Wednesday, September 18, 2019

You Are Being Watched!



Yes, you are being watched!
Every decision you make has an impact.  Small business lenders (alternative and conventional lenders) will always review your past.  After all, history is usually a good indication of future results….at least that’s what we have learned.  The vast majority of us use technology and social media, which means we leave a blueprint of activity.  
Take this example:
John of ABC Company has worked hard all his life.  He has poured his entire life savings into his business.  John has not taken a vacation in 15 years and has been driving a 2001 Honda Accord since he purchased it new.  He has a new granddaughter who he hasn’t met living across the country in Bel Aire, CA and his wife has been pressuring for him to go visit. So what does John do? He applies for an advance, gets approved for $45,000 and decides to pay himself, take the much needed vacation to see his granddaughter, and buy a new car!  After all, this is the first time he’s able to pay himself more than the critical living expenses. Why not? He’s earned it…..Wrong!
He transfers $20,000 to his personal account, pays for the new car by putting down $10,000 and then pays off his personal credit cards using his business account.  He and his wife fly first class across the country, surprise their daughter and son-in-law by making a grand entrance in a Towne Car, pay for a spa to treat their daughter, and buy all sorts of “goodies” for their granddaughter.
All is documented:
  • The transfer from the business account to personal
  • The down payment for a new car
  • The payments to his credit cards using the business account
  • The selfie while relaxing in “first class” in Instagram
  • The video clip when they surprise their daughter and her family in Snapchat
  • The trip to the toy store to make purchases for their granddaughter…(all caught on camera)
  • And to top it off, the story in Facebook thanking XYZ lender for making this trip a reality


A few days later, John gets back home and decides to apply for a line of credit with a local hedge fund.  His business appears to be in good standing…healthy balance, no NSFs for a month, some new marketing, an upgraded sign to enter his store.  John gets a pre-approval and is now ready for due diligence.  John decides to take another advance ahead of his line of credit.  He pays a due diligence fee of $5,000.  He’s finally made it!  Wrong again!!!
After a review of his financials and background, John is grilled with questions like why he spends funds that are meant for running his business.  His answer? He looked at the aforementioned advance as the first time he had taken home a real paycheck.
REALITY:  His business management comes into serious question as he has been unable to pay himself for 15 years, had spent all the funds he just received a month earlier on non-business expenses, and had no break-through projects coming up.  John is ultimately denied a line of credit.
Two weeks later, he takes on another advance to help make the payments on his two previous advances.  He looks for more ways to get a loan, but it’s now virtually impossible since he is over-leveraged and riddled with too much short-term debt.
Sound familiar?  Don’t get caught in this cycle.  Hire a professional to review your business, make recommendations, and provide options and solutions to make you bankable. If you would like to reach out to us,
call 315-314-2234 or 315-314-2426 or get a free consultation HERE.
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