Small Business Financing Alternatives
by PriorityCapitalSolutions
While being your own boss and owning your own company has many advantages and benefits, there are many challenges that you face as a small business owner. One of those challenges invloves meeting the cash requirements of operating your business. Getting the money to start your business was challenging enough, getting additional cash once your business has been started can prove to be even more difficult. Banks are more than willing to greet you with open arms when it comes to providing you with a business checking account and other services that they can charge fees for, but quickly change their tune when it comes to making a loan to help your small business. Even if the bank does agree to loan your business money, they often require you to pledge not only business assets but personal assets, such as your house, for collateral. It is safe to say that most small business owners have complete faith in their business concept but any number of uncontrollable factors could have a negative impact on business and sales. It is also safe to say that most small business owners count on their small business as their sole means of income. If sales were to drop off and a business could not keep up with their loan payments, then the business owner faces losing his/her business to the bank or, even worse, losing their home and other personal assets to the bank.
However, there are alternatives for the small business owner to get the working capital that they need for their business outside of traditional capital sources, such as banks. One of these alternatives is for the business owner to use the future credit card sales of their business to meet their current cash flow requirements. With this type of funding solution, a business agrees to sell a portion of it's anticipated future credit card sales at a discount. In turn, they submit a percentage of their daily credit card sales until the agreed upon future sales amount has been satisified. Here's how the program works:
- The company purchasing the future credit card sales of the business will review 4 to 6 months of credit card processing statements to determine the average monthly credit card sales of the business. - Based upon this average, the company purchasing the future credit card sales will make an offer to purchase the anticipated future sales at a discount. Typically, the offer will be for 1 to 2 months of the average sales and it usually takes about 6 to 10 months for the agreed upon future sales to be collected. - The future sales due to the company that purchased them is retrieved by capturing a fixed percentage of the daily credit card sales of the business when the business batches their credit card sales for the day.
Among the advantages of this type of funding solution are:
- It is not a loan. So there is no debt load that is put on the books and no impact on credit scores. - Since it is not a loan, there is no colleratal required or pleding of personal assets. - The business recives the cash it needs quickly. Typically, from application to approval to funding takes less than 10 business days. - There is no set time frame for repayment. - There is no fixed amount. A fixed percentage of daily sales is retrieved, not a fixed dollar amount. Therefore, payment amount is directly related to sales. When sales are up the $ payback for the day is up. When your sales are down, the $ payback for the day is down. - Payback is automated. The $ due for the day based on the withholding percentage is automatically retrieved from the day's credit card batch. There is no need to keep up with due dates or worry about late charges. - Approval criteria is much more than liberal than the approval criteria for getting bank loan. While the approval criteria is very liberal, it does not mean that just because a business accepts credit cards that it will be approved. There is an application process that a business must go through. However, funding decisions are made within 24 hours of an application being submitted.
There are many types of businesses that this type of funding solution will work for. Among those business types are:
- Restaurants - Nightclubs & Bars - Retailers - Salons & Spas - Automotive Service Centers - Hotels/Motels
Eligibilty requirements for businesses to receive this type of funding will vary from company to company. Typically, the requirements are going to be as follows:
- In business at 12 months - Accept credit cards as a form of payment from their customers - Provide at least 4 months of credit card processing statements - Not in bankruptcy and be at 12 months discharged from previous bankruptcies - If there are liens, they do not total more than $100,000
Owning your own business is very rewarding but there are challenges. Among those challenges is being able to get access to the capital you need to sustain and grow your business. Historically, banks have been the main source of obtaining additional capital. However, banks are often unwilling to lend money to the small business or require the small business owner to pledge personal assets in order to secure financing. Now, there are alternative solutions available for the small business owner to get the capital that they need for their business. Among those solutions is for the small business owner to leverage their future sales by selling a portion of their anticipated future credit card sales to get the cash their business needs.
For more information, visit www.prioritycapital.net to learn more about this type of funding solution and to see how much working capital your business could be eligible for. Business Funding by Monte Zwang
Every business needs money at one time or another. The process of obtaining financing can be daunting and the chances of success limited if it is approached in a disorganized or haphazard way. Lenders are conservative critters; however it is important to understand that it is their job to lend money, and they are happy to do so if their risk is reasonable. The chances of obtaining a business loan are greatly enhanced if you adhere to the following procedure.
KNOW WHAT YOU NEED
Understand how you intend to use business financing, how much funding you need and how you intend to repay the loan. Be able to communicate this clearly and confidently with prospective lenders.
UNDERSTAND YOUR CURRENT SITUATION
If you are an existing business, are you profitable, and does your balance sheet have positive equity? What does your credit look like? Have a clear understanding of any existing liens and lien priority. Know your credit score and answers to derogatory credit issues (liens, judgments, slow pays, collection actions) before presenting your application. If there have been credit, profitability or equity issues in the past, present a credible argument as to why these issues have been resolved or how this loan will change this situation.
KNOW YOUR OPTIONS
All lending is critiqued from a risk standpoint. Certain levels of risk will qualify for certain types of financing. The level of risk is reflected in the cost of the financing. The more secure a lender's money is, the less it costs you. Get creative. Financing takes many forms, and is available from a wide range of sources.
Standard (conventional) bank financing usually offers the best interest rates, however it is the most difficult to qualify for. These loans appear as a long-term liability on the business balance sheet. Conventional loans are available through banks and other lending institutions and can be guaranteed in whole or part by the SBA.
Revolving Lines of Credit are another form of business financing. This type of loan is secured by accounts receivable or inventory and is available from a bank or an Asset Based Lender. Credit cards are a form of revolving line of credit. An Asset-Based Line of Credit (ABL) is considered alternative financing and is available to borrowers who are too highly leveraged for a bank.
Real Property, Equipment Leases and Notes are another form of business financing. In these contracts the collateral for the loan is the property or equipment itself. When there is no outstanding balance owed on the asset, the property or equipment could be used in a Sale-Leaseback transaction. Here, the asset is sold to the lender for cash, and the borrower leases the property from the lender until the loan is paid.
Landlords can be a source of financing. It is not uncommon for a landlord to contribute dollars or rent concessions to the development of a tenant’s space. For this loan, the landlord may require a Percentage of Gross Sales Clause in the lease as repayment. Extended vendor terms for purchase of product may provide short-term operating capital loans.
In the event that additional credit strength is required, loan guarantors or borrowing someone’s credit may help the borrower qualify for less expensive financing. Be flexible. Your final package may be comprised of several lending solutions
PRESENT A CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE PROPOSAL
Lenders need to know who you are personally, professionally and financially. The lender needs to evaluate Income Tax returns (Corporate and Personal), financial statements (income statement and balance sheet) and a cash flow projection. The balance sheet has to look a specific way. The Current Ratio should be at least 1:1, and the Debt to Equity Ratio should be at least 4:1.
Be specific as to how the money is going to be used and how it will be paid back. Lenders want to know what is securing their debt. Lenders evaluate the quality of the collateral, and want to insure that it is adequate to secure the debt in case of default. A secondary source of repayment is required prior to granting standard financing. The personal guarantee of the borrower is often required. In some situations, a lender may seek secondary collateral. Secondary collateral is simply some other asset in which you have equity or ownership, i.e. equipment, property, inventory, notes.
Business funding is not difficult if the borrower is creative and realistic. Know how much money you need and how you are going to use it. Be prepared to defend your needs and anticipate the lender’s questions. In the event that a lender cannot grant your request, perhaps it is the way a loan is packaged. Find a lender who is willing to make recommendations that will help you find financing. A good lender will tell you quickly if they can help you or not. If an intelligent and organized package is presented, a timely response is warranted
About the Author
–Written by Monte Zwang of Steele Development Corporation, a consulting firm specializing in business development and financial strategies. You can reach Steele Development by calling 206.878.9666 or online at www.Steeledevelopment.com.