“I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that's how you grow. When there's that moment of 'Wow, I'm not really sure I can do this,' and you push through those moments, that's when you have a breakthrough.” - Marissa Meyer

Hi everyone! Welcome to The Domino Effect.

I’m Dominque (coach, small business owner) founder and writer of this here newsletter. I didn’t get it right the first time and I’m sure you didn’t either, but if you’re here, you’re a Do-er like me who doesn’t give up and is ready to execute.

Each week I bring you the latest news, resources, and best ways to access and raise capital for your business. Things to know this week…

WE’RE NEW! That’s right. I pulled the plug and went for it.

 Before we get to this week’s topics, a quick note about a super fun YouTube channel where we highlight dynamic founders and funders and talk about the best ways for you to start, grow and access capital for your business.  I would love for you to join me virtually so head on over to the channel and introduce yourself.  

I started this newsletter cause we’re in this crazy world and I realize that all my favorite humans I connect with are entrepreneurs who execute. 

So, I wanted to write about it because it’s something where I’ve experienced challenges and success, I’m interested in it, I have some cool stories, I’ve heard some cool stories and I want to share them with you. Along with that, actionable ways, tips & tricks to build credibility and get funding for your business. So what I’d love is for you to do…is follow along.

💎The Domino Effect’s mission is to create more Founders, match them to the right Funders, drive $1Billion into communities for small business and ownership and bring more of us into financial freedom, becoming fluent in the language of money.

 Have you ever been tempted to say yes to a business opportunity but were too afraid to go for it? If so, join me for our very exciting Business Summit in Sacramento. Seriously, it’s going to informative and FUN. We’ll talk about all the issues facing small businesses and the best ways to get funded RIGHT NOW, whatever your challenge is.

I’d love to meet you in person so make sure you show up!

 NOW…on to the week! 👊

Women-owned businesses

Did you know FEMALES are total PHENOMS?! In 2023, these businesses earned $1.9 Trillion in revenue, according to the National Women’s Business Council’s 2023 (NWBC) report. Despite these statistics, 73% of women found funding to be difficult to obtain. And according to Pitchbook, women-led startups received just 2.3% of venture-capitalist funding in 2023. But that number doesn't tell the whole story. US VC funding for female-founded or co-founded companies has been trending up in recent years, and 2023 saw the creation of several women-led funds, incubators for female founders and more new companies. Read the deep dive here.

Gen Z CEO Lists 8 Failed Businesses Before Success

In a society that glorifies being your own boss, starting a business or glamourizing capitalizing on your side hustle. It tends to make it look so easy and you can get lost in the tales of overnight entrepreneurial success. Wannabe startups fantasize about a life where they’re not answering to a boss or simply want to build a business because they have the drive. Well, truth is, it’s not that easy and this entrepreneur said something to me that really stood out. “It’s important to show the real side of entrepreneurship, we often see a lot of ‘how to become rich’ or ‘how to build a business in a month’ books or videos, but few talk about the real struggles behind building businesses.”

So true. There’s a method to building a business and though I wish had many of the tools I have now in the beginning, this newsletter seeks as a tool to share the resources and information I’m learning with you. So you can then use those to help your business grow. Anyone can succeed with a strong mindset, but you need to the tools and the ability to execute as well.

Boomer Small Business Owners Retiring Could Mean Golden Opportunity for Young Entrepreneurs

Maybe you’ve seen this chick, Codie Sanchez, she’s all over the internet (I’ve been a little obsesses with her content) but she got me intrigued so I did some research. Here’s what I like about Codie. Her direct approach that talks about “hey listen, this ain’t easy. But it’s possible.” Music to my ears.

There’s talk of a “silver tsunami” – a wave of small businesses that will change hands as aging baby boomer entrepreneurs retire.

A study form Forrester last year showed younger generations (born after 1980) now make up majority of owners globally at 64%.

Recent surveys from BizBuySell found majority of business brokers think the number of buyers entering the market will increase and many more owners are expected to sell in 2024 than 2023. And here’s the thing…more sellers are planning to offer seller-financing. Say What?!

What does this mean for me and you? Opportunity. “There’s nothing better than when somebody young and hungry wants to take over your legacy and move it forward.” Right on.

NOW....1 Piece of ACTIONABLE Advice 🎯

Securing the right funding could be the first Domino that topples the chain and transforms your aspirations into real tangible growth and expansion. But navigating through all the options and leveraging them effectively is difficult to do alone and requires insight, foresight and guidance.

Every week, this news letter gives you one useful tool and one piece of actional advice on how to build, grow and raise capital. This week we go over your options and how to leverage them to strategically drive growth because LEARNING is the first step.

✅Traditional Loans: Have you been to the bank? The first question I always ask our clients. Why? Because if you can get financing this way, get it. They offer competitive interest rates and are great for long-term investments. But you need STRONG credit history and substantial collateral. Especially now. Have you heard the banks are…shall we say…struggling?

 ✅Lines of Credit: Perfect for flexibility, allows you to draw funds as needed in your business. Really useful for managing cash flow fluctuations or unexpected expenses in day-to-day ops. Operates like a credit card, usually offering a higher credit limit, and you only pay for the funds you utilize. Pay off your balance at any time without incurring penalties and repeatedly draw funds for any business need.

’ll give you an example of how this works: you’re approved to borrow up to $100,000. You run a retail business might need to take out $25,000 for renovations or seasonal inventory fluctuations now, start paying that back, then borrow $10,000 in a few months when business is slow. As soon as you’ve paid back the line, it’s available to borrow again. You could have a LOC for years vs a loan, where once that closes, you’ve paid back a lump sum. 

✅SBA Loans: backed by the SBA and designed to assist most small businesses that can’t qualify for traditional loans. Favorable terms, lower down payments and longer repayment terms. Good option for businesses looking to expand.

✅Alternative Financing: Oooh baby, now we’re talking. I love alternative financing because it provides a door to capital that was shut for many diverse entrepreneurs for many, many years. Now there’s multiple ways to access funding through platforms, crowdfunding, term loans, mcas, private capital, some of these sources making it much more accessible and quicker to get funds. There are platforms for diverse businesses (women, black & brown, Asian, veteran, lgbtq). But there’s a strategy to alternative financing so that your business doesn’t become prey to predatory lenders that charge outrageous interest rates on the backs of your dreams. So, you don’t stack up on mcas to where you have NO idea how you’ll get yourself out and turn a profit.

Each of these options has its own strategy so connect with an advisor who can guide you.

Learn more about industry specific funding opportunities and tips for how to prepare for funding by visiting DominoFX Group, a platform that believes in matching Founders to Funders.

✅Business Credit: Just like your credit file is linked to your SSN, your business has a profile linked to its EIN. But did you know that 3 of the business bureaus often start your profile when your business applies for a loan, credit card, or even when you set up basic utilities.

From that point, most credit you apply for won’t report unless you apply for credit in a particular order, or leave your SSN off the application.  Real business credit you can get without having to supply your SSN and won’t appear on your personal credit reports either.

👉Did You Know? Every highly successful privately and publicly owned company in the U.S. has business credit? But what many don’t know is that startups can also obtain it…if you follow the right steps.

Want to see more?

Other resources to help you get started with blogging

Want to see more?

Here is a quick checklist to get you started

• SHARE THE DOMINO EFFECT. Hey. Don’t keep us a secret.

  Refer just 3 people and we’ll send a TDE Essential as a thank you.

• Schedule Your Funding Planning Session:  https://plan.dominofxgroup.com/

• Claim Your Business Credit Building Guide:  https://financeguide.dominofxgroup.com/

• Unlock the best of TDE for just $6.99/month OR $50/year. Keep informed and inspired with fresh, independent perspectives that challenge you and fuel your success. Members get access to:

• A community of founders

• 1:1 coaching

• Courses, workshops and In-depths

• My library of resources and perks

• IRL & digital events

• Exclusive pitch & network events