1 Dec, 2023
This comprehensive guide sheds light on when and why to consider a small business loan, offering practical advice on navigating the myriad of loan types available.
The enduring romance of rags-to-riches stories entices many to start their own business. However, every tremendous entrepreneurial journey begins with securing initial financing. Loans allow small business owners to fund operations and growth when faced with poor cash flow, expensive equipment costs, advertising fees, hiring expenses, or the need for emergency funds. But how do you know if taking out a loan is the right choice for your company? This guide covers everything you need to determine when a small business loan is optimal for funding your startup or existing venture.
As an entrepreneur, you may reach points where self-funding becomes difficult. Rather than scraping by each month hoping to gain traction eventually, loans enable the injection of necessary capital when you need it most. They provide financing to cover what current revenues cannot.
Before assuming loans are the only option, weigh the pros and cons of funding routes like crowdfunding, angel investors, or venture capitalists. Loans provide structure with set repayment schedules but necessitate assuming risk yourself without giving up company equity or control.
Here are common situations where loans for small businesses can provide vital financial lifelines:
Early-stage ventures often need to achieve positive cash flow for 18+ months. Loans offer operating capital to cover expenses during pre-revenue and growth stages when income lags behind outflows. This prevents falling into debt traps with high-interest credit cards or dramatic slashing of critical marketing and R&D budgets.
Certain industries like manufacturing, transportation, and technology require major upfront equipment investments well before production starts generating revenue. From industrial machinery to delivery fleets and data centers, loans allow the acquisition of essential infrastructure.
Bringing new products to market necessitates substantial upfront brand-building and customer acquisition costs. Loans provide an infusion of capital to fund digital marketing campaigns, social media advertising, event sponsorships, and more to land clients.
It would help if you had a talented team to achieve meaningful success, but hiring too early without adequate financing is dangerous. Loans enable bringing in critical employees like sales closers and engineers so output can scale impact.
Despite best efforts, unexpected business interruptions, financial disruptions, and seasonal lulls happen. Loans serve as emergency funding to withstand temporary setbacks. They provide short-term relief to address seasonal business cycles or navigation of longer-term challenges like a recession.
Major loan categories include:
The Small Business Administration guarantees loans from approved lenders to qualifying businesses unable to secure traditional financing. New companies without significant collateral or those in underserved demographics often leverage SBA loans.
Banks and credit unions provide term loans and lines of credit to small businesses. They offer competitive rates and long-standing reputations but have more stringent eligibility requirements regarding personal credit scores, collateral, and years in business.
Many state and federal programs exist for women-owned, veteran-owned, and minority-owned businesses. These provide advantageous terms and increased approvals to eligible applicants.
Online lenders like Kabbage, CAN Capital, and Credibly offer accelerated loan decisions for small businesses. Without brick-and-mortar overhead, they provide faster approvals using predictive analytics and non-traditional underwriting standards but at higher interest rates.
Consider beyond just wanting funds to evaluating proper alignment, reasonable terms, and approval odds:
Define exact funding needs rather than chasing maximum payouts. Closely align loan purpose, terms, and repayment schedules with operational cash flows.
Demonstrate market viability, concretely planned growth initiatives, and leadership. Deliver projections grounded in reality over hockey stick dreams.
Accurately determine if you can manage proposed interest rates and principal payments without overextending yourself.
Advisors provide critical insights on taxes, cash flow timing, liability mitigations, and personalized advisement on improving the financial standing needed to secure affordable loans.
If weighing a loan, build in timing expectations upfront and create an organized plan for the process.
Many owners expect rapid approvals, but loan decisions often take 1-3 months, depending on lender type. Prepare documentation early and have realistic timing assumptions.
Carefully assess the amount required, repayment abilities, purpose for use of funds, and desired loan type before applying. Rushing into applications before getting your ducks in a row leads to frustrations and avoidable denials down the line. But with proper diligence, loan approvals unlock growth funding at critical junctures.
Follow this step-by-step process when seeking a loan for your company:
Consider current and near-term financial needs. Seek loans to fill specific funding gaps, not just because financing exists. Identify key purposes like covering payroll during seasonal income dips or acquiring equipment to enable scaling production. Conservative borrowing demonstrates sound judgment to lenders.
Lenders want assurance their money enables business growth, not just temporary relief. A well-structured business plan demonstrates market opportunity, operational readiness, and growth roadmaps. Many online lenders have streamlined requirements, but a formal plan still carries weight, especially for SBA loans.
Rather than focusing only on loan access and max amounts, set yourself up for success by evaluating realistic repayment schedules. Can you manage proposed interest rates and monthly payments? Defaulting has major consequences, so honest assessment here is vital, even if it means lower approved loans.
Financial advisors provide invaluable guidance to business owners considering financing. Their personalized advice assesses your unique situation, including structure, free cash flows, credit standing, and operational capacity to gauge optimal loan sizes. Their expertise helps overcome initial denials by identifying areas needing improvement before successful approval.
Each loan type - from SBA and USDA offerings to conventional term loans and merchant cash advances - has different advantages. Compare options like rates, terms, eligible uses, and qualifications to determine what complements your needs rather than strictly chasing max dollar amounts that overextend your abilities.
With your funding needs and business case clarified, focus on presenting the most compelling application possible. Prepare requisite documents demonstrating financial standing and business traction to date. Emphasize growth roadmaps and highlight mitigations to common concerns around new companies. Submit applications to multiple lenders to expand options.
Take your time with initial rejections. With persistence and dedication to strengthening your business, loan approvals are achievable.
High debt balances, prior bankruptcies, poor personal credit, insufficient collateral value, and inadequate capitalization are common factors in loans for small business denials, especially for newer companies.
Without extensive commercial lending history, underwriters rely heavily on personal credit scores, falling back on consumer lending mentalities. Know your credit reports and demonstrate responsibility.
Identify denial reasons and address weak spots. Provide added projections, collateral, and clarity on business outlooks. With material improvements, re-applications often lead to approvals.
If loans remain elusive, pursue options like crowdfunding campaigns, angel investors, or receivables financing. Various credit cards now cater specifically to promising startups as well. Where there's a will, there's a way.
While rejections sting, loans for small businesses provide critical access to growth capital once secured. With concerted efforts to enhance business fundamentals and loan eligibility factors, financing becomes attainable at formative stages, allowing small businesses to scale. Match passion with informed practicalities, and funding for your entrepreneurial aspirations is closer than you think.
Managing the financial operations of a small business is a challenging feat. Between bookkeeping, reporting, tax compliance, and everything else, you have enough without the headache of complicated accounting software. Jaz provides a comprehensive yet intuitive solution for your business needs and budget.
Book a demo now and take control of your financial operations with Jaz.
Beginners can improve their chances of getting approved for an SBA-backed loan for small businesses by crafting a strong business plan, emphasizing growth opportunities, highlighting any positive commercial credit history, providing personal assets as collateral, starting with small loan amounts, and applying through community banks focused on economic development.
Approval odds for loans for small businesses vary significantly by factors like revenue size, years in business, collateral provided, and credit scores. Newer businesses face lower chances - sometimes 25% or less with traditional banks. Alternative lenders approve over 50% of applications but have higher rates. More established businesses see over 60% approval ratings.
The average loan approved for small businesses in 2022 was around $650,000. However, over 85% of loans for small businesses fall under $500,000, as many owners seek less than $250,000. Loan sizes range from several thousand dollars for working capital to over $5 million for commercial real estate purchases.
Basic qualifications for loans for small businesses typically involve meeting requirements around time in business, annual revenue, collateral value, personal credit score (650+ is ideal), hazard insurance coverage, and showing sufficient cash flows to service debt obligations. Approvals favor existing positive commercial credit data.
Typical documents needed for a loan for small businesses application include personal identification, business formation certificates, business tax returns and financial statements for 2-3 years, interim financial statements, business debt schedules, personal financial statements, projected financial statements, business plan, and purpose for loan funds, collateral details, and solvency affidavits.
