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3 Reasons Why Applications For Business Loan Get Declined

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3 Reasons Why Business Loan Applications Get Declined By Traditional Lenders and Alternative Financing Solutions

Almost all business owners apply for some sort of financing to grow their company at one point or another. When it comes to applying for for this financing through a traditional bank or lender, the process can be a tough one, and many business owners walk away with a big fat decline. While this may be disheartening, there are many reasons why business loan applications get declined and lenders are so strict, and there are still other options out there. Let’s take a look at the three main reasons why business loan applications get declined by traditional banks and lenders, and then take a look at the great alternatives that are available!

Why Traditional Lenders Decline Business Loan Applications:

  • Low Cash Flow: If a traditional lender decides to give your business a loan, they will want to see the ability to make payments back on the loan amount in addition to covering all other business expenses. Unfortunately, tough times do occur where businesses don’t generate enough revenue at certain times of the year – maybe they are a seasonal business. Some business owners, such as contractors, aren’t paid until jobs are completed or they must pay inventory suppliers upfront before they get paid. Tight margins typically do not sit well with traditional lenders and you could get your business loan declined.
  • Poor Credit, Bad Credit, or No Credit: Like NorthShore Advisory Inc. Credit Expert Tracy Becker told us in our exclusive interview, “in today’s fast-paced business world, more partners, lenders, and potential accounts need to make quick decisions as to which suppliers, borrowers, and partners they want to work with; decision-makers use a variety of business credit scores, indexes, and reports to discard unqualified candidates from being considered for a partnership or a loan.” A business’ credit score is a major factor when a traditional lender considers approving them for financing. Poor credit, bad credit, or simply no credit can almost always guarantee a decline. To learn more about how businesses can improve their credit score, visit: http://www.northshoreadvisory.com/
  • No Collateral: Traditional banks and lenders almost always require some sort of collateral to secure a loan. Collateral can come in the form of a vehicle, personal or business property, equipment, and/or other assets. If a business owner defaults on the loan, this collateral will then be seized for nonpayment. Unfortunately, many business owners (especially young business owners or startups) do not have collateral to put up when it comes to acquiring a loan, or the lender may not deem anything the business owner has as anything of value.

Your Business Loan Application Got Declined By A Traditional Lender – What Are The Alternatives?

Despite the fact that traditional lenders can take weeks to process your loan application and also require a lot of paperwork, there are alternative financing solutions available if you got your business loan declined. Unlike big banks, alternative lenders typically only require you to submit a simple, one-page application, 4 months of recent bank statements, and 4 months of recent credit card processing statements in order to get an offer and approval in a matter of days! Let’s take a closer look at the alternative funding solutions available to your business so even if your business loan was declined your options are open!

Merchant Cash Advance: Short-term financing transactions that are collected through a set percentage of your visa and MasterCard sales that are accepted at your place of business. Probably the most common term used in the industry. These do not have a set repayment schedule and are based on the volume of your business’s credit card processing sales. These are usually only guaranteed by the future sales of your business.

ACH Advance: A form of a merchant cash advance that is repaid on a daily basis by direct ACH debits rather than a merchant account.   These are still a purchase of receivables and the amount debited via ach are determined by the amount of credit card processing sales that are batched out the previous day.

ACH Loan Products: These are a bit different than cash advances as they are considered loans and may have personal guarantees. They have a fixed repayment schedule that is paid either daily, weekly or monthly. These products are catered to industries that do not accept credit cards and need a fixed payment.

Accounts Receivables Financing: This is one of the oldest forms of funding in history. This is used mainly when a business is due some sort of capital for work complete and is billed on a net 30, 60 or 90. for example, ABC Trucking delivered goods for xyz logistics but only receives payment from xyz logistics in 60 days. ABC can then factor the money due from XYZ at discount to receive the capital due in 60 days today.

Invoice Factoring: The purchase of accounts receivable for immediate cash.

Equipment Financing: A type of loan or extension of credit to a business, with the purpose of helping the business acquire new equipment. Equipment Financing Extends only the capital needed to purchase a specific piece of equipment and is most commonly written as a lease.

Business Lines of Credit: A rotating loan that gives business owners access to a fixed amount of money, which they can use day-to-day according to their need for cash. Interest is only paid on the amount of the advance actually used.

Start-Up Funding/Loan: A type of loan that provides a new business/company with sufficient upfront capital to get off the ground.

Asset Based Loans: A business loan secured by collateral.

SBA LOANs 504 Loans: The US Small Business Administration 504 Loan or Certified Development Company program is designed to provide financing for the purchase of fixed assets, which usually means real estate, buildings and machinery, at below market rates.

Term Loans: A loan that is backed by a bank for an exact amount that has a specified repayment timetable and  interest rate that are adjusted accordingly. Terms mature between 1 and 10 years.

It’s pretty clear to see why an alternative lender may be the way to go when it comes to applying for financing for your business. No complicated application process, no lengthy paperwork and documents, and an approval in as little as 3 business days! For more information on alternative financing solutions and what Excel Capital Management can offer your business, visit: https://www.excelcapmanagement.com/loan-form/

Funding: Venture Capital vs. Working Capital

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Funding: Venture Capital vs. Working Capital

Most business owners will apply for some sort of capital at least once over the business’ lifetime. This capital can be used for various reasons at various stages of the business life cycle: business start-up, expansion, equipment, purchases, hiring, etc.. When it comes to the growth of any business, money is essential.  What the capital is being used for determines just what type of capital it is – venture or working – and how one goes about acquiring it. No matter what though, as a business owner it is important to do your homework and know what type of funding you are applying for and how it can affect your bottom line in the long run. Let’s take a look at the difference between venture and working capital funding and the funding process for each.

VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDING

Venture Capital is normally sought after by up and coming business owners that are early in the life cycle of their endeavors  – startups and seed stage – but can also be used by business owners who are later in the business cycle but are looking to fund new ideas. If these types of business owners can’t get the money from a friend or family member who believes in their idea (business means big bucks, and a lot of times close acquaintances just can’t help out) they are usually able to do so through a Venture Capital investor who strongly backs their business plan. What complicates this process is the fact that most investors will want to see revenue generated for the long-term. They are now part owner and in it for the long haul just like the main business owner themselves, generally looking for a return of at least 5x their initial investment amount.  

Venture Capital investors or companies will analyze to see if there is a market for a business owner’s idea. If they feel that your business won’t be success, they most likely won’t take the risk of investing any money into it at all. Their goal is to see a big profit and have a hand in many major business decisions. It’s usually not simply a labor of love. Expect for investors to ask for a C-Level title and/or seat on your board of directors if you have one. At the very least, they will usually ask to be an “owner.” This results in relinquishing full control, ownership and an agreed upon percentage of future earning until you have enough capital to buy them out.

When it comes to qualifications, Venture Capital investors or companies typically only fund businesses in the amount of $1M or more, and also only fund specific industries which puts limitations on many business owners. They tend to look for big industry-specific companies with big, commercial ideas, a strong team, and some existing momentum and paying customers. This can be great, however, if you are just starting out, run a company on your own, or don’t necessarily have the plan to back up such a large sum of money, this can prove to be extremely overwhelming. Garage Technology Ventures, an early-stage venture capital funding company highlights the specifics of these qualifications in their article Critical Factors for Obtaining Venture Funding. Aside from all of  this, finding a reputable investor in itself can be a tough task. You should always do extensive research to ensure the investor has you and your business’ best interests at heart. Vivek Wadhwa’s article, Venture Capital: The Good, The Bad, and Ugly on Bloomberg.com highlights some other important factors when it comes to considering Venture Capital. Check it out.

WORKING CAPITAL FUNDING

Working capital is sought after by business owners for any number of reasons during any stage of the business’ lifetime – including the startup stage (normally lenders require a business must be operating for at least 3 months, but this can still be considered the startup stage). The capital is usually used for equipment purchases, new hires, expansion, inventory, and more. While lenders generally do care about the product or service the business offers, what business owners do with the capital (within reason) is their business. They are no way, shape or form now an owner after funding a company and don’t require that you list them as an owner, sponsor, or member of your board of directors. You make all of the business decision and once the funding is paid back their is no further obligations.

Typically, to qualify for working capital funding by a lender, a business owner must provide 4 months of recent bank and credit card statements (if applicable) to show their ability to pay back the advanced money. This capital acquired is generally structured as either a loan with fixed payback terms and fees or a purchase of future receivables at a discount rather than an investment expected to generate 5x the initial amount. Most business owners sleep a little better knowing this much and even reach out for additional capital numerous times over the course of their business’ lifetime. Lenders tend to develop genuine and trusting working relationships with many business owners and offer various financing solutions to work harmoniously with a business.

At Excel Capital Management, we offer many different financing products to help you obtain the Working Capital your business needs to grow! Our funding specialists will work diligently to ensure that you receive the best products available to achieve business success!
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