Entrepreneur Loan: First-Time Loan Advice For Entrepreneurs On The Corporate Property Ladder
Launching a startup is the equivalent of buying a home for the first time. Creating a business plan and trying to distribute your products and services to the world is the same as unpacking boxes once you get the keys.
And similarly, you need a cash injection to ensure you get the deal over the line. With a startup, you can multiply your overheads and outgoings by ten, which means the size of your budget needs to be bigger.
You could consider taking out a business loan. Banks and other trustworthy organizations are happy to provide firms that they believe will help their bottom line with an instant source of credit and entrepreneur loans. Online platforms like Lendio let you explore your financing options for free and make the process easier than ever.
With a loan in your back pocket, you can funnel the funds into essential areas of the company to ensure you focus on your strong points and tweak the weak ones. The only problem is getting accepted.
As a first-timer, it’s almost impossible to know what to do and say and how to act to encourage a creditor to loosen their purse strings. One small slip-up might set your business back months, so learning more about the critical steps in the process is vital.
Thankfully, the top six tips on entrepreneur loan are underneath, so all you need to do is to continue reading an article on the first-time loan.
Contents
Flesh Out Your Plan
Your business plan is the cornerstone of your application because it’s one of the only things lenders have to make an informed decision on an entrepreneur loan. A quality one shows them what the product is, how it fills a gap in the market, and where you plan to be in the next five years to a decade.
Impress them with your business plan, and you’re one step closer to being accepted as a suitable candidate for a loan. How do you do that? There’s a lot to be said about the presentation, as a smooth pitch that flows is eye-catching.
Also, your appearance reflects the company, so don’t turn up in shorts with a crappy attitude. More than that, you must prove that your plan will work, and the trick is to focus on the brand’s potential.
Show creditors where the potential for profit lies and explain why with solid research to support your theory with empirical evidence. Often, following legislation to spot a niche or assessing your strengths and how they impact consumers is enough to state your intentions for entrepreneur loans.
Make Sure Your Numbers Are Right
Account managers aren’t idiots. They can see when the numbers you think are correct don’t match your business plan. And, once they do, they’ll quietly thank you for your time and say, “we’ll be in touch.”
They won’t. Aside from the projection for the business, lenders concentrate on the financial side of an application more than anything, which makes sense because they are number crunchers.
Therefore, your figures have to be on point. An excellent start is to ensure that every item line has a reference point in your budget. They can quickly and easily tell if the forecast checks out.
Another fantastic tip is to lean on your research. If someone asks how you go to a specific figure, you want to be able to explain your work confidently by pointing to reputable sources.
As well as how you can boost their bottom line, it would be best if you considered how you’d repay the loan, as there’s no bigger turn-off than a risky applicant. From APY to APR and basic interest, calculators allow you to include these essentials in your budget. Not only will this negate nasty surprises, but it will show that your company is transparent. Where possible, you must cover the bases and eliminate the unpredictable nature of analyzing businesses for entrepreneur loan.
Underestimate Your Budget
No matter how realistic you think the numbers are, there are bound to be discrepancies. Nobody is saying you did this on purpose; on the contrary, launching a new company is an occupational hazard.
Still, it’s a factor for lenders as they know the predicted profit won’t hit the number they see on the sheet, and that’s problematic. The reason is simple: a lack of profit is why 80% of SMEs fail within the first year.
Now that you understand the bank’s hesitation, you can take steps to soften the blow. To do this, you must go back to your budget and go over it with a fine-tooth comb. Is there anything you’ve missed that could impact your profit margin in the next twelve months?
Have you underestimated the impact of socioeconomic factors on the market? Can you confidently say that customers will buy as many units as predicted? Should you still not see a reason why the number is wrong, Holly Nicholas Signorelli says you have to reduce the budget by up to 50%. Instantly, it makes the loan more palatable for the lender because the amount needed relates to an accurate profit projection of an entrepreneur loan.
Build Alternative Funds
Picture the scene. A lender accepted your application, and the money is in your corporate account. However, six months in, you realize it’s not enough to sustain you for the time you expected.
Now, your budget is running thin on the ground, and you’ve got to go back to a creditor to ask for more cash. Sadly, they won’t be likely to top-up your coffers as your inability to spend the first installment wisely is a warning sign. Instead, they’ll say no and leave you in a tough predicament.
What will you do if you’ve minimal funds and bills? If you’ve been prudent, you won’t have only relied on a business loan to get you through this sticky period.
No, you’ll have additional funds for a rainy day so there is breathing space and no need to panic… yet. If you’re wondering how this impacts your application, it’s straightforward: banks need collateral.
It might not be a car or house, but a rainy day fund is the peace of mind they need to know you’ll hit your repayment targets. As a result, they’re more likely to say yes and transfer the funds asap.
Never forget how hard it was to secure your initial loan. Do this, and you’ll understand the need to put money away for worst-case scenarios. Unfortunately, they often happen for startups regarding the first-time loan.
Get Personal
The company has very little to zero history. Therefore, the people in charge will be under as much scrutiny as the business itself, and you must be ready for harsh, uncomfortable questions.
But being able to answer them is only the start of the process. You need to pass a personal credit check to ease their nerves. Thankfully, there are many ways to consolidate your rating to appear the perfect candidate for a loan.
As always, it’s essential to begin with a credit check. As crazy as it sounds, a healthy majority of entrepreneurs aren’t aware of their credit history and how it might impact their success.
Filling out an online form will be enough to see where you stand, personally and professionally. Plus, it’s free. Next, you want to focus on the blips on your record, if there are any.
Pay off debts, no matter how small, and set up automatic payments for regular outgoings to avoid late penalties. Something you might not know about is credit utilization. In simple terms, it’s the difference between your credit card limit and how much you owe.
Lowering it shows that you are a responsible lender, and an excellent way to do it is to ask your card company to increase your limit. Of course, you shouldn’t use this as an excuse to spend more money. It’s about using the system to your advantage.
First Time Loan: Analyze Other Avenues
A bank is a tried and tested method of securing an entrepreneur loan. However, banks don’t have a monopoly on lending money, and you don’t have to take risks. Don’t assume that loan sharks and payday loans are your only options if a traditional lender rejects your application. In reality, many alternatives are as good, if not better, than a bank.
A credit union is a fantastic option if you need a small-to-medium-sized cash injection. The interest rates are usually under 1% for the most significant loans they offer. Also, the amount you pay back reduces as your balance decreases. As a result, there’s no need to pay X for four years; the interest rate is adjustable for your benefit.
A family loan isn’t an option for everyone, but it is worth exploring if your loved ones have spare resources. While borrowing from family can get tense, it does negate the need to pay interest, something that will destroy your credit if you default. For startups, the first year is the trickiest, and the ability to cut costs shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand, regardless of the source.
Are you a first-time business loan applicant? Have you been rejected before and want to get it right this time? Hopefully, this advice on the first-time loan will ensure lenders say yes.
