The Funding Library

Straight answers about business funding — what it costs, how to qualify, and how to read an offer before you sign. Written by the people who fund Main Street every day.

Funding 101

Merchant Cash Advances, Explained: The Complete Guide

What a merchant cash advance actually is, how holdback repayment and factor rates work with real math, who qualifies, when an MCA is the right tool — and when it isn't.

9 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Costs & Pricing

Factor Rates vs. APR: What Business Funding Really Costs

Factor rates and APR measure cost in fundamentally different ways. Learn the conversion math, why term length changes everything, which fees to watch, and how to compare any two funding offers fairly.

10 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Compare

MCA vs. Bank Loan vs. SBA vs. Business Credit Card: Which Fits?

A fair head-to-head of the four main ways small businesses borrow — speed, cost, amounts, credit requirements, and paperwork — with a comparison table and honest guidance on which tool fits which job.

10 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Qualify & Apply

How to Get Business Funding With Bad Credit

Bad credit closes the bank's door, not every door. What revenue-based underwriters actually look at, what you can qualify for at each credit tier, and a 90-day plan to strengthen your file.

9 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Costs & Pricing

How to Read a Business Funding Offer Before You Sign

A line-by-line walkthrough of a business funding offer sheet: factor rates, holdback, fees, and total dollar cost — plus the red flags that should make you walk away.

9 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Qualify & Apply

What Underwriters Actually Look For in Your Bank Statements

Revenue-based underwriters read your last three bank statements like a story. Here is exactly what they check — balances, deposits, NSF days, existing advances — and how to clean up your file before applying.

9 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Funding 101

The Seasonal Business Cash-Flow Playbook

Landscapers, resorts, retailers, and contractors earn in months and spend in twelve. A practical playbook for mapping your revenue curve, budgeting the off-season, and borrowing before peak season — not mid-crisis.

9 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Compare

Equipment Financing vs. Leasing: Which Is Right for Your Business?

Financing builds ownership; leasing buys flexibility. A plain-language comparison of equipment financing and leasing — structures, worked cost math, tax basics, and a decision framework by equipment lifespan.

9 min read · Updated 2026-06-10

Ready when the banks say no.

One short application. A same-day decision. Funding in as little as 24 hours.