By Fernando Berrocal

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Startups can obtain a business loan (a loan specifically intended for different types of business purposes) from lenders.  It is a common type of credit.  Lenders of business loans will require the repayment of the principal loan - plus the interests and fees attached to it - within a specific time frame. Working capital loans often call for the borrower to make consistent payments on a specific set of time; however, the terms of repayment and interest rates might change based on the lender and your credentials. 

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Therefore, a small business loan is an excellent tool for making the startup process much simpler.  Establishing a business is feasible and attainable–with the correct instruments. 

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How Do I Get a Small Business Loan?

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Compared to bigger, more established businesses, startups are more susceptible to financial issues when pursuing early-stage funding.  Even though startups are the main driving force of employment and job growth in the United States - and most countries in the world - this is a fact. Bear in mind that, due to the saturated nature of the startup landscape, your organization must figuratively and literally be “open for business” in order to compete for funding.

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Remember: that before financing for a small business can be obtained, all challenges must be addressed. Funding that supports initial expenses is known as a business startup loan. Working capital, machinery, equipment, furniture, and furnishings - as well as the acquisition or development of the real estate - can all be financed using startup loans. 

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So, how do you obtain a loan for your small business? Step one: before applying for anything, you should check both your personal and business credit scores. Creditworthiness may be determined using these ratings. A better financial position may be attained with a higher credit score–often, lower credit scores mean higher interest rates. If you want your organization's credit score to improve, you must be prepared to put in a lot of sweat and effort. Consider it from the lender's point of view; they want to fund groups that will return their money (and a profit).  So, again, make sure to be aware of your credit score. Make sure to also contemplate how quickly your business can realistically achieve financial sustainability.  In the event of failure, does your organization own any assets or equipment that may be sold?

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Step two: choose the sort of loan you want–and verify your business eligibility. You should be aware of what the lender is searching for before you start gathering your financial documents and filling out applications. Applications for business microloans - a type of business loan intended to assist businesses ineligible for funding elsewhere - would probably have different restrictions than requests for business credit. One way to focus your financing alternatives is  by using your monthly budget. Once you’ve decided on the loan type and business lender, you may begin completing the application you're interested in. If you have already done all of your research, it will be a much simpler process.

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To determine the amount of funding you need, ask yourself the following question: what are you utilizing the funds for? The loan purpose is the main response to that query. It's also the cash quantity that you need to consider (which needs to be as specific as possible). If you are straightforward with your lender about why you need the business loan, you will receive even more funding.

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While eligibility for funding startup initiatives might differ for different lenders, it is feasible in terms of how to qualify for a startup loan. Nevertheless, some factors will be taken into account. Generally, business credit comes first. Your startup can lack the credit history of well-established businesses in the market. Typical business tools - such as your credit history and credit score - may also be analyzed by lenders. To find out if you qualify, check your credit score. This will enable you to determine whether your business credit bureaus have been accessed. Credit scores won't be affected by this. Lenders take their time spent operating a firm into account. Newly established firms are exempt from this. Finally, always remember that the earlier you launch your business, the better your prospects will be in this type of situation.

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Note that business lenders are the ones who will evaluate your historic credit score. They will do this to calculate your risk (if you are seeking to acquire a loan to fund a business with negative credit history). If you have bad credit, getting a loan may be challenging; in that case, think about other types of business finance help such as crowdsourcing and microloans. However, in some specific circumstances, you could also be qualified to borrow money for startups with bad credit, so make sure to look at all your options.

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In conclusion, an initial small business loan can be your best option if you need money to launch your startup. You will need a lot of documentation to obtain one, but good credit is the primary concern; you need to have good credit to be eligible for a business starting loan. There might be some obstacles to obtaining one–if that’s the case, remember that there are other options, such as crowdsourcing and microloans.

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Ready to bring your startup to the next level? Apply to MassLight’s next batch. MassLight supplies capital and a dedicated tech team. We take equity in return. Have questions? Refer to our FAQ page.

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