Arsenal Credit Union

Have you ever gone somewhere expecting all your needs to be taken care of under one roof, but instead of that, you’re ushered in eight different directions?  Yea, we’ve been there too. We can take care of all your business banking needs under one roof ⭕Account opening: Apply for a business loan online and pay no fees.     ⭕Business checking: Tie business checking to your account and have all your commercial finances in a single spot.    ⭕Business loans: All loans are serviced in-house. No loans are underwritten out of state.    ⭕Digital banking: Manage your business accounts anytime, anywhere    ⭕Ongoing personal service: Whether you need basic help with your business online banking account from a member service rep or a more detailed answer to a question from a business banking lender, everyone who helps you is located at Arsenal – no outsourcing.  Keep everything easy. Keep everything organized. Let us take care of your business.   

Have you ever created a mental checklist before making a new purchase?       You have to make a pros and cons list these days to make sure you get everything that you want.     It doesn’t matter if it’s a toothbrush, a couch or a business banking partner. Consumers, like you, are more savvy than ever and have access to unlimited amounts of data.      Everything is an investment, whether it’s your money, time or your financial well-being. You want to stay in complete control so you don’t waste your own valuable resources.       Unfortunately, we don't know much about couches (we can get you a nice credit card or personal loan so you can finance one affordably, though). But, we are experts in the business online banking.       Before you choose a business banking partner, make sure their online banking suite has the following tools to meet your needs:      ⭕Free mobile check deposit (most financial institutions charge businesses for this)   ⭕Card management tools that let you set spending limits and control your cards anytime, anywhere   ⭕Access to live chat support through text, chat and video   ⭕The ability to set up external transfers from other financial institutions   ⭕Multiple user seats for your small business so you can spend less time banking and more time producing.       Is there anything we missed? Comment below what you you're looking for in a financial institution, and where your current institution might be falling short.  

When organizations talk about company culture, they often play up their accomplishments. We just want to take a moment to say that you’re the center of our company culture here at Arsenal. We were recently named one of the top places to work in St. Louis. We want to thank you, our members, for being the biggest part of our company culture. Read more about this award and our commitment to serving you on our blog. https://lnkd.in/gj2AHG6q

Ready to see the complete picture?     As a business owner, do you have your business accounts and personal accounts at the same financial institution?       If you don't use the same financial institution, how annoying is it to switch back and forth between apps and platforms to know what's going on with your finances?       The struggle can be real. Different financial institutions meet unique needs and you end up with accounts everywhere.     Wouldn't it be great if there was an app or platform that would let you see your complete financial picture?      You can gain a 360 view of your finances, no matter where your accounts are located, with Arsenal business banking. Our platform features a member-first design that lets you see the ‘whole picture’ of your finances and how they work together. No separate logins needed.      ⭕See the overall picture of your Arsenal accounts, loans and any other accounts you've linked.    ⭕Send and receive money to the accounts you use the most through P2P payments.   ⭕Instantly pay your loans through a checking, savings or outside linked account.    ⭕Apply for new loans and open accounts (like a certificate of deposit for your business) all in one place.       In short, it’s our goal to help you take complete control over your accounts so you can crush all of your financial goals with confidence.   

As a business, we operate under the philosophy of 'people helping people.'     Without understanding the communities we serve; how could we ever serve them?      To understand the communities we serve, we've partnered with:      ⭕Arnold Food Pantry for the Cozy Community Coat Drive (100+ new coats donated and $10 Chick-Fil-A gift cards with each coat)     ⭕Arnold Rec Center for a recycling event (25,000+ pounds of paper collected)     ⭕Animal shelters chosen by each of our four branches for our March of the Pups annual event ($2,000 donated)     ⭕Five local high school seniors a year for a scholarship for higher education     ⭕Different local charities each year receive a grant from our Community Impact Fund that’s filled yearly by employee donations.       These events and partnerships help us gain insight into our members and the communities surrounding us – and partnering with local nonprofits can help you do the same.       To really connect with your audiences and gain new clients and customers, you've got to be able to reach out and provide services they want, while also understanding that everyone’s needs are going to be different.     

Are you looking to invest in your future with property? There are a ton of ways to do it:      ⭕Buying and flipping houses for rental properties   ⭕Buying apartment buildings to rent   ⭕Buying commercial buildings to rent to other businesses      With any project, the big, daunting question you might ask yourself is, "where do I start?" And after that, probably a thousand other small questions about where do you go from here...       Find a business lender who can help you find the right place to start.      The knowledgeable, experienced team at Arsenal can help you find the right loan to meet your needs and be with you every step of the way.     No loan is one size fits all. They shouldn't be because no business needs are the same. They’re customized to fit your needs.       Some of the loans that could help your business include:   ⭕Residential investment property   ⭕Commercial real estate   ⭕Commercial vehicles   ⭕Construction   ⭕Equipment   ⭕Revolving line of credit for inventory purchases and operational expenses   ⭕Credit cards for small businesses      The short: we've got you covered.    

What goes into a good business plan?  The U.S. Small Business Administration gives a detailed description of what goes into a traditional business plan.  With the following template, creating a business plan can be quick and efficient.  ⭕Executive summary: Who are you? What do you do? In this section tell the reader about your business and why you’ll be successful. Include your mission statement, products and services. Touch on your leadership team, employees and location.     ⭕Company description: Go into detail about how your business will make a difference and what problems you’ll solve. Why are you going to be a success.     ⭕Market analysis: SWOT stands for strengths, opportunities, weaknesses and threats. Show that you understand the market you’re getting into.     ⭕Organization and management: This has two parts. Make sure to outline your organizational structure and who will be in charge of the business. Also describe the legal structure of your business.     ⭕Service or product line: Go into more detail about the products and services you offer.     ⭕Marketing and sales: How are you going to attract and retain customers? What actually counts as a sale for your business?    ⭕Funding request: Explain in detail how much you need to borrow and exactly where those funds will be allocated.     ⭕Financial projections: Forecast how your business plans to become stable and financially successful.     ⭕Appendix: Include any documents you believe will strengthen your plan, including resumes, product demonstrations, licenses, permits, contracts, etc.     After gathering your thoughts, make sure your business plan is customized and stands out. The best plans will entice readers to back your business.  

How many times have you hung up the phone on a business because you couldn’t reach a real person? The automated prompts seem like a time-saving idea, but they just lead to so much frustration. How many times have you started a live chat on a website? Do you just quit after entering five or six commands before the bot sends you to a real person? Does anyone practice customer service anymore? Sometimes you might feel like customer service at large companies is intentionally bad. Airlines, internet providers and cell phone companies all fall into this customer service trap. Don’t let your business banking partner fall into it, too. There are two key areas your business banking partner needs to provide for fast, efficient customer service: ⭕ The ability to reach a dedicated account rep: Make sure to get a cell number and email address of the person who is personally in charge of your business loan. They should know your account inside out and be ready to answer detailed questions. ⭕ The ability to reach a member solutions staff: For routine questions about your business checking account, credit cards and lines of credit, make sure your banking partner has the tools in place to help you get answers fast. This includes live chat, text and video call options for you to reach them at your convenience. Your banking needs don’t need to be another chore. 

If you’re a business, do you bank at a branch or online?   Do you want a branch located next to your office so you can make deposits any time you need to? Or do you want digital tools so you can take care of everything without leaving? Why not both?  Here are three key things to look for when you’re choosing a banking partner for your next business loan, business checking account or business credit card.  You never know when you’re going to need to make a physical deposit, so having access to a branch is key. Arsenal is part of something called the shared branch network. This lets us share branch access with you at over 5,000 credit union locations across the country.     You never know when your business is going to get slammed and you can’t make it to a branch. Having access to digital business banking tools lets you streamline your day, giving you more control to run and manage your business.     Make sure to pick a financial instituion that has plenty of free ATMs. Paying fees is a waste of money. Credit unions, like Arsenal, are part of a CO-OP ATM network that gives you access to over 30,000 free machines across the country and 250+ in the STL area.   We always like short bullets, so here’s a cheat sheet. When you’re looking for a business partner, just remember the key three: Branch access  Digital tools   Free ATMs

Thank you to Arsenal Credit Union for supporting Camp Circle Star during Give St. Louis Day!