2019 marks 30 years in business for Crest Capital. And we’ve learned a lot in that 30 years. Here are some highlights.

1. That world wide web thing turned out to be a pretty big deal.
2. The fax? Not so much. We still use it a little, but nowhere near as much as predicted.
3. In 2019, real people answering a phone is seen as a plus. We know this firsthand.
4. For every industry that dies, another one takes its place.
5. Rates do rise and fall, but it happens slowly over time. Typically a quarter percent at a time.
6. It’s always a good time to finance equipment. If you need it, get it.
7. Buying / financing used equipment is a great way to save money.
8. But if you do purchase used equipment, make sure there are no liens on it. Then double check.
9. Rates are always important, but not as important as financial flexibility.
10. Section 179 is the single best government incentive for small businesses.
11. Using Section 179 every single year is very smart. We’re always surprised at businesses who don’t take advantage of this.
12. If you take a bank loan, always check the fine print. There are likely a slew of restrictions you really don’t want.
13. Case in point: a blanket lien can really hamper a company.
14. So can a bank calling in the entire loan anytime they want. Again, read carefully.
15. We’ve seen our share of bubbles. This is why “two years in business” is still a very important threshold for a small business.
16. The easier you make things for your customers, the better you will do.
17. All else being equal, small businesses would prefer as little paperwork as possible. This is why we’ve eliminated so much of it.
18. “Get an approval answer fast” used to mean a few days. Now it means a few hours. We’re proud to say that we’ve led the way on this.
19. Sometimes a simple “just checking in - how are you?” is all the marketing you need.
20. Offering monthly payments is easily one of the best sales strategies available to a manufacturer / distributor.
21. This is why we teamed up with equipment vendors early on. And we’ve invested heavily in this, and its paid off for both us and our vendor partners.
22. The satisfied customer is still one your best salespeople. Plus, satisfied customers are usually very eager to tell the world, so take every opportunity to document this.
23. There is no substitute for having a clean, modern, informative website. Some of our customers have spent hours at our website.
24. Saying “you’re approved” never, ever gets old!
25. Offering to finance “soft costs” like tax, delivery, setup, etc. has proven to be extremely popular.
26. Early on, we got behind financing software, and it was a great move because our small business clients really need a lender who understands that software is very important.
27. CNC machines have made an incredible impact on manufacturing. It’s probably one of the biggest “30 year” changes we’ve seen.
28. If we had to make one prediction, we’d say 3D printing technology is poised to make a pretty large impact.
29. For a business, monthly payments are always better. Your accountant agrees.
30. Take good care of your customers, and success and longevity will take care of themselves. Here’s to another thirty years!