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Alternative Lending : Use As Directed
What Is The Best Business Financing Option For Your Business?
Business financing alternatives in Canada - For many business owners and financial managers it , must seem like they spend a tremendous... aka ' too much' time searching for the credit and banking alternatives and the sources of cash they need to run and grow business. Raising business is even more challenging when the search is for financing for startups!
What then are some of those decision points when your business is looking for business funding of any type? Business sources such as Canada's premier business dailies such as the Globe & Mail and Financial Post constantly reveal the challenges of the SME commercial finance sector in financing a business. Let's dig in!
Easy to say, but fundamentally it's all about finding the right types of funding in the amount that you need that carries an acceptable level of risk and cost relative to means of financing utilized. As we said, easier talked about than done.
More often than not it's about taking on the wrong kind, or too much debt and therefore risking business failure. Working with the right type of banks or finance companies is also important; it's all about knowing the lay of the land!
Business Financing Alternatives
There are several ways in which business finances itself. Business owners should know that interest rates vary based on what type of traditional or alternative lenders are utilized. Sources of cash for your company include :
Vendor / Supplier credit - That is financing a business without a loan!
Lease Finance / Equipment Financing
Bank Financing
Government of Canada Small Business Loan and Grants for startups - ( Working with government programs and crown corporations often can seem frustrating for business people. It is strongly recommended that you use a business finance expert who has a proven track record in business finance
Asset monetization
New equity
Online Lenders
Many business owners often underestimate the power of supplier finance. The terms and credit needs you're able to negotiate contribute significantly to business cash flow. Supplier credit stems from the outflows of cash. The bad news here is that everybody's in the same boat at the end of the day, as everyone, including your clients attempt to stretch payment terms.
Instead of paying with cash for equipment and technology assets businesses can choose to lease those assets on a lease or rental basis. Terms of anywhere from 2-7 years, sometimes longer, are available to leases assets such as rolling stock, computers, heavy equipment, production machinery, etc. Bottom line... any asset can be financed.
Canadian commercial banks offer significant financing choices when your firm seeks business credit. The most desirable bank facility is typically the ' revolver' allowing you to draw daily against the cash you need up to a set limit. The danger of breaking a bank arrangement often leads many businesses into a death spiral.
While in many cases it's desirable to get new equity into your company the challenge here is that it dilutes ownership at the expense of current owners.
Many owners and finance managers who focus on getting new equity don't fully realize that numerous ' Asset Monetization ' strategies exist as an alternative to equity in many cases.
They include-
Receivable financing
Inventory Financing
Tax Credit Financing
Royalty financing
SR&ED Tax credit monetization
Non bank asset based lines of credit
Sale leaseback
Canada Small Business Loan and BDC Funds
Bridge loans
4 or 5 key issues typically should come up in your overall financing decision. They include:
1. Flexibility of the financial offering
2. Risk
3. Cash flow and profit concerns
4. Control exerted by the lender based on the finance offer - that refers to issues such as loan covenants, financial ratios that must be maintained, and those ever-dreaded ' personal guarantees'.
5.Timing
At certain times in any company’s history it can't always get the financing it needs. Issues such as your overall leverage and your capital structure need to be addressed carefully. Growth, while always desired by almost all firms requires a proper assessment of your financing needs.
Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with business credit and banking decisions that make sense today and tomorrow.
7 Park Avenue Financial :
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
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 .
Stan has had a successful career with some of the world’s largest and most successful corporations.
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 finance executive 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.
Stan Prokop
