Financing is the act of channeling cash from investors and savers to businesses that require it. Typically, savers and borrowers have money saved that would make interest or dividends possible if placed to profitable use. The more capital funds a business requires, the more capital funds there would be to raise. Financing a business’s needs usually involves borrowing money from banks or other lenders to pay salary and related expenses and/or purchase raw materials and equipment, to pay salaries and employee benefits, and to eventually expand the business into new market territory. Regardless of the amount of financing required, however, financing is usually a lengthy and drawn-out process involving endless negotiations between borrower and lender, and a long series of due dates for repayment.
A very important reason why many small businesses fail to obtain needed financing is that they often do not meet the lenders’ requirements for credit scores, which typically include sufficient credit scores for obtaining a reasonable interest rate. In addition, because financing companies usually do not make credit scores available prior to the time of a transaction, many borrowers are unaware that they may be able to improve their credit scores through self-help programs or enroll in a credit-monitoring service. Whatever the reason, if financing is not obtained from traditional lenders, some entrepreneurs seek out other sources of capital that can be easier to obtain, such as credit cards from banks and other lenders.
Financing can also involve borrowing against equity in a business. Equity financing, which is a combination of cash advances and lines of credit, is perhaps the most commonly used form of financing. However, equity financing can be more expensive means of financing than cash advances because the interest rates are often higher. Business owners who use equity financing to finance their start-up costs, expansion into other markets, or pay off existing business expenses may find that their new credit limits do not allow them to take advantage of better rates or lower payments when they need to repay the loan.
Entrepreneurs should consider these key takeaways when considering different forms of small business debt financing, including options that can be obtained outside of traditional lending institutions. Among the key takeaways are that borrowers should evaluate the cost and terms of the various options before accepting any financing offer and should research all potential lenders to ensure that the borrower will receive the best terms possible. In addition, many beginning entrepreneurs discover that small business debt financing can be much easier to obtain than they initially believed. With some due diligence and the willingness to negotiate, small business owners can obtain the funding they need without resorting to risky personal loans or commercial lines of credit.
One of the key takeaways from this article is that the financing obtained from a traditional lender usually comes at a high cost. The reason for this is that a typical investor does not have a lot of bargaining power when it comes to securing a low-interest loan or a long-term contract. Furthermore, the typical investor is limited to only working with financial institutions that he or she already knows, which makes the process of obtaining a new loan more difficult. However, for startup investors who do not have long-standing relationships with established lending institutions, securing debt financing through an introducer can be an ideal option. An introducer is someone who has been involved in the financing of other business ventures, and can often provide startup investors with the information they need in order to secure the most effective financing terms.
For instance, an introducer may be able to provide a startup investor with a car loan that has a lower interest rate than the average loan available to the average consumer. Alternatively, the introducer can inform the startup investor that he or she can find a much better car loan option that is available through a lending institution. Either way, the introducer can help the startup investor secure the best financing terms for their particular business.
