Bits Finance

Posts Tagged ‘Commercial Loans’

Although banks and other business lenders have made a pointed effort to portray themselves as lending normally, very few business owners are likely to suggest that there is anything normal about obtaining financing from current commercial finance programs. It has become a routine occurrence for small business owners to be told by their current commercial lender that it will be necessary to seek another source for commercial loans and working capital.

I published several earlier articles which addressed some of the problems that commercial borrowers are experiencing when they attempt to obtain working capital financing and commercial loans. It has become clear that current commercial lending conditions have become even more difficult for most business owners. For example, one of these commercial finance reports described the unfortunate possibility of firing your banker as one of several guerrilla financing techniques that might be required for a small business to survive in the face of extreme business banking conditions.

It would not be realistic to suggest that there are one or two obvious business lending sources that will solve the working capital needs for all businesses in need of help. Nevertheless I would not advocate the guerrilla financing tactic of firing your bank and your banker if there were not suitable alternative sources for small business financing.

Identifying the most likely alternatives can be accomplished in several ways but one of the most effective approaches will include detailed discussions with commercial loans experts that are experienced in nationwide business financing similar to what the business owner currently needs. Realistically the search for new commercial lending sources must start with an admission from a small business owner that they do in fact need to find a new source for business loans.

The best commercial finance solutions will depend on the business location, type of financing, kind of business, operating history and size of loan desired. A key point for business owners to remember is that there really are a number of viable and effective commercial lenders that are currently active in making commercial loans to businesses that are in desperate need of commercial financing. Some of the most realistic sources for small business loans are operating regionally rather than nationally.

In addition to the advice contained in this article, small business owners should review commercial finance resources such as The Working Capital Management Guide, a free online publication which focuses on short term capital financing strategies. Commercial borrowers should also have a candid discussion with a commercial loan expert who is capable of providing appropriate help for their unique business financing needs.

e been some disappointing and unexpected actions taken by commercial lenders in response to recent financial events. This changing environment for business finance funding is likely to produce several new problems for commercial borrowers. To assist small business owners in their efforts to keep up with these imposing challenges, The Working Capital Journal is one of several commercial financing information resources which should be reviewed regularly. The working capital finance industry has primarily been operating on a regional and local basis for many years. In response to cost-cutting that has permeated many industries, there has been a consolidation that has resulted in fewer effective commercial lenders throughout the United States. Most business owners have been understandably confused about what this might mean for the future of their commercial financing efforts, especially because this has happened in a relatively short period of time. Of course, for some time there have been ongoing complex problems for commercial borrowers to avoid when seeking commercial loans. But what has produced a new set of business finance funding problems is that we appear to be entering a period which will be characterized by even more uncertainties in the economy. Previous rules and standards for commercial financing and working capital finance are likely to increasingly change quickly, with little advance notice by business lenders. Business owners should make an extended effort to understand what is happening and what to do about it due to this realization that substantial changes are likely throughout the United States in the near future for commercial finance funding. At the forefront of these efforts should be a review of what actions commercial lenders have already taken in recent months. The Working Capital Journal is one prominent example of a free public resource that will facilitate a better understanding of the responses by business lenders to recent economic circumstances. By publicizing actions taken by commercial lenders, this will contribute to these two goals, both of which are likely to be helpful to typical business owners: (1) To highlight controversial bank-lender tactics with a view toward reducing or eliminating questionable lending practices. (2) To help business owners prepare for commercial finance funding changes. Sources that currently include The Working Capital Journal are actively encouraging business owners to describe and report their financing experiences so that they can be shared with a broader audience to assist in this effort. Some of the most significant commercial financing changes reported so far by commercial borrowers involve working capital loans, commercial construction financing and credit card financing. A notable situation of concern is that predatory lending practices by credit card issuers have been reported by many business owners. Some specific businesses such as restaurants are having an especially difficult time in surviving recently because they have been excluded from obtaining any new business financing by many banks. One of the few recent bright spots in business finance funding, as noted in The Working Capital Journal, has been the continuing ability of business owners to obtain working capital quickly by business cash advance programs. For most businesses accepting credit cards, this commercial financing approach should be actively considered. Business cash advances are literally saving the day for many small business owners because most banks appear to be doing a terrible job of providing commercial loans and other working capital finance help in the midst of recent financial and economic uncertainties. For example, as noted above, restaurants are virtually unable to currently obtain commercial finance funding from most banks. However, if a restaurant accepts credit cards in their business operations, they are likely to be able to obtain needed cash from merchant cash advances and credit card factoring.

The value of having a Plan B should be familiar to most small business owners. However it seems that the concept of contingency planning is overlooked all too often with regard to commercial loans and working capital strategies.

One of the most entertaining and effective depictions of contingency planning can be witnessed in a movie called “Rare Birds”. This movie stars William Hurt and includes a particularly relevant line, “Always have a Plan B”, that is repeated several times. The movie should be seen by any business owner who doubts the importance of contingency plans.

The usefulness of a Plan B mentality is likely to be beneficial to many aspects of running a successful business. For various reasons, however, contingency planning appears to be under-utilized when business owners are seeking new working capital via business financing strategies such as commercial mortgages and business cash advances.

Contingency planning might be under-utilized when business owners are seeking commercial financing simply because business borrowers assume that there are not effective alternatives to the working capital financing they are seeking. As a result, many business owners might believe that it would not make sense to explore a contingency financing plan. A practical benefit of viewing the recommended movie is that it will become second nature to realize at times like this that businesses should “Always have a Plan B”.

Plan B contingency business financing can be viewed as insurance to protect a business owner in the event that something goes wrong with their working capital management. A few examples are provided below.

First, many small businesses have commercial loans that contain recall provisions that permit the lender to review the financing each year. With such terms, the lender can continue a business financing role for some borrowers and selectively eliminate what they consider to be marginal loans by exercising the recall clause. If they do, the borrower will need to pay off the entire loan or refinance within a limited period of time. The best solution for avoiding this possibility is to review current business loans and explore Plan B refinancing options if recall terms are included.

Second, a number of local banks throughout the United States have recently decided to pull the plug on future business financing. When they do so, very little advance notice has been provided in most instances. If a business has commercial loans or commercial mortgages with a regional or local lender, a Plan B should be developed for the contingency that alternative business loan arrangements could be needed in the near future.

Third, many providers for business cash advances are notorious for making unrealistic promises regarding the timing and terms for their financing. To prepare for this increasingly-common possibility, business owners should engage in thorough discussions with a working capital advance advisor before proceeding. Unlike the first two examples, in this case the Plan B approach must occur before financial arrangements are completed.

Fourth, many lenders for SBA financing, commercial mortgages and business opportunity loans are equally guilty of over-promising and under-delivering. This seems to occur disproportionately with local banks. Similar to the recommended business cash advance approach, commercial borrowers should pursue Plan B contingency financing. The ideal timing for discussing alternative commercial financing options is before committing to a specific lender.

“Always have a Plan B” is the connecting theme for the examples described above as well as other circumstances in which contingency planning is appropriate for business financing. The presence of a Plan B mentality is likely to contribute to many aspects of running a successful small business in addition to improving commercial loans.