Small business owners with no credit or poor credit history may find themselves having a hard time getting the capital they need to grow their businesses. Franklin Merchant Capital has loan specialists that can tap hard-to-find lending sources to support your growth. Credit scores are important as the path of least resistance, but not the end-all in securing the financing you need.
On this page you’ll find the following topics:
In 2022, the economy is a turbulent environment. And since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out in 2020 it has fluctuated with positive and negative news. The economy grew 7.5% in 2021, jobs reports beat expectations, and unemployment remains low, but with that has been a spike in inflation, in part created by fast growth and an overloaded supply chain that is causing a shortage of items in the consumer market, thus higher prices.
Good credit scores are certainly helpful in securing small business loans for inventory, operations, and/or expansion. Whether that means you have good business credit or have good personal credit to back up the business, or not.
Banks are risk-averse, but that doesn’t mean there are no options for you. We recognize the bureaucracy in dealing with big institutions, as well as have access to smaller unknown ones and access to different types of loan structures.
Apply now to speak with our Funding Specialists.
One of the aspects that separate us from the competition is that we have a wide variety of business lending solutions ranging from those with good credit to no credit. Moreover, we customize programs to meet your needs, rather than try to squeeze you into a predefined program. Low FICO scores don’t preclude you from getting the business funds you need.
Working with Franklin Merchant Capital is easy: we have a quick and easy application process with little paperwork; loan specialists to guide you every step; high approvals and fast turnaround.
Credit scores matter, absolutely. When you apply for a small business loan, depending on the ‘type’ of funding you’re looking for, lending will want to see credit scores.
Your FICO credit score relies on the 5 C’s that include your character, your capacity, capital, the conditions, and your collateral. These are used to determine how reliable you are in regard to paying your debts, the timeliness, and the amount of debt you have in relation to assets and income.
The FICO score is the most common model, although there are several credit scoring models.
The different FICO credit scores range from:
If your FISCO score is 300 – 629, it is considered “bad credit.” However, you may still be able to secure a business loan even if your score falls within a lower range, you may be able to secure a bad credit business loan from an alternative lender that focuses more on where your business is going in the future than on what’s influenced your credit score in the past. Franklin Merchant Capital can help you navigate the maze of lenders to find the correct one for your business.
Even if you have bad credit, you can still obtain the funding you need to grow and operate your business.
There are three steps.
Lenders will always want to see your personal credit score to identify how well you’ve managed your debts previously, and then assess the risks involved with providing you for a loan. This doesn’t mean you can’t secure a lending source without a good credit score, but it is always good to work on (rewrite improving your credit score) before applying for a loan so you can have options to secure the best financing sources to explore.
There are specific requirements for each type of financing that may be seeking. Traditional business loans are often based on the following factors:
If you research the requirements (or have Franklin Merchant Capital loan specialists research it for you) for each type of small business funding you may be considering so that you can determine which bad credit small business loans give you the best odds for approval.
Get personalized guidance from Franklin Merchant Capital for personalized on your financing options.
With such a wide variety of lending options for business owners with bad credit, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t research the lender’s reputation, just as they are reviewing yours. If they are credible, then explore their eligibility requirements and repayment terms, as these can vary quite a bit from lender to lender.
There is a broad range of financing options for business owners with bad credit outside of traditional loans. When exploring alternative financing options, consider not only the eligibility requirements and repayment terms, but also the (rewrite lender’s reputation). Speak to service reps, and read borrower reviews to gain insights. Want you should seek out is a lender committed to supporting your journey to success, and one that has a proven track record of satisfied customers.
Bad credit doesn’t mean you can’t obtain a small business loan. But there are things that would help your chances. Certainly, if you have to foresight to recognize you’ll need financing in the future before you need it, then you can begin preparing for when that day arrives.
Here are two ways you may be able to improve your chances of getting a small business loan with bad credit.
Lenders face inherent risks when providing business loans to small businesses. Even qualified borrowers are subject to q downturn in business, or economic disruption in the marketplace that leaves them unable to repay the loan. So the more collateral you have, the less risk is placed on the lending institution. To that end, there are two primary options;
Ask a Funding Specialist which type of financing is right for you.
If you have a business partner, family member, mentor, or friend with strong credit, you may want to ask them to co-sign a loan with you. While they become the safety net for the lending institution if you default, you can increase your credit score if you maintain on-time payments.
Types of Bad Credit Business Loans
If you have poor credit or no credit, there are alternative lenders, which include:
A short-term small business fixed loan provides is paid back with preset payments that include both principal and interest. The business received a lump sum for the full value of the loan.
A short-term business line of credit is ideal for businesses that have an ebb and tide of cash flow needs. This might be a business that is seasonal, for example. It works similar to a credit card, in that the borrower is preapproved to borrow up to a certain amount, but can draw down on it as needed. They then only pay interest on the amount of the loan outstanding.
If you have collateral to secure your bad credit business loan, you’re giving the lender the option to seize the collateral if you should default on your payments. But they can only seize assets up to the limit of their losses. These types of loans are also referred to as secured business loans. Most commonly, secured business loans use equipment or invoices as collateral.
If you’re running a small business in need of cash flow, a merchant cash advance might be right for you. Typically these types of loans are best suited to businesses that collect payments from customers via credit card. The lender would then provide you with a lump-sum loan in exchange for a percentage of future credit and debit card receivables. While this option may not be suitable for every business, a merchant cash advance is often easy to apply for and relies on the strength of sales, history. It has steeper interest rates but is easier to get than other types of loans.
Working capital loans are used to balance out your cash flow. It is often used to finance everyday business operations like wages, inventory, and/or taxes and subcontractors. These types of loans unlike other types are not for investments into long-term assets. You can apply now, quickly, and with minimal paperwork.
See how much funding you qualify for.
Whether you have good personal credit or not, or any business credit or not there are a few factors that might influence the terms of your business loan and your odds of approval.
So before applying for a bad credit business loan, here are some things you should consider.
Business loan lenders will most always take into account your personal credit score to determine your creditworthiness. It is a numerical representation of your ability to pay back the loan. But even if your FICO credit score is low, your payment history also plays a part. So it is always a good idea to work on raising your personal credit score.
Low credit scores are not only reliant on your personal credit on-time payments: it is also based on the ratio of your income vs. your outstanding balances. Therefore, pay down your outstanding loans as swiftly as possible before applying for a business loan. There are times that you may be approved for additional personal credit, but too much credit can hurt your score if you do not have the income to support it. As such, make sure your approved personal credit is in line with your ability to pay.
Business owners with great credit generally receive the best interest rates on their loans. If your personal or business credit score is low, there’s a greater chance your loan will include a higher annual percentage rate (APR), which describes the interest you pay for a year.
The good news is that securing a small loan with a manageable APR can help improve your credit score over time. If you are approved for small business loans for bad credit, each on-time payment can help raise your credit score while providing the financing you need to run and grow your business. And rising business income can help when applying for a business loan.
While banks are the traditional lending institutions and credit unions tend to have strict policies and eligibility requirements for loan approval. They also tend to be slower and require more documentation. Whether you have above-average or less-than-perfect credit, here are just a few benefits of alternative and online lenders compared to traditional lenders:
Certainly, a well-established business will have greater success in securing loans from traditional lenders, providing more options and the best terms.
Younger [or startup businesseses] may have a harder time meeting a bank’s strict lending standards. On the other hand, alternative and online lenders, actively cater to underserved business owners. Franklin Merchant Capital has experts that work with businesses that have been in operation for just one year.
Consider other types of lending solutions. THese may include:
Small business financing terms often include additional costs you must consider beyond the principal amount of a loan. By keeping loan costs to a minimum, you’ll have more capital to reinvest in your business.
Small business loan costs often include:
There are some general benchmarks that may contribute to your loan approval:*
*These benchmarks do not represent actual approval odds for financing. Franklin Merchant Capital doesn’t consider credit score in our bad credit loan decisions — but instead bases approval on time in business and annual gross sales.
There are many factors to consider when evaluating your different loan options, so your decision to obtain financing for your business is important. including:
The time in which a short-term loan needs to be repaid is typically one to three years. For a mid-term loan that extends to three to five years. The requirements to qualify for these types of loans can vary, as does the interest rates and payment terms.
Interest rates fluctuate depending on the length and terms of the loan. But typically interest rates can be lower on longer-term loans, but the overall money paid on interest could end up being greater.
It is important when developing your budget to assess your monthly operating costs, and then calculate how much of an interest burden your business can carry.
Not every business can obtain the ideal loan they’re seeking. Monthly payback rates may be higher than your budget allows for, or the initial loan is not quite enough to accomplish the growth and/or expansion that you had intended.
These are all issues business owners have to weigh and contend with. You may need to realign your budget through cost-cutting, and/or make other changes. Note: marketing is one of the first things businesses look to cut when it should be the last.
Traditional lenders, such as banks, often require more information, while alternative lending sources request less. Business credit scores and personal credit scores are taken into account.
If you’re seeking a bad credit small business loan, annual revenue may be an important factor for eligibility. Typically, if you do qualify, it would be for 8-10% of your annual revenue.
Annual revenue is important, but so too is profitability. Some lenders will want to see evidence that your business is profitable, and thereby able to make the loan repayments. Profitability is not always to be all end all, however. Even if you’re not currently profitable, some lenders will take a shot with you if you can demonstrate several years of growth.
You may have difficulty securing a new loan if you already have other outstanding loans. This is especially true if you posted collateral and have a UCC lien on that collateral, or the business itself. In such a scenario you should consider a consolidation loan as part of a refinancing.
If the old saying “cash is king” is true, then certainly cash flow is queen. Lenders want to know that you have the available cash on hand each month to make the required loan payments. Prove to them you can and your chances for approval go up.
Red flags to lenders can be recent bankruptcy, especially a history of them, and/or foreclosures. While poor or little credit doesn’t disqualify you automatically, it does make securing a loan difficult for bad credit business loans. Franklin Merchant Capital has loan specialists that can assist you in finding the loans you need.
Some lenders may want to review your business plan to better understand your business, but Franklin Merchant Capital doesn’t require it. However, developing a business plan may be a good exercise in better understanding business, including:
Your business plan should clearly define operations, markets, sales, and growth plans, and financing required.
Business loans are not a one-time need. As a business grows it will always need new loan funding to finance that growth. This includes the expansion of ongoing operations, new equipment, and/or inventory.
You can increase your chances of obtaining the best terms of future loans by many of the suggestions above, which we list again below.
Make a plan to improve your personal credit. If necessary, get a collateralized card where you deposit the amount — upfront — to cover your credit line.
When applying for a business loan, personal credit matters, as it provides insights to the potential lender of your character and responsibility.
Get proactive about improving your credit score with these simple steps:
The major credit bureaus are TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian. Below is a list of links to those and others.
Transunion
Creditwise
Experian
Equifax
Creditkarma
You can also establish business credit with a collateralized business credit card. Similar to the personalized card we mentioned earlier, you would have to deposit cash into the account as security. As you use the card and make timely payments, you can slowly get the limit raised.
To have a business credit card you’d obviously have to have a legal incorporated business, a Federal Identification Number (EIN), and a business bank account. (talk to a business consultant at A2Zbusiness.consulting
As you’re attempting to secure new business loans, the amount of that loan has to align with your business plan and the budget associated with it.
Depending on the nature of your business, adding experienced business partners to your staff, board of directors, or even an advisory board, may improve your creditworthiness.
Another tip would be to get reference letters from suppliers and vendors to help establish your trustworthiness.
Bad credit business loans are not the only way of obtaining the funding you need. As mentioned previously, an MCA (Merchant Cash Advance) is much easier than obtaining a traditional loan. Family and friends are another sources where you may be able to find financing.
Provided that you do secure a bad credit business loan, and then maintain it by making timely payments and ultimately paying it off, the next loan application is more likely to be approved, and with better terms.
If you’re now ready to proceed in seeking a bad credit business loan, speak with one of the Franklin Merchant Capital loan specialists today for FREE. Simply apply here to see how much funding you qualify for. Let us help you get the funds you need.
Best Ways Consolidate Business Loans, Merchant Cash Advance, Bad Credit, All Blogs, Consolidation Loan Programs, Financing Options For Small Business