their IT managers. Regardless of how well-regarded the consultant is, he or she is still accessing a company’s secure environment and encroaching on the IT department’s turf. Reasons for management nail-biting abound. IT consultants are often authorized to do things with the […]
The investor survey results are in! We were genuinely surprised by the strong response and the results and believe it is worth sharing them with the wider community since many SMEs can benefit from understanding what investors are really looking for. While not scientific, one of the most interesting things to note is how more […]
It can feel like running a marathon just to go through the gruelling paces of building your business to the point where it is ready for investors. Once you cross that finish line, guess what? It’s time to run another one. That would be the race for investors. Attracting investors and keeping them happy […]
Are you a small business considering Cloud services? With so many industries moving their workloads en-masse to the cloud, the question of risk versus benefit is more critical than ever for potential cloud migrants. As a business eyeing a higher level of IT infrastructure, you need to be aware of the dangers of public clouds […]
Are you thinking about getting yourself out there and finally starting a small business of your own? You’ll need a business plan. What’s a business plan? In the simplest terms, a business plan is simply an outline of what your goals are for the small business, and how you plan to go about […]
Are you a sophisticated investor? It’s time for our first for entertainment-purposes only investor survey (we’ll be doing a series for borrowers, too, so please keep an eye out). CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE INVESTOR SURVEY At Markeltend, we always want to learn. The more we know about what matters to our investors […]
What do you know about the gig economy? How an employer manages their growing small business has changed immensely in the last 10 years, with both employees and employers alike now relying on the flexible and cost effective nature the gig economy presents. The gig economy refers to the segment of the workforce that […]
Insured loans can bring real peace of mind to investors because insuring a loan brings protection in the face of often unforseen events that prevent the repayment of that loan. How do insured loans work? First, insured loans need a pioneering platform to realise their potential, one that is built on best practice, transparency and […]
When starting a small business, the list of important financial decisions that go into the development of your newly formed enterprise can be overwhelming. From establishing an office to paying employees, the finances and expenses can pile up. With this in mind, it’s important to hire a bookkeeper who can help sort out the […]
This week, we have the pleasure of again welcoming Bessie Hassan. As the Money Expert for finder.com.au – the site that compares virtually everything – Bessie is an experienced commentator who often appears on national radio, TV, and throughout online publications sharing her best money-saving tips and property advice. Bessie is passionate about empowering Australians […]
Lending to SMEs to support sustainable growth is what Marketlend CEO and Founder Leo Tyndall is passionate about, and he wants his company to lead the way as a responsible organisation that treats lines of credit with care and delivers transparency. Click to video to here more or scroll down for a transcript of his […]
Funding is often a constant concern for SMEs. To fund a business doesn’t just mean finance and there are creative ways to bring money in the door that can support growth. What are your best options for funding? Here are some “outside-of-the-box” options that can help. Presell Services or Products This is a creative […]
As a former Regional Commissioner NSW, Australian Securities & Investment Commission, Chris Van Homrigh has brought his deep background in market regulation and best practice to the Marketlend team over the last year. At Marketlend, this knowledge and experience has helped support the continual refinement of a first-of-its-kind lending platform, and our constant focus on transparency […]
Need some general tips on improving your small business’s health –especially when it comes to getting finance? This week, we have the pleasure of welcoming Bessie Hassan, who shares our drive to educate the market and help small businesses. As the Money Expert for finder.com.au – the site that compares virtually everything – Bessie is […]
The Banking Royal Commission has opened many people’s eyes to the need for greater transparency in the financial sector. It has also shed light on how challenging it has been for SMEs to get funding. Marketlend CEO and Founder Leo Tyndall breaks down why the push for greater transparency and accountability from the finance sector […]
Your small business is thriving. You’re growing. You need to hire, but unsure where to begin and what resources are available. The right hire can boost your business productivity and profitability. The wrong hire can be an expensive and time-consuming mistake. Here are a few best practices for hiring employees for your small business. 1. […]
Running a SME is always a challenge and funding one can be particularly difficult. Marketlend Founder and CEO Leo Tyndall and his team are focused on delivering a more transparent and fair marketplace for SMEs. Part of this job is helping to educate the market to help SMEs avoid some of the pitfalls in the […]
ABC News just did a hard-hitting story on SME lending in Australia and they turned to Marketlend for some perspective on the question. In particular, they were looking for Leo’s thoughts on recent attempts by some players in the market to self-regulate amid general shortcomings around disclosing the true cost of loans to SMEs. Leo […]
Marketlend CEO and Founder Leo Tyndall wants his investors to know that no one applies for a loan on the site without a thorough review of their financials, and that transparency and responsibility –and ultimately care for the underlying businesses that borrow– drive Marketlend’s mission. In this video, Tyndall breaks down what his team looks […]
The thought of approaching a professional investor with access to millions makes you sweat, but if you’re like many startups, you need money to get your new business off the ground. What is it that makes investors reach for their wallets? Businesses who bring in money do several things right. Here are key […]
Why is starting a new business easier than getting a licence to drive in Australia? In the video below, Marketlend Founder and CEO Leo Tyndall explains how this is a problem and why we should think differently about the reality of starting a new venture. Prefer to read rather than watch the video? The transcript […]
Why a digital marketplace for SME lending? The simple answer is a need among SMEs for more access to capital and investment opportunities. Here as part of our Marketlend SME Academy, Marketlend Founder and CEO Leo Tyndall talks about how the search for money was a source of pain for many in the SME landscape […]
Marketlend founder and CEO Leo Tyndall wants every SME to know three basic things before they take out a loan. Click on the video below or read the transcript to get a closer look at better lending. Q: What three things do you think SME needs to know about lending? A: Well, they need […]
India is a major developing economy and is forecasted to see massive economic growth in the next few years. It’s a country that can’t be ignored in the 21st century and may follow the steps of China if it plays its cards right. The Reserve Bank of India has recognised the importance of P2P lending […]
P2P-Banking.com has released its lending volumes for May 2017, and has measured a major increase in the volumes of almost all P2P market places compared to last year’s May. This has come to an approximate $500 million dollars in added volume. Globally, Morgan Stanley forecasts lending volumes of up to US$290 billion dollars by […]
In the last federal election, Australia’s AAA rating was a hot topic that was brought up by both sides of the political spectrum. Australia’s S&P rating was threatened last year, with many predicting it to fall to AA+ in 2017 or 2018. Over the last week, we’ve seen the AAA rating re-affirmed by the S&P […]
To invest in risky early-stage private ventures, the Government must consider you to be a ‘sophisticated investor’ that is: 1. Earning an income of over $250,000 per annum in the previous two years or 2. Having net assets in excess of $2.5 million. This means that only a small fraction of the population are able […]
Scott Morrison introduced the ‘Google Tax’ or the less exciting Diverted Profits tax on the 29th of November this year, stating that it will ensure that tax dodging corporations will be heavily scrutinised and taxed heavier if they try and dodge their tax. The tax will allow the ATO to broaden their scope and ensure […]
The RBA has cut the interest rate by 25 basis points from 1.75% to a historic low of 1.5% in an effort to stimulate the economy, specifically boosting growth and reducing the Australian dollar. Concerns have been raised about the subsequent effect that this will have adverse effects on the property markets. By decreasing the […]
Before delving into this discussion, I thought it would be useful to give a brief explanation of what Standard and Poor’s Rating Agency (S&P) ratings actually mean. It has become a relatively big buzz-word amongst political pundits over this election season. AAA rating is the highest possible rating, implying that the likelihood of a country to repay […]
‘Blockchain’ is a hot word in financial technology at the moment. I’ll be honest, I didn’t really know what the word meant until a few weeks ago, when I had a bit-coin veteran break it down for me. Essentially, Blockchain is a massive statement of all the transactions on a specific network. The blocks, think […]
Access to Finance for SMEs Access to Finance for SMEs is critical to the growth of Australia and its position in the world: Small and medium sized enterprises (SME) make up a massive portion of Australia’s broader economy. SMEs hire up 70.5% of private sector employees, an absolutely astounding number, and contribute 57% of the […]
Introduction Now that the dust has settled, MarketLend has decided to take a look into the Australian Budget that was released last week. To put it in context, Australia has enjoyed massive prosperity and growth over the last decade. China’s economic boom has allowed Australian businesses to grow and export heavily to Asia, which has […]
It often seems that we don’t know where to look without seeing a new start-up business or investment opportunity. Your funds no longer need to go into a huge company, either. Most of the opportunities afforded to you allow you to invest in far smaller businesses instead. We’ve seen the rise in power of Uber […]
With alternative lending becoming a more prominent part of modern business, it is important to stay abreast of changes in the industry. Composite lending is a mixture of different models and brings with it a great deal of benefits from marketplace lending. Composite lending as a model combines two common models: balance sheet lending […]
Industry conservatives have been having an insecure decade. As new ideas and businesses enter the market, their influence within their own respective industries decreases. However, conservatives often re-assure themselves by believing that successful innovations are ‘fads’. They believe that innovations are only popular due to speculation, and they’ll die out as quickly as they entered. […]
Over the last few articles, I have discussed the new Government’s plan to enter the ‘era of innovation’. The most significant to MarketLend and many other financial technology companies offering fintech solutions was the amendments made to crowd-sourced equity funding. By decreasing compliance costs and barriers to entry, the Government has made CSEF a viable […]
Marketlends Submission on Amendment Schedule 1 to the Corporations Law (Crowd-Sourced Funding) Bill
A look at how the 2008 financial crisis changed the way policy-makers use monetary and fiscal policies. It’s a bold statement to say that Governments always learn from their mistakes. But, for the most part, they at least attempt to learn from their mistakes and the outcome is generally positive. However, what if a Government […]
First, I think we need to do a recap of the last decade of the Australian economy. To begin with, we went through a mining boom that is often referred to as “once in a generation”, housing prices have increased rapidly, and productivity growth has been relatively stagnant and lower than the productivity growth rates […]
Starting a small business can be one of the most exhilarating experiences a person can undertake, which is in part due to the risks and challenges that stand before you. Once you’ve made the decision to tackle the challenge and begin your journey, it becomes quite urgent for you to be able to get your […]
Are you sick of the high interest rates that come with personal loans or business loans from major lenders? Well, fear not. A new trend called peer to peer lending, or P2P, or marketplace lending may be of interest to you. It’s quite popular around the world, however, has been in Australia only for a […]
Why it is important to stop anti-competitive behaviour in its tracks? Humans are strange; we are so very opposed to change before it happens and shortly after it happens, but after some time has passed, we quickly adapt. We forget why we are angry, and accept it. This is dangerous behaviour. Banks, like any institution, […]
Everyone has been through ups and downs in life. Do we, as a society, measure one’s worth only on their negative experiences? Does a company only assess the times where you have been in a bad position or unemployed before hiring you? No. Merit is not developed simply by having a limited number of negative […]
When many people think of the idea of a “weaker” Australian dollar, they seem to panic. It’s spread all over the media and positioned as if it was a recession or natural disaster. For investors, the issue is working out the consequences of a falling Australian dollar and the benefits. But first, let’s find the […]
An un-named regional bank made an unusual statement in an article I read recently; “Depositors lend them the money, not the individuals.” In my opinion, the comment seems naïve, as I cannot possibly imagine that the majority of depositors see that they are the lenders themselves. The GFC demonstrated that many well-known banks had […]
Introduction Marketlend itself is not a facilitator of crowd-sourced equity funding. However, Marketlend is a facilitator of crowd-sourced debt funding. The two models work very similarly, and as a result of the similarity in models, Marketlend believes that it can input some valuable information regarding CSEF and the reduction of compliance costs. The differentiation of equity […]
As someone involved with a P2P lender and generally interested in new forms of investment through utilisation of new technologies, I’ve noticed the huge amounts of hype and excitement that have been following P2P lending. However, more recently, I’ve also noticed the blatant misinformation and cynicism that have been increasingly circulated through media and journalism. […]
If there was one strong lesson learnt from the GFC, amongst many, it was that the issuers who had their own capital invested and at risk in their offerings to investors (“skin in the game”) were the ones that typically survived the GFC, because they took on better risk at the time of obtaining the […]
Commentary The Greek Economic Crisis: Greece has experienced a tremendous amount of attention, after the strenuous and frustrating months of negotiation between creditors and the Greek Government have come to a crescendo. Creditors had given Greece another opportunity for a bailout, under the provision that strict austerity must be practiced. Alternatively, Greece could vote ‘no’ […]
Financial System Review – click for the full report Government should continue its current process to graduate the fundraising regime to facilitate securities-based crowdfunding. This would enable entities to make public offers of securities to a potentially large number of people (the ‘crowd’). The risks associated with crowdfunding investments would require some adjustments to consumer protections, […]
Following last week’s post about how an accountant can free you from bookkeeping to focus on running your business, how do you know which accountant to choose once you’ve made the decision? In this post we list 5 things to consider when choosing the right accountant. 1. Cost You’ll likely encounter many different cost options […]