SBA & business financing, explained
Practical guides from people who close these deals for a living. No jargon, no sales pitch — just how the financing actually works and how to make it work for you.
Personal Guaranties and Collateral on SBA Loans: What You're Actually Signing
Most SBA borrowers sign a personal guaranty, and many pledge their home. What those documents mean, who has to sign, and the questions to ask before closing.
SDE, EBITDA and Add-Backs: How Lenders Read the Cash Flow of a Business You're Buying
The listing prices the business on SDE. The lender sizes the loan on something else. How the three numbers differ, and how to close the gap before it costs you.
Seller Financials: What a Lender Needs to See Before You Can Buy a Business
An acquisition loan is underwritten on the seller's numbers. Which documents lenders typically ask for, why tax returns win, and how to avoid a year-end stall.
Business Line of Credit vs. SBA Term Loan: Picking the Right Tool for Working Capital
A line of credit and an SBA term loan solve different working-capital problems. How to tell which one your cash gap actually needs — and when to use both.
Why SBA Loan Requests Get Declined — and the Fixes That Actually Work
The real reasons SBA loan requests get declined — cash flow, price, equity, experience, eligibility, lender fit — and what actually fixes each one.
The SBA Loan Timeline: LOI to Closing, and What a Year-End Close Really Takes
How long an SBA acquisition loan actually takes, phase by phase — what drives the schedule, what stalls it, and how to work backward from a year-end close.
Seller Financing in an SBA Acquisition: How Seller Notes Actually Work
How seller notes fit into an SBA acquisition — when a note counts toward your equity injection, what standby really means, and how to negotiate one.
CRE vs. No-CRE SBA Loans: How Real Estate Changes Your Deal
Adding commercial real estate to an SBA loan changes the term, the payment, the diligence, and the timeline. Here's what actually shifts, and when it's worth it.
What Makes a Strong SBA Loan Application
What SBA lenders actually look for in an application, which weaknesses sink deals, and how to fix the fixable ones before you submit anything.
Equipment Financing vs. SBA 504: Which One Fits Your Purchase?
Equipment financing and SBA 504 both pay for equipment, very differently. How to tell which fits your purchase — and when a 7(a) beats both.
Financing a Partner Buyout With an SBA 7(a) Loan
How to use an SBA 7(a) loan to buy out a business partner: what lenders underwrite, how the equity injection works, and the details that sink these deals.
How Much Down Payment Do You Need to Buy a Business With an SBA Loan?
What SBA lenders expect you to put down when buying a business, what actually counts toward your equity injection, and practical ways to close a down-payment gap.
How SBA 7(a) Refinancing Works
How the SBA 7(a) program lets business owners refinance high-cost or balloon debt into longer, more affordable terms — and when it actually makes sense.
SBA 7(a) vs. 504: Which Loan Fits Your Deal
The two big SBA loan programs do very different jobs. A plain-English guide to when to use SBA 7(a), when 504 is the better fit, and when you can combine them.