Cash Flow Insight requires an eligible PNC business checking account and enrollment in PNC Online Banking. Cash Flow Insight is enabled for all new business checking customers enrolling in Online Banking. For more information, visit pnc.com/cashflowinsight. Cash Flow Insight is a registered mark of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. U.S. Patent Nos. 10,402,910, 9,965,808, and 11,074,660, and other patents pending.
Starting Your Business
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Learn & Plan
When you’re just starting out, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Our trusted advice gives you the confidence to start strong, setting you up for long-term success.
Business Start Up Tools
Explore the checklist, calculator tool and tips below to help you plan, finance and launch your business.
Get ready for planning, financing and launching (or re-launching) your business.
| TO DO | DESCRIPTION | WHO CAN HELP |
|---|---|---|
| Create a business plan, or review and update an existing one. | Whether your business is brand new, or you are returning to your business after a few years away, it’s time to get that business plan updated. Make sure it includes new business goals, sales projections and current business costs. | Business Banker Business Advisor |
| Set up legal entity and website. | Work with your business advisor and your attorney to decide whether it makes sense to set your business up as a corporation or other legal entity. | Business Advisor Attorney |
| Determine your financial needs. | Identify what you have and what you need to get started. | Business Banker Accountant |
| Explore new business loan options. | Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. | Business Banker SBA.gov |
| Check on loan deferral or interest rate restructuring as necessary. | Make sure you’re up-to-date on any previous loans. | Business Banker Accountant |
| Review business credit report and/or your personal credit report. | Know where you stand both professionally and personally. | Business Credit Ratings: Dunn and Bradstreet Personal Credit Score* AnnualCreditReport *Some credit cards offer free credit reports as well. Check your credit card company’s website to see if this service is available to you. |
Creating a working business plan is often a vital first step when searching for financing options. More than just drafting up a document, you need to create a working plan that can you can revisit and reevaluate, so that it evolves to mirror the business you want to create. The business plan should contain a forecast for your business with at least two scenarios: (1) how you expect your business to perform if you don't get any financing, and (2) how it will perform if you do. There are a lot of resources you can turn to for help on the plan, such as small-business resource centers at local universities, your community, or asking for help from trusted professionals or other small business owners.
Sales that don’t get tracked, don’t exist. And, customers with no contact and demographic information captured are imaginary.
To be successful in your venture, you must start out tracking the numbers upfront so that you can prove to yourself that the business is viable and also make a strong case to potential investors down the road that your idea is worthy of the risk.
Start out by tracking sales over different time periods. What are your annual, quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily sales? The next metric to assess is your sales by product or service, so you can quantify exactly what’s selling and get rid of what’s not. Last, consider revenue per sale. What is the actual net profit for each individual unit per sale? Also, get in the habit of capturing as much data on your customers that is relevant to your business as possible. Saying you serve women is not enough. How old is the average woman you serve? Is she married or single? Does she have children? Where does she like to eat, shop or volunteer?
The more intel you gather on your customers, the more you can prove that you understand their needs and equip yourself with the products and services to meet their demand.
Initially, you should invest as much of your personal resources into your business as possible. At the minimum, it ensures that you remain in control of the vision and direction of your idea as opposed to investors that will come onboard. Additionally, your business typically can’t borrow money unless you’ve shown your confidence in the project by personally investing at least 20 to 30 percent of your own funds. You need to use your money to attract more money. Not putting any skin in the game, will likely not encourage anyone else to.
Insights & Guidance
Learn from our experts and other small business owners.
Business Planning
How to Start a Business: A Step-by-Step Guide for New Entrepreneurs
Taking the leap and starting your own small business is difficult. Getting the right guidance and following the right steps doesn’t have to be.
Business Planning
How to Write a Business Plan for Direction, Growth, and Success
Business plans are essential to getting your company off on the right foot well before your grand opening.
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Remix: Where Sneakerheads Go to Get Their Kicks
Charles Reid’s shoe stores offer sneaker enthusiasts an alternative to the sky-high prices of new brand-name sneakers. They offer committed employees a chance at entrepreneurship.
Let's Talk
Still have questions? Ready to get started? We’re here to help.
Control Finances
You want to stay in-the-know about your business, but you don’t want to have to worry. Cash Flow Insight® [1] sets you up for success.
- Know where you are: One dashboard shows your cash position and cash flow.
- Feel prepared: Easy-to-understand forecasting graphs help you compare cash in and out and track your performance.
- Understand your expenses: Transactions can be sorted, categorized and exported so you can compare them over time – and monitor employee spending with ease.
- Connect with familiar and convenient tools: Cash Flow Insight base is included with your PNC Business Checking account and connects to features like:
- Mobile deposit to save you time
- Customized account alerts so you’ll know when funds go in or out
- Online and Mobile banking to connect wherever you are
Take control of your business finances now by applying for a PNC Business Checking Account
Insights & Guidance
Learn from our experts and other small business owners.
Business Planning
How to Open a Business Account to Establish the Right Banking Relationship
Opening a business bank account and creating a financial plan adds credibility and efficiency to your new endeavor.
Business Planning
How to Pay Your Employees: A Roadmap for Aspiring Small Business Owners
A lot of preparation and decision-making happens prior to pay day. Here’s some advice on how to navigate the potential twists and turns.
Growing Your Business
Social Success: How Two Entreprenistas Built an Empire
Stephanie Cartin and Courtney Spritzer started Socialfly as a side-hustle. After 10 months, they quit their jobs to pursue the business full time.
Let's Talk
Ready to get started? Want to learn more about how Cash Flow Insight can help you manage your business? We’re here to help.
Get Paid
Your business and your customers are one-of-a-kind. Explore our payment solutions to find the best one for you and your customers.
Insights & Guidance
Learn from our experts and other small business owners.
Business Planning
What Is a Merchant Account and How Can It Help Your Small Business?
As your small business begins, being prepared to accept card payments in various ways is crucial.
Manage Business Finances
Simple Steps Businesses Can Take to Help Protect Themselves from Payments Fraud
Here’s how your business can take control of possible scam attempts.
Running Your Business
BeeFree: Strengthening Real-Life Warriors
What began in Jennifer Wiese’s home kitchen as an effort to create delicious gluten-free foods for her son has grown into a national brand supporting people with autism.
Let's Talk
Ready to start getting paid? Have more questions? Virtual Payments Advisors are here to help.
Contact Us
Our expertise makes business banking easy. We’re here with solutions for every step of your journey – let’s talk.
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Except as is otherwise set forth in your agreement for merchant services, your funds for MasterCard, Visa, Discover, PayPal and American Express transactions will ordinarily be processed and transferred to select PNC business checking accounts within one business day from the time PNC Merchant Services receives your batch (which is an electronic file containing your card transactions). If a batch is received after our cut-off time of 10:00 PM ET, or on a day that is not a business day, we will generally consider the batch as being received on the next business day. Business day means Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays.
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Customers must establish a new PNC Merchant Services account and execute a PNC Merchant Services agreement with an initial term of three years or longer. An early termination fee will not be applied if you close this account prior to the end of the term. If you have leased a point-of-sale device or other equipment, this is a separate agreement and is noncancellable. Please refer to your lease agreement for details. Purchased point-of-sale devices or other equipment is nonreturnable and is subject to availability.
Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and used under license.
All loans, lines of credit and PNC Bank credit cards are subject to credit approval. Requires automatic deduction from your PNC business checking account. Other fees and charges may apply. May be subject to a property appraisal.
MasterCard® is a registered trademark of MasterCard International, Inc.
Read a summary of privacy rights for California residents which outlines the types of information we collect, and how and why we use that information.