Financial Strategies

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.

A prudent approach to working capital management is becoming more difficult for most commercial borrowers. Commercial loans have always been more complicated than realized by most business owners. Recent financing difficulties involving commercial mortgages, SBA loans and business cash advances have added significantly to the complexity of the entire commercial lending process.

This article will provide a brief overview describing some of the business financing resources which should be thoroughly evaluated by commercial borrowers as part of their prudent approach to successful working capital funding. All of the recommended sources are free and available online. Business owners should contact the author directly or use one of the leading internet search engines to locate the most appropriate sites.

The first resource can be located by searching online for “working capital financing special reports” or “commercial loans special reports”. This will provide links to a wide variety of recent articles addressing relevant issues such as difficulties which are likely in refinancing SBA loans. Commercial borrowers should especially benefit from reading about recent adverse developments involving business cash advances and small business mortgages.

A second resource will be discovered by looking for “commercial mortgages and commercial loans guide”. This site includes candid advice about avoiding problems with commercial real estate loans and business opportunity financing. Also included at the website are some especially relevant articles. A prime example is a special report describing what a commercial borrower can do if a bank declines their commercial real estate financing application.

A third key commercial funding resource can be reached by searching for “business cash advance and working capital guide”. As you might expect, this particular site primarily addresses issues related to working capital strategies. Of special note at this site is an executive summary about small business cash management. This summary report includes a list of ten problems to avoid with credit card receivables financing.

A fourth resource which should be helpful to anyone that currently owns or is about to buy commercial property can be found by looking for “real estate investment property loan and business finance guide”. This site will provide a useful perspective about some critical problems to avoid with commercial mortgages and SBA loans. For example, a report at the site discusses how to avoid malpractice with commercial loans.

For additional insights about business loan reports available through internet sources, we recommend including terms like “avoiding problems” together with other descriptions such as “working capital” and “commercial mortgage loans”. For example, by searching for “avoiding problems with working capital loans”, commercial borrowers should obtain useful insights about difficulties to be avoided in their own business financing efforts.

There are also some suggested precautions to observe in this approach to researching commercial loans. Two of the most important issues are highlighted below.

First, most small business mortgages and working capital funding strategies are highly likely to be more complex than expected by commercial borrowers. Although written sources can identify general problems for business owners to anticipate, there will usually be specific complexities that require more detail than can be provided in a generic article.

Second, because of the complicated nature of commercial loan underwriting, there is really no substitute for individualized discussions between a commercial borrower and a knowledgeable business financing advisor. Prudent business owners should insist on detailed and personalized interactions with a working capital management expert before finalizing their funding decisions.

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.