Financing by industry
Lenders read every industry differently: how cash comes in, what can serve as collateral and what usually goes wrong. These guides summarize the common patterns. Your business may not fit them.
- Industry guideFinancing a Commercial Property Services BusinessHow commercial cleaning, facilities maintenance, landscaping and similar property services firms usually finance equipment, vehicles, payroll and contract growth.
- Industry guideFinancing a Construction Contracting Business: Lines, Equipment and BondingHow contractors usually finance their work: progress billing and retainage gaps, equipment loans, lines of credit, factoring and surety bonding.
- Industry guideE-commerce Financing: Inventory, Ad Spend and Platform PayoutsHow online sellers usually finance inventory and growth: supplier terms, lines of credit, platform financing and revenue-based financing, and their costs.
- Industry guideFranchise Financing: Buying, Opening and Expanding Franchise UnitsHow franchisees usually finance a first unit and later expansion: SBA 7(a) loans, bank and equipment loans, the SBA Franchise Directory and what lenders check.
- Industry guideLogistics and Transportation Financing: Trucks, Fleets and Freight BillsHow owner-operators and small fleets usually finance trucks and cash flow: equipment loans and leases, freight factoring, fuel cards and what lenders check.
- Industry guideManufacturing and Fabrication Financing: Machinery, Facilities and Working CapitalHow small manufacturers usually finance machinery, plants and raw materials: equipment loans, SBA 504 and 7(a), SBA's MARC lines and asset-based credit.
- Industry guideHealthcare Practice Financing: Equipment, Buy-Ins and Slow ReceivablesHow medical, dental and therapy practices usually finance equipment, practice purchases and buy-ins, and manage insurance reimbursement lag.
- Industry guideFinancing a Professional Services Firm: Few Assets, Strong Cash FlowHow agencies, consultancies and accounting or law firms finance growth with few hard assets: lines of credit, term loans and firm acquisitions.
- Industry guideFinancing a Technology or Data Services Company Without Giving Up EquityHow technology and software businesses can use debt instead of, or alongside, equity: bank lines, revenue-based financing, venture debt and what lenders look at.
- Industry guideWholesale and Distribution Financing: Inventory, Receivables and Trade CreditHow wholesalers and distributors finance the gap between paying suppliers and collecting from customers: trade credit, asset-based lines, factoring.
- Industry guideRestaurant Financing: Equipment, Build-Outs and Cash AdvancesHow restaurants usually finance kitchens, build-outs and slow seasons, why card-sales advances are common and costly, and what lenders look at in food service.
- Industry guideRetail Store Financing: Inventory, Seasons and Store Fit-OutsHow independent retailers usually finance inventory, seasonal peaks and store fit-outs, using supplier terms, lines of credit and term loans, and what lenders check.
- Industry guideFarm and Agriculture Business Financing: Seasons, Land and EquipmentHow farms and agricultural businesses usually finance land, equipment and seasonal operating costs, including USDA Farm Service Agency loans and Farm Credit lenders.