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6 Steps to Starting a Small Business in North Carolina First, you had an idea for a small business. Now, you want to set that idea in motion. If you are looking to start a small business in North Carolina, here are the first steps you can take to make your idea a profitable reality. Steps to Starting a Small Business in North Carolina Small businesses account for the majority of new job creation in North Carolina. They are an integral feature of the state economy and can be easily established in a few steps. Create a business plan — Clearly identify the objectives of your business and why it will be successful. Search out examples of business plans if you are unfamiliar with the process. Decide on your business structure and register your business name — Register the name of your business and the type of business (nonprofit, private corporations, LLCs, etc.) In order to operate legally, you will need to be registered as a business in the State of North Carolina. Get license requirements — Obtain any necessary licenses required for operation. Be sure to adhere to county and federal requirements, as well. Obtain the necessary tax information — In order to move forward with opening a business, you must be registered with the State and Federal taxation departments. Once you have your tax ID number, you are one step closer to opening for business. You can use this business tax information to identify your requirements. Identify sources of financing (apply for small business loans) — If you are starting a small business in North Carolina, you may need financial backing to support your first or second year of operation. This money will cover expenses such as property leasing, salaries and product stock. Find a bank that will lend to your business with a reasonable interest rate and a short repayment term to minimize the cost. Learn about employer reporting requirements and responsibilities — You’ll need to register as an employer, and for unemployment insurance and worker’s compensation insurance. You’ll also need to apply for federal and state withholding numbers. The Right Bank for Your Small Business Needs First Bank* offers the comprehensive range of financial services you need to start a small business in North Carolina. With dedicated service to our community since 1935, 3 min read

Where to Get Payroll Services If you are wondering where to get payroll services, consider First Bank. With First Bank’s payroll services, you can: Reduce expenses associated with paper-based payment systems like printing and storing of checks. Manage risks by reducing check fraud losses. Submit transaction information directly through our online banking system. Handle direct deposits into employee accounts without having to write checks. Payroll Services from First Bank If you want to cut business costs and start saving money, switching to a payroll service is a great way to begin. Payroll services enable you to maintain control of your funds until you need them, all while eliminating the need to buy paper excess paper or to hire a bookkeeper. With First Bank, you don’t have to wonder where to get payroll services anymore. Our Payroll Direct Deposit service can be used to disburse funds such as:* Direct deposit of payroll Expense reimbursement Royalty payments Vendor payments Our electronic disbursement payments give you control of your funds until the moment you need them to cover disbursements. You can also reduce the time and expense or writing, processing, and reconciling checks when you provide information electronically. If your company uses payroll, pensions, expense reimbursements, annuities, dividends, interest, or royalties and has vendors interested in electronic payments—First Bank’s payroll solutions might be a great solution for your business. Visit a branch near you for a free small business financial consultation or more information. *Subject to credit approval. ——— Sources: Business News Daily: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/7477-choosing-payroll-service.html Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/disbursement.asp 2 min read

Small Business Bank – North Carolina First Bank has become the small business bank in North Carolina for owners across the state. We were named one of the best banks in North Carolina by Forbes. We provide the diverse selection of services you expect from a national bank, with the personalized care of a community bank. North Carolina’s Small Business Bank As a local bank with several locations in North Carolina, we go out of our way to lend a helping hand to small businesses. Here’s how we can serve your small business needs: Loans Business Loans: Receive a lump sum of cash to finance everything you need to get your business off and running. Use the money to buy vehicles, inventory, equipment, or supplies. Credit Line: Use a business line of credit to make purchases as needed. The flexibility of this loan allows you to borrow and repay regularly. Business Credit Card: Take advantage of low rates, no annual fees, and a rewards program for eligible cards to back your small business needs. Use the card as often as you wish. Commercial Mortgages: Finance your place of business with First Bank’s competitive lending. Consult with our commercial mortgage experts for market area expertise and industry knowledge. Construction Loans: Use this option to pay for new construction, remodeling, or expansion of your building. Business Checking and Savings Accounts We offer 5 business checking accounts, 3 business savings accounts, and a group banking account. Our checking accounts are: Business Essentials — Great for small businesses with basic banking needs. Business Interest — An interest-earning business checking account. Business Advantage — Good for established businesses with higher transaction volumes. Community Checking — Best for nonprofits and community organizations. Commercial Analysis — For business that need comprehensive management services. Our savings accounts are: Business Savings — A basic account with a low minimum balance. Money Market — Offers higher rates and a high level of liquidity. CDs — Offers a guaranteed return with a fixed rate and choice of terms. Our group banking account offers banking benefits for you and your coworkers, including: Free online and mobile banking* Credit and Debit Cards With a First Bank business debit or credit card you can enjoy many benefits, such as: Zero liability Worldwide acceptance Purchase assurance MasterCard Global 3 min read

Wondering Where to Get Mobile Merchant Services? Wondering where to get mobile merchant services for your business? First Bank can help you with all of your business needs, including in-store and mobile merchant services such as payment processing, reporting, and check collection. Find your nearest First Bank location today to find out how doing business can get a whole lot easier. Mobile Credit Card Processing Services at First Bank The ability to accept and process credit and debit card transactions is essential to doing business in today’s market. With an estimated 176 million credit card users in the United States, it’s important to make sure that your business is able to accommodate your customers. By providing a selection of payment options for your customers, you can simplify your business operations and increase your revenue. First Bank’s merchant services can help your business accept several different payment options in-store and mobile, including credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks, gift cards, and more. Our credit card processing can: Reducing payment risks Creating purchasing mobility Expanding your customer base Improving revenue capture Types of Merchant Services Available Here are a variety of merchant services that First Bank offers: Payment Processing & Management These payment processing and management services provide a pricing advantage with equipment and software that allow business owners to process payments through point-of-sale terminals, Internet, wireless, mobile, and integrated solutions. This includes products such as: Credit Card Processing: In-Store & Mobile Reconciliation & Reporting Streamline your payment processing operations with a user-friendly, online management and reporting system. This includes: Comprehensive activity reports that allow access to all your business payment card transactions. User controls that help to create your own reports based on needed required information. The ability to respond online to chargebacks and retrievals, including exporting reports to Excel for further analysis. Reports for adjustment history, authorizations, and merchant statements when you need it. Check Collection With a two-step verification process, you can increase the profitability of your business by reducing liability, get protected against losses, and increase your sales by securely and quickly accepting checks through our verification and guarantee. Get Mobile Merchant Services Today at Your Nearest First Bank Since 1935, First Bank has been helping businesses succeed in an increasingly competitive market. Visit your nearest branch today and see what our friendly staff 2 min read

ACH Positive Pay If you are a business owner, you should spend your time worrying about growing a successful business, not worrying about fraudulent transactions. That’s where ACH Positive Pay comes in. What is ACH Positive Pay? We’re glad you asked. What is ACH Positive Pay? ACH Positive Pay helps guard your business against unauthorized electronic activity. ACH stands for Automated Clearing House, which is a network that processes electronic payments. There are multiple benefits to using ACH Positive pay, such as: Payments are credited to your account so you won’t need to take checks to the bank ACH processing typically comes with fewer errors than collecting and depositing paper checks You can automate attempts to collect bad checks, so you won’t have to deal with the same check twice ACH Positive Pay at First Bank First Bank provides ACH Positive Pay that allows business to collect payments from their customers, make payments to their vendors, and deposit payroll funds into their employees’ bank accounts. We can provide full ACH Positive Pay, which means any transaction that does not meet your requirements would require your approval. Or we will send you an email each time an ACH transaction posts to your account. ACH Positive Pay is very user-friendly. Instead of having to go online to approve a payment or transaction, the system will call your phone and all you have to do is enter an authorization code to approve the payment. You’ll no longer have to go to the post office to mail checks, which will save you time and money. If your company has experienced check fraud loss and wants to reduce exposure to fraudulent transactions, First Bank’s ACH Positive Pay could be a smart investment for your company. Visit Your Local First Bank Today To learn more about ACH Positive Pay or see a demo of how it works, visit a First Bank branch near you. ——— Sources: NACHA: https://www.nacha.org/news/what-ach-quick-facts-about-automated-clearing-house-ach-network 2 min read

Best Small Business Bank – North Carolina If you’re looking for the best small business bank in North Carolina, the search ends with First Bank. First Bank’s doors first opened in 1935 to serve farmers and local businesses when the small town of Troy, NC, lost its local bank. Since then, we have continued to help small businesses thrive all over North Carolina. Small Business Options at First Bank In fact, First Bank was one of five institutions to receive a cash infusion from the U.S. Treasury’s Small Business Lending Fund in an effort to further increase small business loan offerings. “Not all businesses are the same, and we are a community bank with community values that strives to anticipate and meet your needs. Small business owners will find that we offer multiple banking options to fit their needs.“ There are a number of reasons why First Bank is among the best small business banks in North Carolina. With locations throughout the state, your business can count on us for: Business loans. Get a lump-sum business loan for equipment, supplies, inventory, vehicles, or anything else you need.* Credit lines. Open a line of credit to borrow and repay as needed or utilize a First Bank business credit card to be used at any time.* Commercial mortgages. First Bank can offer you a competitive mortgage for your place of business. Construction loans. We’ll give you a helping hand in our construction and professional loans program to build new construction, remodel, renovate or expand.* Merchant services. First Bank can help with accepting credit cards for payment, check collection, and more. Checking and savings accounts. We offer several business checking accounts and 3 business savings accounts, each designed to meet the unique needs of a variety of businesses. Credit cards. The First Bank Mastercard Business Card with Rewards provides you with the freedom to make business purchases as needed and pay them off in a convenient and secure way. Online & mobile banking. With a First Bank business account you can quickly and easily manage your funds from your computer or mobile device with our online and mobile banking services.* Treasury services. We offer a wide range of solutions to reach your optimal cash flow efficiency. Find a First Bank Near You Small businesses make 4 min read

Need Online Payroll Services Nearby? Trust Your Local First Bank Going green isn’t only good for the environment. If you’re a business owner, turning your business into an eco-friendly venture could help you save money and attract more customers. By cutting costs in certain areas, you can spend more money focusing on things like marketing and employee growth, or just make more of a profit. Customers also love to support green businesses, and it could help your reputation to show that you care about more than your own personal success. If you own a business and want to make it more environmentally friendly, switching to online payroll services is a good place to start. Eliminating paper checks and the need for a bookkeeper can help you cut down on paper costs and save a few trees in the process. If you are ready to make the switch, you may be looking for online payroll services near you. Look no further than First Bank. We offer a variety of online payroll services sure to meet the needs of you and your business. Reduce Your Business’ Carbon Footprint With Top Payroll Companies Near You End your search for online payroll services near you at First Bank. We offer a Payroll Direct Deposit service, as well as Everywhere Electronic Payments that enable you to cut costs and reduce your carbon footprint. With First Bank’s Payroll Direct Deposit services you won’t have to play your employees by check. You will be able to deposit pay directly into their checking or savings accounts. You can also use Direct Deposit to expense reimbursements, pension payments, dividends, and other disbursements. Everywhere Electronic Payments give control of your funds until the exact moment you need them. Electronic payments can also be used to disburse funds like direct deposit of payroll, expense reimbursement, royalty payments, or vendor payments. When you provide information electronically, you will reduce the time and expense of writing, processing, and reconciling checks. Lessen your impact on the environment by visiting a First Bank branch today. We have nearly 100 locations in North Carolina and South Carolina, making it easy to find online payroll services near you. ——— Sources: USA.gov: http://www.usa.gov/topics/environment-agriculture/going-green-tips.shtml 2 min read

Bank Accounts for Businesses in South Carolina Do you own a South Carolina business? Are you looking to start one? There are a number of reasons why South Carolina is a great state to do business. And First Bank* is here to provide the bank accounts, tools and services you need to succeed. The Palmetto State has several First Bank locations – with branches in Anderson, Blacksburg, Charleston, Cheraw, Columbia, Dillon, Florence, Greenville, Greer, Latta, Orangeburg and Rock Hill. We offer a variety of business checking and savings accounts as well as a collection of financial services to help you better mange your business. Find the First Bank location nearest you, and open a business bank account today. First Bank Business Checking Accounts in South Carolina We offer business checking accounts to fit the needs of any business, of any size. Compare the list below to choose the one that best works for your business. Business Essentials. WalletHub named this account one of the “Best Bank Accounts for Small Businesses” in 2014. Business Essentials is perfect for small businesses or self-employed individuals with small transaction volume. Business Interest. An upgrade from Business Essentials, this account comes with all the same basic features but allows you to accrue interest. Community Checking. The perfect account for nonprofit organization and community groups. Business Advantage. If you’re looking for a fundamental account that allows for higher transaction volume, Business Advantage may be right for you. Commercial Analysis. Larger businesses have bigger needs and might benefit from our Commercial Analysis. This option comes with custom programs for business needs on top of all the basic features of Business Essentials. First Bank’s Business Savings Accounts in SC Our collection of business checkings accounts is complemented by our three business savings accounts. Compare the three options in the list and table below. Business Savings. With no minimum balance required to start earning interest, our Business Savings account is perfect for small startups looking to find a foothold in the market. Money Market. More aggressive business owners might look to our Money Market option, which allows for six withdrawals every month free of any First Bank fees.† Certificates of Deposit.‡ Our FDIC-insured CDs typically come with a guaranteed, fixed interest rate to allow for a 10 min read

Where to Get Mobile Payroll Solutions In today’s on-the-go world, you can do just about anything from a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. If you run a business in this tech-driven environment and have employees to pay, you might be wondering where to get mobile payroll solutions. First Bank has more than 100 locations in the Carolinas, but you don’t need to physically visit one to satisfy your payroll or banking needs. With free online and mobile banking for all of our business checking and savings accounts, First Bank is with you and your employees wherever you go. Mobile Banking Options First Bank provides customers with two easy ways to bank on the go. With a wireless web connection, just log into your account through our website to access your money 24 hours a day, making it easy to process your payroll during off-business hours. If you have an iPhone, iPod touch or Android device, just download our LocalFirstBank mobile app* and access your account with one touch of the screen. Mobile Payroll Benefits First Bank is the go-to place to get mobile payroll solutions. We offer a number of advantages associated with digital banking. By being able to make direct deposits from any location at any time, our business customers can: Cut Costs. Stop spending money on printed checks and postage and avoid fees associated with stop payments and reissues for lost or stolen checks. Improve timeliness. Nobody likes waiting for their paycheck and with our direct deposit service you can easily distribute checks to absent or off-site employees. Eliminate the time required to print, sign and mail checks. Reduce risk. Eliminate check fraud by eliminating checks altogether. Provide added convenience. Allow your employees to split their deposits between checking and savings accounts and reduce trips to the bank. Get Mobile Payroll Solutions with First Bank Learn more about why First Bank is where to get mobile payroll solutions and how you can even use payroll cards to make direct deposits to employees without bank accounts. *While First Bank does not charge for mobile banking, check with your mobile service provider for web access fees. iPhone®, and iPod Touch® are registered trademarks of Apple, Inc. Android™ is a trademark of Google Inc. ——— Sources: Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/directdeposit.asp Investopedia: 2 min read

Credit Card Processing for Businesses If you are a business owner, you probably know that accepting multiple forms of payment (cash, debit, credit, and checks) is important. But you may not know just how essential credit card processing is to the success of your business. In the next few years, only 23 percent of all point-of-sale purchases are expected to be made with cash. That means a greater number of shoppers favor credit and debit cards over the traditional cash payment. Couple this statistic with the growing trend of mobile shopping, businesses have to innovate to acquire and maintain customers. Transitioning from cash-only to accepting other forms of payment may seem like a hassle, but with First Bank, it doesn’t have to be. Credit Card Processing from First Bank* First Bank offers payment processing and management services for businesses of all sizes. With First Bank, your business can accept credit cards, debit cards, electronic checks, and other forms of electronic payments. First Bank is partnered with Heartland, one of the nation’s largest providers of merchant card processing. With our services, you can: Improve revenue capture Expand your customer base Create purchase mobility Reduce payment risk Our payment processing and management solutions give you the ability to process payments through point-of-sale terminals, the Internet, and wireless and mobile applications. And we make it easy to keep track of your sales and payments with our web-based reporting service. Before you put a “cash only” sign on your front door, stop by your local First Bank to speak with one our experts about credit card processing. We’ll talk to you about your options and show you how our flexible and customizable payment processing solutions could work for your business. Sources: http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4394-accepting-credit-cards.html 2 min read

Where to Get Physician Mortgage Loans If you’re a business-minded professional looking for a mortgage loan with a competitive rate, you’re in luck. First Bank is pleased to be the place to secure physician mortgage loans. We offer professional mortgage loans for physicians, dentists, optometrists, Pharm.D pharmacists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, osteopathologists, and veterinarians. What is a Physician Mortgage Loan? Physician mortgage loans are home loans that are designed to meet the needs of physicians that are just starting out. New physicians typically graduate college with a substantial amount of student loan debt, making it hard for them to qualify for loans. Physician mortgage loans are typically easier to qualify for because the lender takes into consideration the amount of money a physician will make once he or she graduates. Professional Mortgage Loans from First Bank First Bank offers professional mortgage loans for physicians looking to purchase a primary homes, details include: No mortgage insurance required No down payment required Prepay your loan under no penalty Seller contributions or gift funds of up to 3% of the purchase price may be used for closing costs Maximum of 100% loan-to-value for purchase of primary home For more information on physician mortgage loans, talk with with a First Bank mortgage loan officer. Physician Mortgage Loans — Apply Today First Bank offers two convenient ways for physicians to get mortgage loans. You can use our online application to apply for a loan. That means you don’t have to leave your own home to apply for a professional loan. Just gather your financial and property information and easily complete the application. Or visit one of our 100 plus locations throughout the Carolinas. Loans subject to credit approval. ———- Sources: NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/12/realestate/mortgages-for-physicians.html?_r=0 Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/amortization.asp 2 min read

Where to Get Commercial Mortgage Rates Location, location, location. The value of location is just as important for commercial success as it is for where to get commercial mortgage rates. The wrong rates can lead your business off the beaten path while commercial mortgage rates like the ones from First Bank can have your business on the fast track to profitability. First Bank: Where to Get Commercial Mortgage Rates The Houston Chronicle examined the value of having just the right physical location for a business; various factors like foot traffic and visibility come into play when choosing a location. First Bank takes a closer look at this issue and provides some key insights into choosing the perfect location for your next business. When choosing a business location, consider the following factors: Location. Location, location, location–this old adage isn’t just lip service. Choosing a location that’s safe, convenient to target customers and (yes) convenient to you and your staff’s commute is essential to a smooth operation. Building. When choosing the face of your business, customers often will and do judge a book by its cover. Think about your branding, size, needed repairs, parking and growth projection when deciding upon the best place to set up shop. Terms. Always read the small print before signing that dotted line! Consider factors like leasing or buying terms and cost, always compare with like-buildings in the area. With over 100 locations spanning North Carolina and South Carolina, First Bank is proud to help businesses find a home with competitive commercial mortgage rates.* Have more questions? We’re here to help! Contact a small business specialist with First Bank and let us know how we can help you realize your goals and secure a great commercial mortgage rate. Loans subject to credit approval. ——— Sources: Houston Chronicle: http://smallbusiness.chron.com/location-add-value-small-business-77422.html Investopedia: http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/commercial-real-estate-loan.asp 2 min read

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