Franchise Business Loans In Canada. What You Can And Can’t Finance With A Franchising Loan

Tweet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avoid Doing Something Wrong With A Franchising Loan 

 

 

Franchise business loans in Canada.  Can the prospective franchisee avoid doing something really wrong when arranging their franchising loan? We think we can help clarify, so let's dig in.

 

 

PICKING YOUR FRANCHISE / FINANCING YOUR FRANCHISE PURCHASE

 

While a lot of entrepreneurs focus on the particular business or industry segment they are looking to participate in they sometimes sorely miss looking at how the franchise financing industry operates. It's somewhat of a given that it’s up to you to pick the franchise that best suits your talent, expertise, and budget.  But when it comes to financing your business are you 100% sure of the expectations of your lender or lenders.

 

If there is any good news is that you do have some solid options available to yourself when financing your new business.

 

  

KEY ELEMENTS OF A  FRANCHISE LOAN FINANCING   

 

What exactly are some of the key elements of any franchise finance scenario? Well, they include the franchise fee, equipment, leaseholds, working capital, and ongoing capital and cash flow needs.

 

 THE NECESSITY TO FINANCE LEASEHOLD IMPROVEMENTS 

 

Leaseholds are one of the most misunderstood aspects of the franchise finance mystery or conundrum.  Typical leaseholds might include construction, HVAC, plumbing, lighting drywall, etc. If your franchise is not going to be fully financed by a specialty franchise lender then the best solution to financing leaseholds is under the auspices of the Govt small business loan program, In fact, this program was designed solely for two asset categories - equipment... and the leaseholds we have been talking about.

 

In certain cases, the franchise lender may wish the co-operation of your landlord when it comes to what is understood as collateral in the terms of your agreement with the landlord. The situation can sometimes become more complex if there is not clarity and understanding around certain assets that you as a franchisee may have thought was a leasehold improvement as opposed to assets that become attached to the building such as oven hoods, etc. (That’s in the case of restaurants, etc)

 

At the end of the day, it’s both the combined quality of the franchise you are buying as well as your own financial strength as determined by opening balance sheet and projected revenues and profits. Business plans and cash flow projections are a necessity in franchise loans - At 7 Park Avenue Financial we prepare a business plan for clients that meet and exceed the requirements of lenders.

 

If there is one continuous misunderstanding or misconception that we see in discussions with clients on franchise business loans it’s as follows: The franchisor rarely plays a key role in franchise finance. That’s your job or the job of you and your Canadian business financing advisor. At the end of the day, your goal is simple - you want to be in a position to raise the right amount of capital you need to open and develop your business for success. Only the smallest percentage of franchisors in Canada offer any real tangible financing assistance.

 

  

4 TYPES OF FRANCHISE LENDERS  

 

Who are in fact the lenders you should be working with when arranging your franchise loan? In broad categories they are:

 

SPECIALTY FRANCHISE LENDERS

THE GOVERNMENT SMALL BUSINESS LOAN (very well suited to franchise finance) These loans are somewhat similar to U.S. ' sba loans'

EQUIPMENT LESSORS - They finance equipment and in some cases leaseholds

CANADIAN CHARTERED BANKS - Ongoing working capital and cash management -

 

The reality is for many franchises the type of loan you need may in fact be a cobbling together of a number of different finance solutions. In some franchises, there may even be a real estate component that can be often addressed separately.

 

Important to note also that you can buy a new franchise or one being sold from a franchisee that is selling, with the approval of the franchisor of course.

 

DO BANKS REALLY FINANCE FRANCHISES? YOU DECIDE!

 

Since our theme is ' avoiding doing something wrong ' in franchisee finance it’s important for us to clarify bank loans in this industry segment. While a bank would consider financing your business directly it would place heavy reliance on your equity in the business, your personal credit, and collateral that you might have in savings, your home, etc.  In our opinion where the banks do a better job is in the underwriting of the BIL loan when it comes to direct franchisee finance. Franchisees should ensure they can demonstrate a good credit score in personal finances as well as a reasonable net worth , which will also affect the interest rate they can achieve. Interest rates are at an all-time low for every type of business financing and won't vary greatly in most franchise funding alternatives .

 

  

CONCLUSION  

 

To avoid making tragic, costly and time wasting mistakes in a franchising loan consider seeking and speaking to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can asset you with franchise business loans that make sense for your future investment  and success.

 

 

7 Park Avenue Financial :
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8

Direct Line = 416 319 5769

Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Click Here For 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL website !



7 Park Avenue Financial provides value-added financing consultation for small and medium-sized businesses in the areas of cash flow, working capital, and debt financing.



Business financing for Canadian firms, specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing, Equipment Leasing, franchise finance and Cdn. Tax Credit Finance. Founded 2004 - Completed in excess of 100 Million $ of financing for Canadian corporations.

' Canadian Business Financing With The Intelligent Use Of Experience '

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations. He is an experienced

business financing consultant

.

Prior to founding 7 Park Avenue Financial in 2004 his employers over the last 25 years were, ASHLAND OIL, ( 1977-1980) DIGITAL EQUIPMENT CORPORATION, ( 1980-1990) ) CABLE & WIRELESS PLC,( 1991 -1993) ) AND HEWLETT PACKARD ( 1994-2004 ) He is an expert in Canadian Business Financing.


Stan has over 40 years of business and financing experience. He has been recognized as a credit/financial executive for three of the largest technology companies in the world; Hewlett-Packard, Digital Equipment and Cable & Wireless. Stan has had in-depth, hands-on experience in assessing and evaluating thousands of companies that are seeking financing and expansion. He has been instrumental in helping many companies progress through every phase of financing, mergers & acquisitions, sales and marketing and human resources. Stan has worked with startups and public corporations and has many times established the financial wherewithal of organizations before approving millions of dollars of financing facilities and instruments on behalf of his employers.

Click here for the business finance track record of 7 Park Avenue Financial







Stan Prokop
7 Park Avenue Financial/Copyright/2020

The Secret Of Matching The Right Financing To Your Loan For A Franchise – Business Loans For Franchises .. Done Right

Canadian Franchise Finance

Information on matching proper financing for your loan for a franchise . Business Loans For Franchisees require specialized expertise




When looking for a loan for a franchise is it important to match the right financing to your purchase?

You bet it is! That's why some solid knowledge and tips in business loans for franchisees is definitely in order!..

Where exactly then does financing come in when it relates to the purchase of a franchise .It's critical. Because even though franchising provides you with an already proven business model its safe to say there is no real guarantee on cash flows and revenues.

And if your franchise purchase focuses on the importance of a good location there is of course no guaranteed knowledge that location will work out.

When the proper financing for a loan for a franchise is not undertaken you may find yourself in a position of not having planned for any initial operating losses to cover both operations and of course the financing cost - your monthly payment.

In some cases potential franchisees opt to in fact purchase an already existing franchise. Similar to a home purchase it’s known as a ' resale '. Here again financing is handled a bit differently, as a start up is not necessarily viewed, and financed, in the same manner as a new turnkey build operation .

Also, typically a start up turn key franchise involves leasehold improvements. These are traditionally harder to finance for any industry, even outside franchising. It's here that thousands of franchisees turn to the government business loan to facilitate the finance, via business loans, of leasehold improvement s.

Different types of financing in Canada for the franchisee require different types of personal investment. In the case of our aforementioned franchise Government Small Business Loan a minimum of 10% of permanent equity is required. We can refer to that as the owner equity or owner contribution to the business.

But a down payment in any type of franchise financing does not necessarily cover off the rest of the business loans issue, which of course relates to ongoing working capital for operations, growth, etc.

Canadian franchisees will also often difficult to finance their franchise fee, and typically we see that part of the transaction being financed by the owner as part of his, or her, overall equity contribution .

When you think of the overall financing package you need for a franchise business remember that it can be a complement of different types of financing. It could be a specialized finance loan that covers the entire purchase ; alternatively it could be a Govt BIL loan that is finalized perhaps with the assistance of some specialized lease finance structure for certain financeable assets.

The importance of planning for working capital needs is critical in the ultimate success of your business. Proper cash flow and business plan planning is critical. Often the franchisor can help you with an overview of working capital needs based on their experience within their chain.

Remember also that timing is everything in business - so don’t leave your finance planning to the last minute. It should be an integral part of your overall purchase plan.

So, as the commercial says, ‘ Don’t leave home without it ‘ referring in our case to a financial plan or roadmap that matches financing to need . If you do in fact realize the importance of matching the right financing to your purchase with respect to a loan for a franchise speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor for assistance.






Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial –

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 7 years - has completed in excess of 80 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations . Core competancies include receivables financing, asset based lending, working capital, equipment finance, franchise finance and tax credit financing.
Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/loan_for_franchise_financing_business_loans.html

Worried About Getting A Loan For A Franchise ? - Here's your 2011 Franchise Financing Guideline!

We know you'd rather start the New Year off with a positive attitude about your new role as entrepreneur - let’s demonstrate how you get a loan for a franchise and how franchise financing works in Canada.

Buying a franchise is clearly one of the bigger decisions you'll make in your personal and business life, and you want to be able to do that with specialized information and assistance to help you succeed.

We would never say there are a large number of ways to finance a franchise in Canada , but there are some tried, tested, proven and recommended methods and strategies and we'll show you how they work!

You never want to feel you have been pushed or misguided when you are thinking of getting a franchise financing loan. That's where professional info is always the best solution.

We're the first to agree that the attractiveness of buying a franchise is a powerful concept - you're literally buying a proven formula and it’s no secret that you have a better chance of surviving if you purchase a franchise as opposed to starting your own independent business that has no track record.

So when you decide to finance that franchise the ' legwork’... if we can call it that, is important. Your goals are threefold actually, you want to be able to successfully purchase the franchise, ensure you have some capital to operate it, and finally, growth is important to your overall success, so you want access to growth capital for your business if you need it.

The majority of franchises are cash flow based, i.e. the restaurant industry, so operating capital and growth capital are not as important in those scenarios. But if you are purchasing a business that has receivables, inventory, and equipment needs, well... be aware that those items need working capital financing.

Franchise financing has three parties to it, yourself as the borrower, the franchisor itself, and of course the finance firm or bank. Generally most franchisors in Canada will determine if you are a qualified candidate for them - that includes a combo of business and or industry experience, as well as some sort of qualified financial credit check on yourself that determines you have the wherewithal to successfully purchase a business.

You only need two things to finance a franchise and get a loan for a franchise. Simple, right. Well those two things tend to be the 2 items that our clients worry about - they are Debt, and Equity. Equity is of course the amount of funds that you personally will put into the business - debt is what you'll borrow of course.

In Canada the current environment calls for a 30-50% range owner equity infusion... this number in our opinion seems to have crept up over the years. The debt or loan for franchise acquisition comes from predominantly the government. The government!! clients ask? Yes, because the majority of franchises financing in Canada are done under a special loan program called the BIL/CSBF loan program. To qualify you need a business plan, and miscellaneous info required to support your application.

This loan eliminates a huge part of the risk in getting a franchise, because your personal guarantee is limited, thanks to our friends in Ottawa who sponsor the program. Also, and we think this is great; the loan finances things like leasehold improvements, which typically would be impossible to get elsewhere.

Speak to a trusted, credible, and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who will assist you to complete franchise financing successfully. Getting a loan for franchise finance is not as hard as you think, if you have an expert on your side in 2011.
--

Stan Prokop - founder of 7 Park Avenue Financial -

http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com

Originating business financing for Canadian companies , specializing in working capital, cash flow, asset based financing . In business 6 years - has completed in excess of 50 Million $$ of financing for Canadian corporations .Info re: Canadian business financing & contact details :


http://www.7parkavenuefinancial.com/franchise_financing_loan_for_franchise.html