Traditional Loans for Small Business

Many traditional funders will consider your business’s Dun & Bradstreet business credit report when making decisions about whether or not to approve your funding request or what your terms might be. If you’d like to learn more about your business credit profile, you can sign up for CreditSignal*.

Building a relationship with a funder can be key to getting funding, and the earlier you start (i.e. BEFORE you really need the money), the more your funder can help you along the way. By the time you are actually in need of the funding, hopefully, your funder will feel confident giving you funding.

BANK FUNDING

There’s only one type of traditional funding and it comes from a bank. However, there are different types of traditional bank financing, and working with a funder can help you determine which one may be best for your business. You’ll want to consider two major things when deciding between funding options:

1. The terms of the funding
2. The collateral required to obtain the funding

First Down Funding will provide different types of alternative financing & business funding:

• Working capital/Lines of credit
• Business credit cards
• Short-term commercial funding
• Longer-term commercial funding
• Equipment leasing
• Letters of credit

While some banks are most difficult than others, there are many banks that welcome small businesses for new funding.

Traditional Small Business Funders:

• Bank of America
• PNC
• Wells Fargo
• SunTrust
• TD Bank
• First Financial Bank
• Chase

Ideally, you’re starting to work with a funder early on in your funding process, but even though it’s early, there are still things you’ll need to know and come prepared with when you meet your funder. A few things you may need to have/know for your appointment are:

• A business plan
• Your business credit file
• Financial statements
• Personal information

Not much is being done to improve the state of traditional funding, but the burden isn’t totally on banks. Many small businesses are denied traditional bank financing simply because they aren’t prepared, or because their business credit isn’t strong. Banks have actually increased their small business funding since 2012, especially community banks, which upped funding across the country to $3.5 billion after the 2010 Small Business Jobs Act went into effect.

Alternative funding is helping those business owners to achieve the required capital to grow and succeed in their businesses. Entrepreneurs that are willing to do the required research, find many alternative funding options that are much easier than traditional funding.

Most businesses might want to consider building their business credit while they are relying on alternative funding so that down the line they can try to qualify for a bank or SBA funding.

The first step is to get your paperwork in order, or you may be stuck relying on personal credit cards for business expenses. You can start building your business credit by using your company’s Tax ID Number or Employer Identification Number to get registered with business and credit bureaus. Once you have everything ready, it’s time to start building credit. Tips to help build and grow your business credit:

• Maintain your personal credit. New businesses do not yet have their own credit history, and evening existing businesses will experience personal credit checks—especially if you own more than a 20% stake in the business.
• Obtain credit early. Don’t wait until the last minute when you are desperate to make a repair or pay a bill. Apply for credit before you need it during start-up to help build your credit history.
• Cultivate your credit. Use your credit to help establish good payment histories, and remember to keep those balances low. The length of your credit history is important, as is your history to meet your commitments and pay off your debts.
• Use multiple funders. Every funder has different policies, and these policies can change with very short notice. By having credit lines through multiple funders you will be better prepared in the case of sudden emergencies or short-notice account closures