Funding basics: plain-English answers
Not sure where to start? These are the foundational questions — the ones you should answer before picking any specific product.
How do small businesses actually get funded?
Most use a mix: personal savings, revenue, a bank line, and — when they need speed — an MCA or online loan.
All the small business funding options, compared
SBA, term loans, LOCs, MCAs, equipment financing, invoice factoring — cost, speed, credit, and what each is really for.
What credit score do I need for business funding?
500+ opens MCA doors. 600+ opens most online lenders. 680+ opens banks and SBA.
The most common small business funding mistakes
Stacking MCAs, borrowing for the wrong horizon, ignoring effective APR, and skipping the bank statement clean-up.
What documents do lenders need for a small business loan?
The exact package by product — from a 4-statement MCA file to a full SBA 7(a) submission.
Can I get funding if I've only been open 6 months?
What funds at 6 months, what waits for 12 and 24 — and how to build the file that gets there.
Where to start if you are new to business funding
Most owners get funded in stages. Early on, options are limited to revenue-based products and equipment financing. As time in business, revenue and credit grow, cheaper options open up: lines of credit, term loans and eventually SBA loans.
Before you apply anywhere, gather your last three to four months of business bank statements, know your credit score, and decide what the money is for. A clear use of funds and clean statements matter more than most owners expect.
Through Outset Funding you need $10,000+ in monthly revenue and 6+ months in business; lenders set rates, terms and approval.