If you happen to talk with Amy Holland, Vice-President at CatchFire Funding, please tell her congratulations.

Amy was elected last December as a Councilmember for the Town of Parker, Colorado. Parker is one of the fastest growing suburbs of the Denver Metropolitan Area.

If you will allow me to brag for a moment, Amy didn't just win... she won by a land-slide. She came in a whopping first place in the election. Amy beat 12 other candidates for one of three open seats.

Many Parker citizens can tell you why. Amy has worked for me for over six years. In that time, Amy has also worked tirelessly as a volunteer for school district committees, the Rotary Club, the local Sister City committee, food banks, the Economic Development Council and firefighter charity drives... just to name a few.

Now here's thing. Amy never planned to run for an elected office. But she became so well known here in Parker, people began to tell her she ought to run for council. Every other week or so, a different person would tell her the same thing. They trusted her. They respected her. She was the kind of person they wished would get elected. She ought to consider stepping up to a bigger role in our community.

So, finally, Amy agreed to serve. And on election day, our citizens... solidly... voiced their approval.

Many of our clients love Amy as well. She has created such rabid fans with our clients, some of them have sent her suggestions, emails, pictures of their dogs and customer referrals for years.

Now that Amy is on our local council, she has gained many insights that may be helpful to you as you start... or continue to run... your business.

Amy can tell you about city resources that may be available to you as a current, or new, businessperson, Amy can tell you how zoning decisions get made. Zoning decisions can have a big impact on the traffic flow to your business. Amy can also tell you how to boost your business within your community

Make sure to ask Amy for any tips she might have for you to help you succeed in business.

And please do tell her congratulations for me.

Go here to check out Amy's Council biography and webpage: Councilmember Amy Holland.

OK, I just can't take it anymore.

I'm sitting here reading about the earthquake, tsunami and radioactive rain falling in Japan.

You know what? This blog is going to get dated. AND I DON'T CARE. Read it anyway.

I've got it lucky. You've got it lucky. If you're reading this, it's not likely that you'll ever know the complete terror of a 9.0 earthquake.

I lived through the 6.9 Loma Prieta quake. Bridges collapsed. Roads cracked. Buildings crumpled and burned.

Over the last few days, I've followed videos of the horror in Japan. I've watched buildings sway and shake.

I don't speak Japanese. But I want to think I understand the shrill terror in their voices. I want to think I know how they felt as the shaking threw them to the ground. But as bad as Loma Prieta was, a 6.9 earthquake is a tiny shrug compared to the immense shaking fury of a 9.0 earthquake.

In other videos, I've listened. Listened as people stood on higher ground and screamed... helpless as they watched others fleeing for their lives. And lose. A tsunami as high as a 3 story building crushed friends and strangers as they ran... tossed cars around like toys... ripped homes apart... and left a cemetery of mud and splinters where entire towns once stood.

Just as in other natural disasters, the horror has only grown. No water, no food. Freezing cold. Dangerous hypothermia that kills trapped survivors.

The sickening smell of death as trapped bodies begin to rot.

It's happened before. In Haiti. Chile. Christchurch. Sumatra. Even New Orleans.

But Japan has it worse. 1 by 1, nuclear reactors are melting and burning. It rained today on Sendai. The rain sucked radiation from the air... and dripped it over the devastation. People are barricaded in their homes... with no food and no water. They have to choose between soaking up higher and higher levels of radiation... or starving.

Or maybe they've been evacuated. Maybe they're terrified. Terrified they won't be granted the smallest grace given to survivors of other disasters. The chance to go back to the beloved place they call home. The chance to find something... anything to cling to. The chance to rebuild.

As I write this, the scope of the disaster is still growing.

Maybe they are lying in a shelter, praying their home won't be so contaminated no one will be allowed near it for hundreds of years.

There is nothing they can do but wait... and pray.

But there is something you can do.

Maybe you'll read this while the Japanese tragedy is still news. Maybe you won't.

But here's something you can count on. Sooner or later, there will be another earthquake. Or flood. Or tornado. Or tsunami.

Will you help? Can they count on you?

Go here to donate to the American Red Cross.

Thanks.

Bill

Congratulations, Amy!

As many of our clients know, Amy Holland is a true volunteer for many organizations in our local area. She is especially active in our local Rotary chapter. Amy has helped to raise money for water projects in Africa, sponsored Iraqi children to come to the United States to learn about our country, helped local firefighters, worked on sister city projects, organized fundraisers, represented community input for the school district and performed officer roles for Rotary. All while caring for her family and holding down a job.

Last night, Amy was honored by her local Rotary chapter as Rotarian of the Year. We are so proud of Amy and want to offer her our congratulations. If you happen to speak with Amy over the phone, please do congratulate her on the recognition for all she does for her community and people around the world.

Thanks, Amy!  We love all you do!

CatchFire Funding is now the Denver office for Diamond Financial.

Diamond Financial is the largest SBA loan brokerage in the country. When you work with Diamond, you have access to more loans from more banks than with anyone else offering SBA loans.

Diamond has a proprietary, thorough process to help you present yourself in the best light to a wide array of bankers. Many banks so respect Diamond’s process that they assign their best loan officers to work with Diamond.

Better loan officers get you better loans. You spend less time looking for a banker who understands your business. You get better rates. You frequently can get your loan in less time than when you work with other loan brokerages.

At CatchFire Funding, we continue to offer self-directed 401k plans to help you fund your business. As a Diamond Financial affiliate, we are pleased to bring you even more options for funding your franchise or small business.

Just tell us what you need. Whether it’s a down payment, a SBA loan, equipment financing or other business financing needs, we can help.

Mother was right about one thing. Getting a good education is important. In this case, it's important you receive a thorough education about self-directed 401k's before you decide whether this type of funding is right for you. 

Funding your business with a self-directed 401k requires your plan be set up correctly. That you move your money correctly. And, that you manage the plan correctly for you and your employees as you are managing the growth of your business.

Many times people tell us they have talked with a number of self-directed 401k suppliers. And they are still confused about the details of how this all works.

We offer everyone we talk with the opportunity to have a comprehensive presentation on the requirements of a self-directed 401k plan. We cover the proper process for setting up and maintaining a plan and the appropriate use of a plan for the business owners and their employees. For more than five years, we've given this presentation to hundreds of clients, spouses, client's accountants and legal counsels.

We can't count how many times people have told us our presentation was what ...finally... made self-directed 401k programs easy to understand.

We encourage everyone to go through our presentation, whether you decide to work with us or not. The presentation is free. There's no hard sell. (We're just not that kind of company.) We take as much time as you need to thoroughly answer your questions.

The only cost to you is the time you spend to get a good education.

Mother would be proud.

Over the last couple of weeks, we've received a lot of concerned calls.

In the small business financing world, a supplier has left the market. Many people were in the process of funding their businesses. Now they are wondering whether they should use a self-directed 401k.

At CatchFire Funding, we want to reassure you. Based on the information we have received, the decision for one supplier to leave the market is in no way a reflection on using a self-directed funding program to fund a business. Self-directed 401k programs remain an excellent way to start your business. They are also an excellent way to help you attract the best employees and build for your retirement.

When used correctly, self-directed 401k's can truly help you succeed in business and retire wealthy.

Our goal is to help you, and your employees, thrive in the years ahead. We intend to offer these programs for many years to come.

Out with the old. In with the new. At CatchFire Funding, we are wishing you an excellent new year. May this be the one where your dreams "catch fire" and lead you to the success you've dreamed of.

The New Year is often the best time of year to refresh and renew in order to take your business to new heights.

In that spirit, CatchFire Funding would like to announce our new website. We have a new look, a new blog and other new features that we hope will help you stay better informed for your new business decisions.

So, take a look around. Tell your friends.