Financing Guides

Plain-language explainers on the financing decisions we see borrowers weigh most often, grouped by topic.

Sponsor-backed / PE portfolio-company financing

Add-On Acquisition Financing for a PE Portfolio CompanyHow add-on acquisitions for a PE-backed portfolio company typically get financed, and what a lender actually underwrites in a sponsor-backed deal.

Buying a Business From a Retiring Owner: How the Financing WorksHow buyers finance the purchase of an established small business from a retiring owner, what lenders underwrite, and where a modernization plan fits.
Choosing a Business Location With Population and Migration DataHow to read county population growth, IRS migration flows and housing costs when you are opening a location, expanding or buying a business, and how a lender looks at the same numbers.
Seller Financing: How a Seller Note Works in a Business SaleWhat a seller note is, how it fits behind the buyer's bank or SBA loan, the terms to negotiate, and why it often helps both sides close.

Commercial Financing Broker Disclosure Requirements in CaliforniaWhat California's commercial financing disclosure rules require providers and brokers to give a business borrower, and where those rules apply.

Comparing Business Financing Options Over $500,000SBA 7(a) and 504, bank term loans and lines of credit, asset-based lending, equipment finance, private credit, mezzanine and seller notes, side by side, with what lenders look at and the trade-offs of each.

How a Borrowing Base Actually Gets CalculatedHow asset-based lenders calculate a borrowing base from accounts receivable and inventory, and why equipment usually sits outside it.

Invoice Factoring vs. a Business Line of CreditHow invoice factoring and a business line of credit differ for funding working capital, and which one fits which kind of business.

Lease vs. Loan for Equipment PurchasesHow equipment leasing and equipment loans differ on ownership, cash flow, and taxes, and how to decide which one fits your next equipment purchase.

SBA 7(a) vs. 504: Which Fits a $2M Equipment Purchase or Acquisition?How SBA 7(a) and SBA 504 loans differ for a $2M equipment purchase or business acquisition, and which one typically fits which situation.

What a UCC-1 Filing on Your Business Means (and What Happens When It Lapses)What a UCC-1 financing statement is, why one might show up on your business's public record, and what happens when it lapses or gets terminated.