Financial Strategies

iness owners develop their small business loan plans for future financing and refinancing throughout the United States, there is an increasing awareness that there have been significant business finance changes that cannot be ignored. Some of these measures are likely to end up being permanent, and even the temporary commercial mortgage loan and working capital loan changes are expected to be in place for an extended time due to the severity of the current financial climate.

The net result from business finance changes has been a reduction in commercial lenders as well as stricter standards for acquiring commercial loans and commercial mortgages. Unfortunately there has also been no shortage of misinformation about the availability of commercial funding.

A significant reduction in business lending activity overall is perhaps the most dramatic change. This has been due to several events occurring almost simultaneously. Several major commercial lenders have gone out of business altogether. Even though they have continued consumer lending, many banks have stopped commercial finance lending. Numerous business lenders have enacted stricter standards for the commercial financing transactions they are still willing to consider.

It remains to be seen how many changes will be permanent or temporary. But from a practical perspective, commercial borrowers are left with no choice but to adapt to the changing business finance environment. Business owners must be prepared to operate within a more complicated climate for commercial mortgage loans and small business loans regardless of how long the changes might be kept in place.

What should borrowers do about this? A primary option that business owners should explore involves looking beyond their local market area for help with commercial loans. A commercial financing expert operating throughout the United States should be helpful in improving upon this situation.

In addition to fewer business lenders to choose from, there are two other significant changes which must be anticipated by business owners before seeking new commercial loans. First, commercial lenders are increasingly demanding more collateral for virtually all business finance funding. Second, most lenders have cancelled or are about to eliminate unsecured lines of credit (usually called working capital loans) for many businesses.

Considering a business cash advance program based on future credit card processing transactions is likely to be an effective commercial financing strategy for overcoming the combined obstacles of more collateral, reduced unsecured credit lines and fewer lenders. This is proving to be one of the few sources of business funding that has not been adversely impacted by recent events. It will be productive to discuss the potential with a business finance expert who can provide advice about small business financing solutions including business cash advances and other financial options.

It is increasingly obvious that many banks will continue to modify their business lending programs in response to changing conditions. This means that another key change issue for working capital financing and commercial mortgages is the likelihood that more changes will be forthcoming in the near future.

To adequately prepare for future commercial finance changes that might (or might not) occur is a daunting task for a business owner. A commercial financing expert familiar with Plan B contingency financing for small business loans will prove to be a valuable resource for any borrower wanting to seriously deal with both current and future changes impacting the financial health of their business. By having a candid conversation with a commercial loan expert, business owners should be more capable of implementing an appropriate strategy for the vast changes which have recently occurred or are about to become effective for most business financing and working capital finance funding.

As a result of an increasing commercial financing crisis, commercial borrowers are evaluating new alternatives for business finance funding. Business cash advances and credit card financing are two working capital financing options which have proven to be effective and practical sources of operating cash for small business owners.

The use of credit card financing often refers to business cash advances in which working capital is obtained by business owners based upon future credit card processing activity. Alternatively the use of personal credit cards to obtain a cash advance is also referred to as a credit card loan. With business finance funding shortages, small business owners are increasingly using both approaches to obtain operating cash for their business. The two financing approaches are not equal in terms of how they are viewed by commercial financing experts although the strategies might be called by the same name occasionally.

Many commercial lenders have suddenly reduced or cancelled business lines of credit and other forms of working capital loans. In response, many business owners have been forced to rely on cash obtained via their personal credit cards to sustain their businesses. In order to prepare for several of the most undesirable actions being taken by many credit card loan lenders, we urge all commercial borrowers to review the predatory lending discussion in The Working Capital Journal.

For business owners using or about to use personal credit cards to secure operating capital, we want to make two important comments: (1) We consider this to be a last resort method of business financing and whenever possible it should be avoided. Before assuming that this is the only source of capital available, commercial borrowers should consult with a working capital finance expert. The possibility of business cash advances and working capital loans should be thoroughly explored. (2) This questionable method of obtaining commercial finance funding will prove to be increasingly more difficult because credit card issuers are already cutting back on their unsecured lending programs.

Most banks are doing with credit cards what they have already done with business line of credit programs. They are reducing or cancelling credit lines even when borrowers have a superb payment record. The current basis for bank reductions of both commercial lines of credit and credit card cash is based on similar rationale. With unsecured commercial loans or personal loans, banks fear that massive defaults are almost inevitable due to a very shaky economy and business lending climate. Unlike residential real estate financing in which real property is pledged as collateral, banks know that they have no collateral to fall back on with working capital loans and credit card loans because they are unsecured. Many small business owners use home equity lines of credit to obtain operating cash, and these funding sources are also diminishing in most areas of the United States. Although these lending programs are backed by collateral, the value of homes in many areas has decreased to the point that many outstanding loans exceed the current property value.

One of the most disturbing and frustrating occurrences in the current difficult commercial financing environment is the lack of clear information for many business owners about which funding options are realistic and possible. Thousands of borrowers might have obtained operating cash from personal credit cards when there were better options for this one factor alone (confusion and misinformation).

Due to the growing tendency of several major credit card issuers to exhibit predatory lending practices, the use of personal credit card loans should be avoided. At a minimum, each business owner should contact a business finance funding expert to determine if a business cash advance program or a working capital loan program can be used to obtain needed cash.

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.