The Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme (SFLG) was closed in January 2009 and replaced by the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme (EFGS). The idea behind the EFGS (and indeed the SFLG before it) is to boost lending to small and medium sized businesses. Loans granted through the scheme are guaranteed by the government for up to 75% of the value of the loan. The company’s directors will normally be required to personally guarantee the remaining 25%.
The economic downturn has of course left small businesses struggling with cash flow and turning to their banks for support. In this climate, initiatives such as EFGS are therefore very welcome. There is some evidence that the scheme has had a positive effect and lending to small firms is increasing. A recent report published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills showed that in year up until the 3rd April 09, 2,360 loan guarantees worth £177.8m had been issued in total under both the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme and the Enterprise Finance Guarantee scheme.
However, despite these figures, the loan guarantees in the year to 3rd April 09 were less than the £205m guaranteed in the previous year. They are also far below the scheme’s £360m budget set by the Government in March 2008. Unfortunately research conducted by the Federation of Small Businesses suggests that more small businesses are experiencing declining rather than improving bank support and the cost of loans and overdrafts remains restrictive. It does therefore seem that small businesses struggling with cash flow which had high hopes of being eligible for loans under the EFGS when it was launched are missing out.
Of course it is not sensible for any bank to lend to a business which is not viable. In the current turbulent economic times, businesses in need of finance may be turned down as banks are concerned that the business is not viable and will therefore default on the loan. Banks will naturally want to ensure that a business can generate sufficient income to repay any borrowing. This could include looking at the company’s customers, order book and management accounts.
Clearly, if the business is not generating enough income to meet its current commitments, taking on additional borrowing will just make the problem worse and therefore a decline to lend by the bank is likely. However, many small businesses are having loan applications turned down even though the business case stacks up. It seems as though although banks are under pressure to lend, they are adopting a policy of targeting the most profitable businesses on their books, many of which do not necessarily need finance.
There is an argument that the enterprise finance guarantee scheme has been hampered by poor communication and the failure of branch managers to advertise or offer it. If more managers are made aware of the details of the scheme and the 75% guarantee from the government, perhaps this would reduce their reluctance to lend. Nevertheless, the fact remains that targets for the volume of lending are not being met. It is the responsibility of banks to ensure that their employees are made aware of the EFGS and how it can help protect their interests. However, more than this, perhaps the banks need to start to change their attitudes in terms of which businesses present viable lending propositions. Unfortunately the current definition of viable seems to remain a mystery.
In the meanwhile, in the face of this problem, business owners are well advised to consider alternative options for raising finance. Business refinancing can help in this area. Business refinancing generally involves raising cash secured against tangible business assets thus giving the bank real security and the comfort required to release funds.
By: Derek Cooper
It all starts with a great idea, an idea that has probably been in your mind for a long time. You have the product sorted out, how you are going to deliver your service, where you are going to set up your office and how you are going to market your new business. But the stumbling block always seems to be the finance to get you going.
Finding the finance to get a small business off the ground is a major issue for any potential small business. Some new businesses lend themselves to very little start up capital because the main selling point is the owner’s skills and knowledge, for example consultants, web designers, PR specialists. Businesses which require stock holding, plant and equipment and other investment, face the real challenge of getting their start up finance together.
So what sources can you tap into to ensure your business gets off to a solid start?
Your Savings
The first port of call! If you have been in employment for some time then before going it alone you should hopefully have some spare cash behind you. Whether this be in the form of cash in a savings account or shares and unit trusts, this is a good start to your fund raising exercise.
You can be more focused in saving cash if you have had the goal of setting up your own business for awhile. Knowing you need to save to get your business off the ground will make sure you don’t spend your future nest egg on unnecessary items. Whilst a new Plasma TV or the latest DVD Recorder may seem to be an essential purchase, knowing that you have a business to set up in the future will be sufficient a deterrent to keep the cheque book firmly locked away!
Keep Your Job
Some business owners are lucky enough that during the early days of the business they can keep the day job while working on the business during the evenings and weekends. This has two benefits. Firstly, they are still earning thereby allowing more time to build up a cash reserve. Secondly, it’s an opportunity to test out the business to make sure there is a market.
Make sure that you can realistically keep both balls in the air at the same time otherwise you will end up doing justice to neither your job or your new business. The support of your family is also essential if you are to follow this strategy. They have to accept that what used to be ‘family time’ may have to take a back seat until you decide to concentrate on the business full time.
Family and Friends
These can be a useful source of finance for any start up. If you have harboured ambitions to run your business for some time, then many of your family and friends are already likely to know about your idea. You should therefore have an indication who is for it and who is against it.
If you haven’t shared your secret desire then it’s time to be slightly devious! If you are in the early planning stages start drip feeding your ideas to key people whom you think are likely to support you. Tell them your ideas, share your ambitions and goals and on a regular basis update them with your progress. The plan is to get them sold on you and your future business at an early stage.
Once you get to the point where you are ready to start asking for contributions hold an Investor Evening. Prepare a presentation outlining your plans, the business, the market etc. Show the potential investors what their return will be in recognition for supporting you.
Invite as many people as you can and promise an interesting and fun evening, Be bold at the very start; tell them exactly why they are there, so there are no misunderstandings. After you have done your presentation gather all the names of the people who may want more information or even a one-to-one with you.
Whilst this group are people who know you and so are more likely to trust you, don’t forget that you are developing a very different relationship which can quickly turn sour. Be prepared for rocky times!
Bank Line of Credit or Loan
Now you’re getting into the serious stuff! Getting support from a Bank for a new business is tough, as many entrepreneurs will testify. One sneaky way is to apply for an unsecured loan while you are still in employment. If you have planned things right you will know when you are starting up, so a few months before you pack your job in, apply for a loan based on your salary. However, make sure that you can comfortably meet the repayments. There is no grace period; you will be expected to pay back immediately, so your business will have to start earning very quickly.
The alternative is a business line of credit facility. There is no fixed repayment date, although they will be for periods from 6 to 12 months, and all you have to do is ensure that you keep within the overdraft limit. You will have to write a business plan to present to the Bank which outlines your idea and the business.
Mortgage or Equity Release
With the way house prices have been increasing over the last few years, the vast majority of people now have substantial equity in their homes. The cheaper alternative to a Bank overdraft or loan is a mortgage. The interest rate is lower and, as the repayments are spread over a longer period, the monthly repayment is less (although you will end up paying more interest in the long run).
The disadvantage of raising cash this way is that your home is potentially at risk. If meeting the monthly repayments is dependent on what the business can generate then a slow start could cause cash problems. So be very sure you can meet the repayments even during a lean period.
Credit Cards
If you haven’t got any savings, can’t get support from family or friends, or a Bank loan or mortgage, then there are your credit cards! However, whilst it’s easy to draw down on your card, be wary! Credit cards are the most expensive form of debt.
They are ideal because all you may have to do is pay the minimum amount but card debt, as most people have found out, can be a long term burden. But, if you need a cash lump sum to kick start the business and you know you can pay it off within a few months, then it’s an alternative source of finance worth considering, if somewhat unorthodox!
Business Grants
Business grants are available for specific industries, sectors and reasons. Grant providers will usually only give a portion of your requirement, so they cannot be used to totally finance a start up. However, they can be useful in filling a funding gap.
Business Angels
A popular way to fund a business are Business Angels. These are people, usually retired or successful business people in their own right, who are looking for opportunities to invest in new businesses.
In exchange for an investment they will typically look for a shareholding in the business and some hands-on involvement. They will have a vast business experience and so are useful people to have on board. However, you will have to accept an element of loss of control but that needs to be balanced against your desire for funding.
Getting finance for your new business can be a challenge but there are a number of avenues to explore and so with dedication and focus you could soon be on your way to launching your own small business.
By: Robert Warlow
As business owners develop their small business loan plans for future financing and refinancing throughout the United States, there is an increasing awareness that there have been significant business finance changes that cannot be ignored. Some of these measures are likely to end up being permanent, and even the temporary commercial mortgage loan and working capital loan changes are expected to be in place for an extended time due to the severity of the current financial climate.
A reduction in commercial lenders as well as stricter standards for acquiring commercial loans and commercial mortgages has been the net result from business finance changes. Unfortunately there has also been no shortage of misinformation about the availability of commercial funding.
A significant reduction in business lending activity overall is perhaps the most dramatic change. This has been due to several events occurring almost simultaneously. Several major commercial lenders have gone out of business altogether. Many banks have stopped commercial finance lending while continuing consumer lending. Numerous business lenders have enacted stricter standards for the commercial financing transactions they are still willing to consider.
It remains to be seen how many changes will be permanent or temporary. But from a practical perspective, commercial borrowers are left with no choice but to adapt to the changing business finance environment. Business owners must be prepared to operate within a more complicated climate for commercial mortgage loans and small business loans regardless of how long the changes might be kept in place.
What should borrowers do about this? A primary option that business owners should explore involves looking beyond their local market area for help with commercial loans. To accomplish this, it should be helpful to contact a commercial financing expert operating throughout the United States.
In addition to fewer business lenders to choose from, there are two other significant changes which must be anticipated by business owners before seeking new commercial loans. First, more collateral for virtually all business finance funding is being demanded by many commercial lenders. Second, most lenders have cancelled or are about to eliminate unsecured lines of credit (usually called working capital loans) for many businesses.
One effective commercial financing strategy for overcoming the combined obstacles of more collateral, fewer lenders and reduced unsecured credit lines is to consider business cash advance programs based on future credit card processing transactions. This is proving to be one of the few sources of business funding that has not been adversely impacted by recent events. To learn more, it will be advisable to discuss the potential with a business finance expert who can provide advice about business cash advances as well as other small business financing solutions.
It is increasingly obvious that many banks will continue to modify their business lending programs in response to changing conditions. This means that another key change issue for working capital financing and commercial mortgages is the likelihood that more changes will be forthcoming in the near future.
To adequately prepare for future commercial finance changes that might (or might not) occur is a daunting task for a business owner. A commercial financing expert familiar with Plan B contingency financing for small business loans will prove to be a valuable resource for any borrower wanting to seriously deal with both current and future changes impacting the financial health of their business. By having a candid conversation with a commercial loan expert, business owners should be more capable of implementing an appropriate strategy for the vast changes which have recently occurred or are about to become effective for most business financing and working capital finance funding.
By: Stephen Bush
