Our blog highlights Canadian Business Financing solutions via receivable finance , equipment finance, working capital financing, asset based lending, business acquisition financing,franchise finance, and tax credit monetization via SRED and Film Tax Credits. Our goal is to educate and assist Canadian businesses with their financing needs. You Are Looking For Canadian Business Financing! Welcome to 7 Park Avenue Financial Call Now ! - Direct Line - 416 319 5769
WELCOME !
In 2004 I founded 7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL. At that time I had spent all my working life, at that time - Over 30 years in Commercial credit and lending and Canadian business financing. I believe the commercial lending landscape has drastically changed in Canada. I believe a void exists for business owners and finance managers for companies, large and small who want service, creativity, and alternatives.
Every day we strive to consistently deliver business financing that you feel meets the needs of your business. If you believe as we do that financing solutions and alternatives exist for your firm we want to talk to you. Our purpose is simple: we want to deliver the best business finance solutions for your company.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Business Loans & Working Capital Financing Options for New or Smaller Canadian Companies
Start Up Anyone?
OVERVIEW – . Information on business loans and working capital financing options for Canadian business entrepreneurs
Start Up Financing ? Canadian chartered banks, usually by virtue of their ‘relationship’ with business owners and entrepreneurs are in a position to pass on valuable financing tips and information on business loans and working capital for start up or smaller firms. Although the banks are a solid source of such information the banks themselves, by virtue of their charters and credit policies, are unable to directly satisfy the financing needs of the customer.
Business owners are often therefore encouraged by banks to ‘self finance ‘the venture via equity or owner capital and commitment. It is clearly a misconception that banks play a key and major role in the financing of new ventures. Possibly the only exception to this statement is the fact that the banks offer up, in their role as administrators, the Government Small Business Loan, which is a Canadian federal government program providing loans up to , in some cases 500,000.00$ for purchase of real estate, business assets, or leasehold improvements . (The more typical loan amount maximum is 350,000.00$)
We may or may not agree with Canadian banking policies on start up and young venture financing, we should however appreciate the banks stance – they are lending out our capital at very low rates, with potential to lose the entire investment if your firm can’t repay loans and financing.
How can the small or newer business succeed in financing options? Businesses of the size that we are discussing need thousands, literally millions of dollars of financing to fuel their growth in Canada. In our commentary that we are providing it is important to note that as companies develop along the ‘stage of development ‘timeline they of course have much more access to traditional bank and private equity financing. We are primarily talking about earlier stage companies, who may be still developing products and services and may not be yet profitable as they start delivering and billing for those products and services .
So what are the immediate challenges of firms that are unable to provide traditional financing and what are, more importantly, some immediate solutions?!
The challenges tend to be painfully obvious to the Canadian business owner or financial manager that has worked to get traditional bank and equity financing. They are as follows:
Perceived industry or product risk
No collateral
Uncertain financial projections
Limited Performance history
How can the Canadian business entrepreneur overcome these very traditional roadblocks and challenges? There are a number of ways.
First of all, all alternative methods of financing should be pursuing. Alternative financing methods are most non dependent on the above noted risks and challenges. Those alternative methods of financing might include:
*Business Angels or strategic partners (think suppliers!) for short term arrangements
*Equipment Lease financing
* Sale leasebacks on equipment already purchased and paid for
*Asset based lending arrangements that provide working capital facilities against initial receivables, inventory, and purchase orders (These facilities don’t have the same requirements as banks)
* Sr Ed Tax Credits – Customer who have filed claims can finance those claims for cash
* Invoice / Receivable Financing – Immediate cash for your firm’s receivables (these facilities can be of any size)
In summary, newer or smaller firms fall into the ‘ void ‘ area of financing, where very few traditional financing strategies can be implemented, at a time when cash flow and working capital are most critical .
Business owners should review non alternative strategies which can be of great assistance in early growth periods.
Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your start up and ' new company ' needs.
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 10 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 :
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS FINANCING START UP OPTIONS IN CANADA
CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan Prokop
Friday, May 17, 2013
Business Leasing . It Seems To Always Be The Future Of Equipment Asset Financing And Here’s Why
Mystery Of The Universe? Not Quite But Business Leasing For Asset Acquisition Seems To Work All The Time
OVERVIEW – Information on business leasing in Canada. Asset Financing Via The Equipment Lease continues to be a proven business finance solution
Business leasing in Canada. Day in, and day out it seems that Canadian business owners and managers gravitate to equipment asset financing solutions as their preferred method of funding capital expenditures. Why is that? While we might not unlock the secret of the universe along the way we can sure provide some powerful insights into what makes lease finance tick! Let's dig in.
Let's take a look first at how clients typically approach the asset acquisition question. Typically it seems to be always driven from a ‘cash flow ' perspective. Companies determine over the course of the time that they need to acquire or replace assets. In many cases the cost of new asset acquisition (technology is a good example) is significantly covered off by savings in costs as well as opportunities in growth and profit. That's a good thing!
More sophisticated users of lease finance take a look at the cost of the asset, the savings and profits they will generate , and bench mark those against the actual lease, tax and accounting benefits that come with lease finance. Smaller firms in the SME sector might not actually do that level of analysis - but smart owners and managers seem to intuitively know that a solid alternative to taking on long term debt or depleting cash resources often comes via the lease finance solution.
In the old days many firms actually used operating lease to in effect hide debt on their balance sheet. The accounting rules have dramatically changed in recent times and most lenders and owners recognize that quite certainly the equipment lease is a liability The bottom line is that any firm, in any business financing decision has to ensure they are watching their debt to equity relationships and the cash flow that suffers and benefits from any financing decision.
Where business leasing is similar to secured lending is that at the end of the term (in a capital ' lease to own ') your firm owns the asset. Remember though that in a secured term loan situation your lender, typically the bank might have restrictive covenants around how much you can borrow now or borrow in the future. Leasing tends to place less or no focus on this issue - the focus is on the asset and the cash flow.
Remember also that today’s equipment finance markets are ultra competitive. The industry is on a total rebound and that drives interest rates and credit approvals to a positive convergence of ' goodness' for the Canadian lessee.
By properly negotiating leases in an upfront manner, either from a capital or operating lease perspective the Canadian business owner /manager is in a position to have a say in the ultimate value and use of the asset at end of the lease term. So your company benefits in knowing your fixed financing costs on the asset as well as having a say in its useful economic life .Talk about eliminating uncertainty.
Yes, you do have to pay attention to claims of ' 100% financing ' and other claims sometimes, but not always, not true in lease finance,
But, on balance, as we said, we're not quire sure lease financing is one part of the mystery of the universe solution, but we do know that 80% of the crowd cant be wrong, and that's how many companies utilize lease asset finance in Canada . Seek out and speak to a
trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your business lease needs.
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 10 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 :
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS LEASING AND EQUIPMENT FINANCING IN CANADA
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan Prokop
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Navigating The Bank Business Credit Line Vs. ABL Credit Facility Dilemma
Shopping For A Business Credit Line? Here’s The No Haggle Facts You Need To Know
OVERVIEW – .Information on the bank business credit line . How does the business owner/manager compare this financing with an ABL ( asset based lending ) credit facility
The business credit line in Canada. Should your firm go with a bank or ABL credit facility? What we find most interesting is that a solid majority of business owners / managers didn’t even know there was a debate going on! So let's lay out some hard facts on solutions and options you have when you're on the search for a business credit facility to facilitate options and growth.
The day to day reality is that the ABL facility is gaining a lot of traction in the race for your company's daily borrowing requirements. Although the term ABL is used by many in a variety of circumstances here we're talking about the revolving business line of credit secured by the assets of the business. The way in which this differs from a bank facility is really what leads many businesses to investigate ABL. No one can deny though that Canadian chartered bank financing is perceived by almost all as lowest cost, and flexible.
When your company has assets, or is ' asset rich' but cash flow poor the ABL option is a solid solution. Rather than focusing on conservative margining of receivables and low inventory borrowing capacity , covenants, personal guarantees, outside collateral, cash flow debt service ratios , etc . ! .. The ABL business credit line focuses solely on assets and maximizing your borrowing power to the maximum possible
We should also recognize that our chartered banks are regulated and provide the cornerstone for Canada's finance needs at consumer and commercial levels ; however some of the constraints that come with that limit the Canadian business borrower .
Two technical points come out of our information above. First of all owner guarantees are in fact required on ABL deals also, it’s just that in our opinion much less emphasis is placed on them. Secondly, our Canadian banks are no slouches! They recognize a good thing when they see it and many have adopted niche divisions within the bowels of the bank to address ABL needs. We will leave it to our clients and others to determine whether policy and philosophy differ internally between commercial bankers and their ABL counterparts. If you get the drift!
Bank and ABL facilities are similar in that they collateralize receivables and inventories to permit the drawing of working capital. The more A/R and inventory you have the more working capital assets you're committing to our balance sheet. Monetizing them is the role of the bank and ABL facility. There is also no difference in how borrowing bases are calculated in each type of facility, bank and ABL. Standard ‘borrowing base' certificates are used that monitor the inflows and outflows of collections, inventory turnover, sales generated, etc.
One significant difference in bank and ABL facilities is that the asset based line of credit typically uses a lock box that allows for control of inflows of cash from your ABL lender. The reason? Simple. Typical ABL lenders aren’t banks and they use the lock box as the efficient mechanism to monitor the ups and downs of your revolving facility.
Borrowing power is typically significantly increased in ABL lending. A/R comes in at 90% (versus bank 75%) and inventory, on balance, is always leveraged higher than the bank. The downside, if you call it one, to the ABL credit line is that you're doing more monthly reporting on A/R, inventory, payables, etc. Its true ' asset monitoring '. Many bank credit lines are redone and reviewed in a significant manner annually, often with no visit to your premises. What a difference in the two !
If you want the facts to be able to weigh in on the debate of Chartered bank credit line versus ABL borrowing seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your borrowing needs for day to day working capital.
P.S. The ABL credit facility is , 95% of the time more expensive – but what could you do with all the business borrowing you need to generate sales and create more profits ?
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 10 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 :
CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS CREDIT LINES!
Stan Prokop
Working Capital Crunch ? Inside The World Of Business Cash Flow Solutions In Canada
Looking For The Most Used Business Cash Crunch Solutions?
OVERVIEW – .Information on the working capital crunch faced by companies of all size . What cash flow solutions work when ‘ the crunch’ happens?
Working Capital Crunch ? There no faster moving target than cash flow solutions as the need arises for Canadian business owners and financial managers. What are in fact some of the most popular cash flow fixes - let's take you inside the world of those. Let's dig in.
The one thing we can all agree on is that today’s business seems to move a lot faster. We're pretty sure Heracleitus, a philosopher of sorts centuries back wasn’t talking about cash flow, but we keep thinking of his great line ' Everything flows and nothing stays ' ! So it’s more important than ever for the owner/manager to understand to handle growth and daily operations when it comes to business finance.
Owners and managers of business should always recognize that working capital and their management of same is one of the most important survival tools they have at their disposal.
The other hard reality is that every industries basic economic, business and cash flow dynamics can vary greatly. While we meet many clients seeking financing solutions they believe are unique needs, the reality is that in the big picture most firms in your industry face the same challenges.
Those challenges include the lack of proper bank financing and the constant juggling of payables with cash receipts, and oh yes, those employees seem to want to get paid regularly! Most business owners either don't want to or choose not to deplete personal assets to finance their business - that’s why they incorporated in the first place, right? Or certainly it's one of the reasons!
Top experts in finance tell us that almost 1/2 of all business owners at some point or another face the working capital crunch. In some cases that is of course their own doing as they have extended credit to clients in a liberal manner, or not enforced prompt payment from clients.
What then are some cash flow solutions for Canadian businesses experienced the cash flow crunch? Well the most important thing to realize is that the solutions to problems lie inside and outside your firm! What do we mean by that? Simply that the financing ' crunch ' can be many times partially or totally avoided by:
Improving your credit policy
Asking clients for down payments when applicable
Accelerating invoicing to clients (Does anyone still invoice once a month?!)
Improving inventory turnover
Delaying payment to suppliers when it is possible (hint: key word ' possible')
And what about those external methods for the cash flow fix? They include:
Accounts receivable finance/factoring
Sale leaseback of owned assets
Monetizing credit lines
Non bank working capital or asset based lines of credit
Monetizing tax credits
Bridge loans
Going inside the world of the cash flow fix can be daunting for anyone. Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your business cash needs.
T
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 10 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 :
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = WORKING CAPITAL FINANCING EXPERTISE
CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan Prokop
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Equipment Financing Companies . Must Know Info On Business Lease Finance
Watch Where You Step When It Comes To Assessing Asset Finance Solutions In Your Business
OVERVIEW – Information on equipment financing companies in Canada . What does the owner/manager need to know when it comes to business lease finance for asset acquisition purposes
Equipment financing companies in Canada. We maintain that when it comes to a business lease for asset financing there is certain information on this subject is ' nice to know ‘, while in other situations its absolutely critical to your asset finance success - i.e. you need to know this ! Let's dig in.
Business owners and financial managers should always understand that just about any asset, even intangibles such as computer software as an example, can be lease financed.
When it comes to the asset financing decision its all about short and long term decision and that timeframe can be all important to your financing success. More often than not the majority of equipment leases in Canada tend to be in the 3-5 year range. These are typical terms when it comes to plant and equipment.
It might, but should not, come as a surprise that some of the largest asset lessors in Canada are manufacturers themselves. They compete with independent commercial finance companies to finance their own equipment - bring incremental profit and additional sales opportunities into their picture.
While we are big proponents of equipment finance we're the first to admit that on occasion terms such as ' 100% financing ‘, etc are somewhat over used by the industry . More often than not down payments of security deposits of some sort are required, especially if your firm is not ' investment grade ' when it comes to credit quality.
Canadian business owners and finance managers like leasing because it’s a simplified process when it comes to asset acquisition. Your firm simply negotiates the type and price of a business asset and the leasing company buys the asset, on your behalf, from the manufacture or distributor. It’s, as we have said, a solid alternative to equity financing or long term debt on your balance sheet in the form of term loans.
Not all acquirers of business assets are familiar with operating leases. A simplified way of looking at these transactions is simply that you should consider them as ' service ' type leases.
What then are the advantages of operating leases? There are several , they include the fact that the leases are not fully amortized so even with interest built into the transaction you quite often are not paying even the full amount of the value of the asset .
How can that be, ask our clients? Simply speaking it’s that the lessor is making a bet on the useful economic life of the asset when you return operating lease assets at the end of the term. The lessor hopes to sell or re-lease the assets under your operating business lease. So there, the secret is out!
If there is one both beneficial and creative aspect to equipment financing companies offering operating type leases it's that they allow you a lot of flexibility during and at the end of term of the transaction. Your firm has the ability to return, upgrade or even buy the asset at mid or end of term. Now that’s flexibility!
Capital leases are the opposite. They are fully amortized, cannot be cancelled, and the interest rate clearly defines the lessor profit to which they are entitled. (Hopefully it’s a ' reasonable ' profit!)
Equipment financing companies will also consider sale leaseback transaction. You take assets you already own and sell them to the lease firm, typically to enhance your working capital or cash flow needs. We have even seen our own chartered banks sell their bank towers in downtown cores, freeing up millions in capital for the banks themselves.
As we have said, there’s ‘nice to have ‘and ‘need to know ‘when it comes to business lease finance via Canadian equipment financing companies. Seek out and speak to a
trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you in completing a transaction that benefits your company.
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 :
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS LEASE EQUIPMENT FINANCING
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan Prokop
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Business Financing Alternative Options In Canada . Surprised At The Different Personalities ?
Is Business Finance In Canada Changing Dramatically ?
OVERVIEW – .Information on business financing alternative options in Canada ..
Business Financing methods . New and existing businesses are always looking for capital. Although a solid majority of business owners, managers and entrepreneurs know where to look, many can’t make that claim. Additionally there are a number of little known ways to finance a business that are not as ‘main street ‘ as the obvious choices – our Canadian chartered banks, etc.
We suppose if the entrepreneur/owner knew exactly what to do all they would need is the Yellow Pages and a phone; however that is not the case.
Looking for financing methods requires that you immediately ‘slot’ your needs into one of two buckets – equity, or debt. Naturally the SME sector in Canada is not funded from an equity perspective via our banks. Simply – they don’t do that!
The other natural tendency is to take the government up on their offer of assistance. Like you, we’ve seen the commercials! When it comes to real world access to government funding we work with our clients in two areas – The federal government SBL loan, and SR&ED tax credit financing. Either of these two are tremendous ways to help finance your business, particularly in the early stages.
Some other methods of equity financing in early stages include angel investors, reverse takeovers of public companies with cash and no business currently inside them, and the newest kid on the block , ‘ Crowdsourcing ‘ . (It’s our understanding you simply ask 1 Million people for 1$!)
In Canada there are a number of Community Futures programs which fund regional development via loans. It’s our experience these loans have never provided the business owner with all that they need, an alternative financing is also required.
Many business people aren’t aware of Royalty financing, it’s an innovative way to promise future payment via future sales. You just need the confidence you can make those sales goals from your lender.
At 7 Park we focus on the more common methods of financing a business – including:
A/R finance
Working Capital Term Loans
Equipment finance / Sale Leasebacks
SBL loans
Asset based lines of Credit
Revolving bank facilities
Etc.
What are the biggest challenges encountered in financing a business?
When examining debt financing options challenges that business people need to address include:
The need for hard assets which can be collateralized or monetized
The need to give up assets as security for debt type financings
Ensuring that your business assets have real value – i.e. Realizable receivables, sales growth, quality inventory turnover, etc
When you are looking for equity financing, which is not our specialty at 7 Park Avenue Financial the mindset of the investor (not a lender) changes. They want technology or businesses with a proven competitive edge, strong growth potential, sensible exit strategies.
What are the things you should avoid when financing a business?
At 7 Park Avenue Financial we’re always cautioning our clients to separate their personal finances from their business finances. Tapping significantly into registered savings plans is by far not the best funding option if you can access other options. And by the way, debt is cheaper than equity – look into that comment!
How will you document the financials of the business?
This is a great question. Documenting your financials via a realistic business plan and cash flow forecast is key. Just being able to answer simple questions such as ‘ how long will it take you to collect ‘, ‘ are your costs in line with others ‘ ‘ how will you market your product or service ‘ are key to winning over a lender or investor . You have to be able to estimate reasonable sales and show a cash flow that shows ‘how your company works!”
What are the necessary skills you should possess to run this business efficiently?
Operating and financial management skills are key to how you will be perceived and dealt with by lenders and investors. Your management and financial skills must be clearly evident to lenders, either through your financial track record in business, or in person meetings to present your firm. If your company is perceived as ‘incomplete’ when it comes to key personnel you will never get the full financing you need at rates, terms and structures you want.
Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with methods to finance your company – both alternative and traditional .
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 10 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 :
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = BUSINESS FINANCING ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS !
CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan Prokop
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Mezzanine Funding In Canada . What You’ll Learn About Cash Flow Financing In Canada
The Math Of Mezz – Mezzanine Facility Debt Financing
OVERVIEW – .Information on mezzanine funding in Canada . This unique method of cash flow financing provides alternatives to traditional secured lending solutions
Mezzanine funding in Canada. This somewhat unknown and probably under utilized method of debt financing in Canada provides some unique differences for Canadian business owners and financial managers looking for capital solutions. Let's dig in!
The fundamental basic of ' mezz ' financing is that it best suits firms who have cash flow and growth prospects (and profits by the way) but just seem unable to secure all the financing they need from Canadian chartered banks.
We've often spoken on why our Canadian chartered banks are unable to deliver on the financing your company might need. Issues of quality of hard collateral, debt to equity ratios, or firms who are in turnaround or restructuring mode simply don't always lend themselves to bank financing. Enter Mezzanine finance!
Typical mezzanine structures tend to be in the 5 year range, although that time frame has the ability to vary. It's critical to note that the mezzanine lender is always attempting to figure out how they will be ' taken out ' of the facility they have put in place for your company. That ' take out' might take the shape of a public offering, or a change into a secured lending facility. In some cases the company may be purchased, acquired or re financed.
While it's safe to say that any lender of substance is always going to assess management strength the ' unsecured' position that mezzanine funding takes on simply requires even more of a focus on the management team of the borrowing company.
So when, and why should Canadian business owners and financial managers consider a mezzanine finance solution. The reality is that a number of different scenarios might be being faced by your firm. This includes:
Contemplating an acquisition
MBO's ( management buy outs )
Restructuring
High Growth Scenarios
Asset Purchases
Let's be clear that all companies who are considering ' mezz ‘are not going to qualify. If your firm is a start up, is in r&d stage, and cant provide the solid cash flow story to repay the mezzanine loan... well let's just say ' its not going to happen '!
The key point around ‘mezz’ funding is that it occupies the unique position of being right in between the concepts of debt and equity because its loan per se its structured and more commonly thought of as debt, but in reality it’s somewhat unsecured. Also important to understand that it is not an operating facility , so don’t view it as operating capital along the lines of a business line of credit or asset based lending solution . Best way to think of it? Permanent working capital! It's a 2nd position financing, behind your secured lenders.
Seek out and speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can assist you with your cash flow financing needs.
P.S. Remember always that it’s cheaper than equity
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 10 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 :
7 PARK AVENUE FINANCIAL = CANADIAN MEZZANINE FUNDING AND CASH FLOW FINANCING SOLUTIONS
CONTACT:
7 Park Avenue Financial
South Sheridan Executive Centre
2910 South Sheridan Way
Suite 301
Oakville, Ontario
L6J 7J8
Phone = 905 829 2653
Fax = 905 829 2653
Email = sprokop@7parkavenuefinancial.com
Stan Prokop