How this market actually works

What lenders actually look at

The five things that decide a commercial credit decision, in the order they are checked.

What to fix before you apply

The changes that move a file from marginal to bankable, roughly in order of effect per hour spent.

How long an SBA loan really takes

Week by week, where the time actually goes - and which delays are yours to control.

How to choose an SBA lender

Why the biggest lender is rarely the right one, and what the federal data lets you check first.

Buying a business with an SBA loan

Equity injection, standby seller notes, valuations, and the points where acquisition deals break.

Buying a franchise with an SBA loan

The SBA Franchise Directory, what the median loan does not tell you, and where franchise deals differ.

How to read a business financing offer

The six numbers that determine what an offer really costs, and where each one hides.

Merchant cash advances: the warning signs

How the most expensive money in small business finance is sold, and how to price it honestly.

How business financing scams work

Advance-fee fraud, fake grants, and lead resale - the three patterns that account for most of it.

When not to borrow

Borrowing solves timing problems. It makes structural problems worse, faster.