According to the Office of Advocacy Report in 2022, small businesses account for two-thirds of all jobs added to the economy over the last 25 years. According to Office of Advocacy Report 2022, small businesses account for 2/3 of all jobs created in the economy during the past 25 years. Forbes.com reveals that small businesses have a high failure rate. Only one in two survives to five years, and one out three lasts for ten or more years.
Small businesses are important, but they can also be fragile. Many small businesses need funding for a variety of reasons, including startup costs, cash-flow challenges or expansion. As a small-business owner, you have several options for funding. This article explains what small business loans are and why they can be beneficial to your company.
What is a small business loan?
A small-business loan, as the name suggests, is any loan offered by a lender to small-business owners for their growth and daily operations. These loans are often backed by the Small Business Administration, but this is not a prerequisite for the loan.
These loans are available from many commercial banks as well as online lenders. Most banks do offer SBA-backed loan but they have a long approval process with mediocre approval rates. Online lenders, on the other hand, may not always be backed by SBA, but often have a more flexible borrowing criteria and a quicker fund transfer process.
Why do small businesses need business loans?
Many reasons can cause a small company to fail. According to statistics from Zippia cash flow issues are a factor in 82% business failures. A lack of demand for the product of the business is a factor in 42% of the cases. For 29%, the failure was due to a lack of funds.
Small business loans are a great way to solve financial problems that many businesses face.
Small business loans are used for a variety of purposes.
- Financing Equipment Purchases
- Growth or expansion of business
- Product Research and Development
- Cash flow management: How to keep it healthy
- Marketers
- Managing inventory
- Covering seasonal sales issues
- Consolidation of debt
- Hiring and Payroll
Types of Small-Business Loans
When applying for a small business loan, you have several options. These are the most popular types.
Working Capital Loans
Working Capital loans can help small businesses cover their daily expenses. They are used to cover operating costs, and other business expenses such as rent, utility bills, and vendor invoices. They can also be used to cover slow sales periods. You can read our article to learn more about working capital loans.
Line of Credit
Your lender will set a credit limit for a line-of-credit. Up to the credit limit, you can use it to fund any business need. The money you have drawn is what you repay, not your credit limit. These loans are perfect for small business owners who need access to flexible funding.
Short-Term Loans
A business loan is designed to meet the immediate financial requirements of a company. Usually, they have a short repayment period of 12 to 18 month. These loans may have higher interest rates than other types. They are ideal for temporary cash flow problems, provided you have confidence that your business will be able to repay the loan.
Equipment Financing
Equipment financing, as the name suggests, is a loan that helps your business buy or lease equipment. The equipment that you purchase is usually used as collateral for these loans. This means you do not have to use other assets. In the event of default, your lender will sell the equipment and recover its costs.
Accounts Receivable
You can borrow money against your invoices that are not paid. A lender will give your company a certain percentage of the accounts receivable amount as a line of credit or loan. Invoices are used as collateral and repayment occurs when your clients pay. Learn about the advantages of accounts receivable finance by reading our blog.
How does a small business loan work?
Four common steps are followed by most lenders for small business loan applications, even though each lender has its own criteria and process.
- Approval
- Approval
- Payment
- Repayment
Small Business Loans: How to Apply
It’s not as simple as sending a form to apply for a small-business loan. Before you can start the application, there are a few things to do.
You can do this by researching lenders and finding one that suits your needs. After you have found the best lender, you will need to gather all the necessary financial and tax documents. These may include:
- Profit and Loss Statements
- Declaratory statements of debt
- Returns of income for the owner, and major shareholders
Some lenders will also request a business proposal to learn more about you and your company.
You need to determine which loan type is best for your business and how much money you will need to borrow. These are both critical decisions, as making the wrong decision could result in a loan you can’t afford to repay or one that doesn’t meet your business’ needs.
You can apply for a loan if you are sure you have all the documents you need.
Approval of Small Business Loan Applications
The lender will then go through a process of approval once they receive your application. The lender will look for red flags which may indicate that your business could be a high-risk borrower. These red flags are:
- Low business or personal credit scores
- High debt to income ratio
- Poor profits or projections
Lenders may also be hesitant to lend money to a new business or one in a high-risk industry like gambling. Specialty lenders who offer loans tailored to specific industries or businesses may be better than small business lenders in these situations.
This information is used by the lender to create a profile of your business’s risk. The lender will decide whether or not to approve your loan application based on the level of risk that you represent. They may also determine how much money to lend, and what conditions to attach to it.
The loan amount is disbursed
The lender will send the loan terms and conditions to your company after it has approved your application. The document will inform you about the repayment cycle, the term, and the rate of interest. If you are happy with the terms, you can sign the loan agreement and receive your funds.
The type of loan will determine how you receive your funds. Most of the time, the terms of the loan will determine whether you receive a lump-sum payment or if the funds are paid in installments. A line of credit, on the other hand, is different in that you can access funds up to a certain limit. You can borrow up to your credit limit. Repayments will vary depending on the amount you have borrowed.
Paying back the Small Business Loan
The repayment conditions will vary according to the type of loan.
Most small business loans require daily, weekly or monthly repayments. Some loans require a set amount of repayment, plus interest. Some loans, like a line-of-credit, require that you make repayments according to how much you borrowed.
The account receivable loan works differently, because you use your unpaid invoices to secure the loan. Invoices are used to repay the lender, so you do not have to make periodic repayments.
If you default on your small-business loan, it can cause several problems. These problems can range from a negative mark on your credit report, which makes other lenders less likely to lend to you, to the lender taking any collateral assets that you have used to secure the loan.
FAQs
What happens if you don’t pay back your small business loan?
Failure to repay a small business loan can have varying consequences. Your lender can claim the asset you used as collateral if it was used as collateral. Missing repayments can also make it more difficult to obtain loans in the future, as lenders will be less trusting of you.
How do small business loans get repaid?
The type and conditions of the small business loan will determine how much you repay. Most loans require regular repayments of a set amount. Some loans require varying repayments based on the amount borrowed, like a line-of-credit.
Can you get a loan for a business with no income?
Most lenders won’t give you a loan for a small company if there is no revenue. It’s best to apply for a Startup Loan, which is designed for new businesses that have no customers.
