Finance
Understand what financing you can realistically pursue.
Strategic FIRM Finance helps startups and small to medium businesses work out which capital sources fit, what the terms mean, and how to present the business so a lender can say yes.
Advice and preparation, not a lending desk.
Strategic FIRM Inc. is not a bank and not a lender. Strategic FIRM Finance advises on financing options, prepares the business to be assessed properly, and introduces owners to third-party lenders and capital sources. No financing outcome is promised or guaranteed.
That distinction matters, because most declined applications are not declined on the merits of the business. They are declined on a file that did not answer the questions a lender was always going to ask.
What It Is For
Financing is not one product.
Matching the instrument to the use is most of the work. A five-year term loan for a seasonal cash gap is a problem, not a solution.
Startup capital
Getting a new business open and funded through its first months.
Business expansion
Another location, another crew, more capacity.
Equipment
Machinery, kitchen equipment, tools and technology.
Vehicles
Trucks, vans, trailers and fleet additions.
Working capital
Covering the gap between doing the work and being paid for it.
Improvements
Build-out, renovation and leasehold improvements.
Acquisitions
Buying a business, a book of work, or eligible business assets.
Specialized projects
One-off projects that need their own funding structure.
Capital Sources
Who the introductions go to.
Strategic FIRM Finance works with and develops relationships across these categories. Which one fits depends on the business, the use of funds and the timeline.
SBA-related lenders
Bank and non-bank lenders participating in SBA-backed programs.
Microlenders
Smaller loan amounts, often with more flexibility for newer businesses.
Alternative business lenders
Faster products with different structures, terms and costs.
Equipment financing providers
Financing tied to the equipment or vehicle being purchased.
Other appropriate capital sources
Where a situation calls for a structure the categories above do not cover.
How It Works
From first conversation to a file a lender can read.
01
Review
What the business is, what the money is for, and what the numbers currently say.
02
Readiness
Where the file is weak, and what can realistically be improved before applying.
03
Package
Financials, returns, debt schedule and a clear written case for the request.
04
Introduce
To the capital sources that actually fit, with the file ready to be assessed.
Important
What we do not do.
Strategic FIRM Inc. does not lend money, does not hold deposits, and does not guarantee that any lender will approve a request. Rates, terms and eligibility are set by the lender, not by Strategic FIRM. Any figures discussed in an engagement are estimates until a lender issues terms in writing.
See the full Finance practice.
Strategic FIRM Finance has its own site, with the full service structure and how to start.