Simply Junior » Small Business Administration

Obama’s Small Business Stimulus Plan – Start Your Small Business With Obama’s Stimulus Package

admin — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 10:48:30 +0000

If you have been struggling with trying to stay in business, you’re not alone. The slow economy has been responsible for affecting the lives of millions, for the US and everywhere else. American’s President Obama has seen what homeowners, companies, and consumers are going through, and put forth a $787 billion stimulus in February of 2009 to promote economic growth.

Among those who are pegged to receive assistance through funding and the addition of jobs include scientific research groups, schools, energy programs, Medicaid, and contractors. But what about small business owners? Are you eligible? How do you go about the application process?

The good news is that since everyone is facing financial strains, the Stimulus has a program that targets small businesses. Receiving assistance can make the difference in having your company rise above to the level of bigger corporations with whom you might have been finding difficult to compete. Here’s what you can do to benefit from the Stimulus:

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has come up with a way for you to be guaranteed for up to a $35,000 loan without having to pay for it for up to 12 months. They have $426,000,000 in government funding to use toward helping small businesses like yours, so that it keep you from losing your company.

Have high interest rates kept you from obtaining a loan in the past? You no longer have to worry about that. Under the Stimulus, you are able to refinance a small business loan of up to $10,000,000 if it was issued before the Stimulus went into affect.

Did you know that you can increase your company’s private capital or investments from 300% or $15 million, depending on the lesser amount, to 300% or $150 million as the maximum? This will enable your business to become established in the marketplace and local community, so that you can continue to grow your business using Stimulus money for marketing, professional development, or applying the funds to areas of your company that need it most.

Building Business Credit

admin — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 09:04:58 +0000

There is a number one rule in building business credit and that is to pay your bills on time. This shows other businesses, particularly investors and suppliers that the process of business is being carried out the way it should be. But even more importantly it allows banks and financial institutions to see for themselves whether or not the business is operating under good financial parameters.

When a bank or other lending institution receives a request for a business loan one of the first things they do is check the business credit score with Experian Business, Equifax Business or Dun and Bradstreet. The reports a creditor can buy from these companies will immediately identify any outstanding business liabilities as well as showing how well a company has been doing to pay their bills and keep their suppliers happy.

The other important factor in building business credit is to for the owners or principals of a business to look after their own personal finances. When a bank lends money in the form of a business loan or business line of credit they have to satisfy themselves that the corporate officers of the business are themselves creditworthy. In fact under the Small Business Administration guidelines this is one prerequisite for banks to access funds under the Small Business Act.

Another element in building business credit is to keep good financial records and have a solid accounting system that not only tracks accounts payable and accounts receivable, but is also capable of making forecasts and projections about financing and cash flow problems before they arise. One of the major reasons that small businesses fail is that they do not properly track their financial situation so even if a business never has to borrow money, it will need to be financially well organized just to survive.

A final way in building business credit is to create a business credit track record. A business can do this by borrowing small amounts of money or arranging limited financing using personal guarantees. This shows the banks that a business is not afraid to invest in itself and is prepared to back that up with their own personal monies. Just like getting a car loan and making all twenty four payments on time at the bank will improve your personal credit so too will meeting your financial commitments in a business arrangement improve and build your business credit.

Building business credit is a process that will evolve over a period of time. Just staying in business past the first two years will improve your business credit outlook. So too will keeping your suppliers happy and ensuring that your financial recording systems are accurate and up to date. The longer that you pay your bills on time the greater your business credit will grow. Look after the small things in your business and building your business line of credit will look after itself. Learn more about building business credit at http://www.corporatecredit.biz

Online Resource For Small Business

admin — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 07:48:24 +0000

Small business online refers to resources available to small business owners via the Internet. Many financial companies provide information on funding resources, business laws and terms, and management advice for small businesses. These sites enable business owners to make sound business decisions to increase the likelihood of their success.

One of the main reasons individuals looking for business online resources is to find information on ways to finance a start-up or existing business. Most lenders, including commercial banks, the Small Business Administration (SBA), and non-traditional financial companies, now provide detailed information regarding the different funding options provided. With these sites, business owners can find out if they qualify for a certain loan and compare loan terms to other available financing options. These lenders typically provide secure online loan applications as well, making the approval process faster. However, for loans that require any documentation, these may have to be faxed or mailed to the lender before the approval process can begin.

Small business online lenders also provide financial management advice to growing small businesses. From other financial websites, entrepreneurs may also be able to access glossaries of common business terms, lists of business laws, and the most up-to-date news, including stock reports. Many of these websites may provide forums that allow entrepreneurs to connect to others with similar interests to exchange ideas, opinions, and advice on business matters. Connecting to fellow business owners can help entrepreneurs to make better business decisions.

A small business online resource is a website designed to aid small business owners in every aspect of entrepreneurship, including finances and management. Most lenders, including the Small Business Administration (SBA), commercial banks, credit unions, and non-traditional loan providers, offer websites to inform business owners on different types of loans and their requirements. Other websites are run by financial companies who specialize in assisting businesses with financial counseling and management tips and advice.

A lender’s small business online resource typically lists all available loans and the requirements needed to apply for one of these loans. These websites may also allow business owners to apply via a secure online application to accelerate the approval process. However, if a loan requires financial documentation, these may have to be faxed or otherwise sent to the loan provider before the approval process can begin. If a business owner already receives funding from a lender, he or she may be able to access information regarding that funding online. Borrowers can check interest rates, repayment plans, and the amount still owed.

Other small business online resources provide financial counseling and management tips to help businesses succeed. These websites offer step-by-step guides for accounting processes and business plans, glossaries for common business terms, and hundreds of articles with ideas on how to improve profitability. Business owners may also be able to join a forum to give and receive feedback amongst fellow entrepreneurs.

Factoring Helps Small Business Grow

admin — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 08:55:33 +0000

One recent poll asked entrepreneurs what they personally believe affects the success or failure of a startup company. The 549 founders came from all kinds of industries: computing, electronics, health care, aerospace and defense.

The top most critical success factors included learning from their mistakes and their successes, previous work experience, a good strong management team and good luck. 98 percent said prior work experience was a very important factor.

Some of the most common questions asked on the government’s Small Business Administration (SBA) website are: How do I get a small business loan… or grant? How do I get started in a business? How do I find an investor for my business? What are the interest rates, and terms or fees that the SBA requires on its Guarantee Loan program?

As small business entrepreneurs head into 2010, following are some real tried and true financial aids that can help any business grow.

Do not waste money anymore. By using good financial strategies, you can stick to the plan to help lower operating expenses. Review your expenses to make sure you are not paying double for anything. Just like public companies, review the year in quarters (Q1: January through March) and then set aside time each quarter to review your financials. You will most certainly find areas to cut back.

For example: Do you rent or lease a car or truck? Did you know that a company vehicle is best purchased because they can be depreciated on your company tax returns. Plus you’ll get a higher return on your investment after the vehicle has been paid off, than leasing. However, think about leasing your computers, which is usually a tax deduction, so that you can always trade them in for newer technology when the time comes.

Now more popular than ever before, another financial business strategy is to begin factoring your outstanding invoices. An invoice that won’t be paid for 60 to 90 days isn’t doing your company any good today. However if you find a factoring company to factor one or more of your outstanding invoices, you can use the money wisely to invest in your business and grow faster. Many factors today do what is called “single invoice factoring” where they will spot one invoice at a time.

Accounts receivable factoring is particularly helpful if you need cash in a hurry because once a factor receives your application and reviews your invoices, you can receive payment within as little as 24 to 48 hours after they have pre-qualified the vendor that owes you the money. Remember your credit isn’t checked, but the vendor that owes you the money will be pre-qualified by the factor.

Factoring companies, just like a bank or any commercial financial institution, charges a fee for its services. A factoring company will first examine your invoices and check the creditworthiness of your customers. You should be prepared to show the factor these following: 1) A current financial statement; 2) An accounts receivable aging report; 3) A certificate of incorporation or partnership; agreement; 4) Proof of insurance; and 5) Invoices and other business documents.

A factor will take charge of collecting your receivables, so they will want to make sure your customers pay their invoices on time. Once you have selected which invoices the factor will purchase, they will typically pay you an advance; for example, the factor might pay you 80 percent of the total amount of your invoices and then reimburse you the other 20 percent once your customers pays the invoices.

A factor will take anywhere from 3 percent to 7 percent or more of the total that they collect. Factors’ fees vary depending on the size of your invoices, your customers’ creditworthiness and the number of days (30/60/90) until the invoice is due.

Small Business Lenders

admin — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 01:14:12 +0000

Small Business Lenders are certified by the U.S. Small Business Administration to provide guaranteed funding to small business owners. Due to the diversity of applicants and the different business types, the SBA partners with their lending partners to make it easier for small businesses to obtain funding for new start-ups. Their involvement has allowed small business owners to obtain loans for a longer term and thus reduce the monthly repayments incurred. This provides businesses with a longer period of time to mature and stabilize without having to bear the heavy burden of a large loan repayment amount.

With this, the SBA has appointed a list of a few thousand lending partners in every state to extend this facility to the general public. Of course, borrowers are still required to submit full-fledge loan application proposals to the lender with the difference being that the SBA is the guarantor for such loans. This typically means that if the borrower defaults than the risk of non-repayment will fall upon the SBA, as they will then be responsible for repaying the loan.

Additionally, the criteria set forth for small business loans make 90% of all businesses qualified applicants for these loans. Apart from that, businesses are not burdened with balloon payments and high interest rates, which would otherwise be offered by any other commercial lender. Furthermore, fixed rate loans and variable loans are available to business owners. Therefore, business owners have more options in deciding the type of loan that would be suited for their business.

The purposes of acquiring a small business loan are varied according to the situation of the business. Small business owners may obtain loans to purchase real estate for business expansion purposes, to provide cash flow to support a large project, to lease machinery to operate a business, to utilize as working capital or to purchase inventory. Whatever the reason may be, business loans are evaluated an approved by these micro lenders after thorough evaluation of the business background, viability and purpose. The only difference is that through the support of the SBA, they are more willing to give out loans, as their risk is minimal with repayments guaranteed by a government agency.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Loans

admin — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 10:04:43 +0000

As a new entrepreneur looking for capital, one of your first options for a loan will be the SBA, or to be exact, asking for an SBA-backed loan. SBA loan applications are made through a bank. The SBA guarantees a loan to the bank, so in case the borrower defaults, the bank is guaranteed a portion of the loan by the SBA. (You are still liable for the loan, so your obligation does not go away) This makes it easier for banks to lend to budding entrepreneurs, but it does not mean that the bank can lend indiscriminately. The bank will analyze the application to protect its interest as well as the SBA’s.

The SBA does not lend directly to the business owner. It is important that the bank you are working with is knowledgeable about SBA loans, as it will initially process your application, not the SBA. The SBA will review the application once the bank approves it.

What will the bank look for in your application?

Stimulate Your Small Business With Obama’s Stimulus Package

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 12:19:20 +0000

Like the pot of gold at the end of the recession rainbow, Obama’s stimulus package, also known as The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, could be the solution to businesses far and wide, small and large, in the current economic situation.

Dedicated to scientific research, energy programs, school districts, contractors and Medicaid in conjunction with creating millions of new jobs, the $787 billion economic recovery package is the lunch room gossip heard throughout the country. Who is going to be eligible for the money, how does one go about bidding for it and how much would one receive are all important questions being asked by business owners.

Good news – the federal assistance is for everyone, especially business owners facing significant challenges. This is even a great opportunity for small companies to step up and compete for business with larger corporations. With the plan in place, smaller companies will have an opportunity to bid competitively where previously their capabilities may have restricted them compared to the “big boys.” Learn how to take advantage of the stimulus package via the following 7 benefits offered to small businesses.

SBA Guaranteed Loans With Obama’s stimulus package on the horizon, small businesses around the country can now rest assured knowing that the Small Business Administration (SBA) will guarantee 100% of loans up to $35,000 without requiring payment for one year. With the $426,000,000 authorized to the SBA to loan out to small businesses – the stimulus package could definitely be that saving grace for you and your company.

Good-Bye to High Interest Rates For small businesses who currently have a loan that is locked in at a high interest rate, the stimulus package is of great benefit to you. The SBA will be authorized to refinance small business loans as long as they were issued before the stimulus package was passed and are less than $10,000,000.

Ability to Increase Investments Up from 300% of a company’s private capital or $15 million (whichever is less), to 300% of a company’s private capital or $150 million as the maximum amount that a small business can invest; the stimulus package allows companies the ability to invest more in their company’s future. By increasing the cap at which a company can invest, businesses can spend more in business development and securing a position in the marketplace. Whether you increase professional development, heavy-up marketing efforts or reallocate funds in struggling departments, the stimulus package can help.

Procurement Opportunities With many large companies looking to also cut costs right now, outsourcing work or bidding for services are becoming popular. Many procurement offices are offering up more Request for Proposal’s or RFP’s for companies to bid on along with adding a certain percentage required to outsource to minority companies. With these opportunities opening up, small businesses and minority business enterprises will be able to greatly benefit from the stimulus package.

Vital Tax Breaks With this recovery package, companies will be able to immediately write off 50% of the cost (up to $250,000) of new business equipment this year. Small businesses can also make a win out of loss with this package. Any business with less than $15 million annual revenue can now carry back net operating losses for five years instead of the previous two. This means that a business who is currently losing money can apply these loses to a previous year where the business made out well and then claim a refund on those taxes paid during that specific year.

Internet Improvement Grants With the passing of Obama’s stimulus plan comes many different types of grants for small businesses. One of the more important is the grant to improve broadband access or online abilities. The world is becoming digital and this package recognizes that fact and sets out to aid in whatever way it can.

Construction Contractors Lucky Day From transportation projects to road construction to housing development, this is the time for all contractors to up their marketing to the government sector. With informative brochures, innovatively designed pocket folders and updated capability statements, many small construction companies have the ability to shine with the government through this new stimulus package.

However you choose to utilize the stimulus package passed by Obama this year, there is a solution for you out there.

Small Business Loan Rate Options

admin — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 14:46:59 +0000

A good small business loan rate is found in the many options available for entrepreneurs. Should a business be minority or women owned then that improves the options available. Commercial lending rates vary but typically not by much when compared to home or private lending. Because commercial loans are reviewed heavily before approval and secured very well, the rates stay close to the prime lending rate.

The Small Business Administration has a number of loan products available to assist small business. Starting with the SBA Microloan which are loans given through SBA intermediaries with lending amounts under $35,000. The small business loan rate is around 8% and is tied to the Treasury lending rate plus 7.5% or 8.5% (depending if the loan is above or under $10,000). The SBA’s primary lending instrument is a loan guarantee product called the SBA 7(a) loan with a maximum guaranteed amount of $1.5 million. Lending is done through an approved bank, the SBA guarantees the loan and the rate is tied to the prime lending rate. 7 (a) loans over $50,000 have a rate maximum of prime plus 2.75% (2.25% if the term is under seven years).

There are community development organizations that lend to small businesses. They exist to create and grow small businesses as small business brings revenue to a community and creates jobs. Their credit standards are not as rigid as formal banking institutions and they are very open to women and minority owned businesses. Typically their small business loan rate is around 4.25%-8.75% interest. Their maximum lending amounts are relatively low being around $50,000-$100,000, but they will have lending arrangements with banks to help with larger loans. These community organizations are distributed throughout the US and serve both urban and rural areas.

Examples of community organization low interest rates include Accion in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Accion offers rates of 2% to 7% depending on risk and has a maximum loan of $150,000. In Tulsa, Oklahoma the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) utilizes SBA products and likes to tout the SBA 504 where they can offer a fixed 4.7% for a ten-year term. The SBA 504 is used for mortgage financing for acquisition and/or renovation of capital assets (land, building, equipment) and it has loan maximum of $4 million. In Harrisburg, Pennsylvania the Harrisburg Regional Chamber has the Capital Region Economic Development Corporation (CREDC). The CREDC has a small business loan below market rate at 4.25% and a maximum amount of $200,000.

These are just a few quick examples of community organizations throughout the country lending to small businesses. As seen sometimes they can beat conventional commercial lending and even the SBA small business loan rate.

Small Business Loan Bailout? Stimulus Bill Pumps 730 Million Into SBA to Help Small Businesses Cope

admin — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:23:56 +0000

For those small business owners who think they were ignored in the new stimulus bill (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), think again. While the debate continues to unravel as to “who gets what and whether it is enough”, one thing is certain: more money is coming in the direction of small businesses through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Remember, this is the agency responsible for the outreach, licensing, and implementation of, you guessed it, money into the pockets of small businesses. This is done through private licensed lenders who have agreed to join the SBA program. In other words, if your local community bank has a commercial loan department, it might very well have a SBA department which makes these loans. They are called SBA loans because the Federal government will reimburse, to a certain percentage, defaulted loans, thereby giving incentive for the private banks to loan more money. Net effect–more loans will be available for small business concerns. This is a continuing article (20 in all) on the subject: Help. Is anyone out there loaning to small businesses anymore?

Before we talk about how much more money is available to the SBA under the stimulus package, let’s look at the current status of one of the popular SBA loan programs. There is a loan program out there and SBA lenders are actually making loans currently: the Community Express Loan Program. This gives unsecured small business loans between $5,000 and $50,000 with very little paperwork, answers typically in two days, interest rates presently at 7.75%, funding and two weeks, and monies wired directly to your business account. There are still lenders participating in this program, although Congress has failed to make the program permanent and still has a 10% cap on the number of loans.
Enter the Obama stimulus bill. Let us look how it affects this program and small business lending as a whole.

So should we be excited by the stimulus package? Isn’t it all too customary in a new spending bill for a government agency to receive more funds? Not at all as to the SBA. During the Bush Administration tenure, they could easily have renamed the agency the ISBA (Ignore Small Business Association). As they were making “sound bite” statements to the press of how they were helping small business, they were arrogantly trying to dismantle it, or when they were in a better mood, just cutting the budget.

The point is we have a new administration that actually likes small businesses. Remember these are additional monies over and above the SBA’s current budget . As we all know, budgets are determined in approximately March of each year (assuming Congress has the good graces to agree) to be used for the next year. The SBA has already received their budget. This is whipped cream placed on the top of that small business cake.

And we are not talking about token amounts here. Here is how the additional monies are broken down:

1. 375 million for temporary fee reductions or elimination on SBA loans and increased SBA loan guarantees, up to 90% for some loans. Translation: When a borrower gets a SBA loan they pay a SBA loan guarantee fee which goes to Washington and used as a war chest to pay banks if there has been a default. That guarantee fee, depending upon the loan, is currently between 50% and 85%. There is a possibility that some loan programs can now be increased to a whopping 90% guarantee. If a borrower no longer pays these fees, the money has to come from somewhere, and in this case it is taxpayers’ money which is subsidizing those fees.

2. 255 million for a new loan program to help small businesses meet existing debt payments. Translation. You have a loan secured by fixed assets or real estate and want to refinance it, either to lower payments or put more money in your pockets for expansion.

3. 30 million for expanding SBA’s Micro Loan Program, with $6 million to help finance new lending and 24 million for technical assistance grants to Micro lenders. . Translation: Under the Microloan program, the Federal government loans blocks of money to the Microloan lenders who then reloan it, at higher rates, to the deserving communities and small businesses and usually collateral is required.

4. 20 million for streamlining the SBA lending and oversight process with new technology. Translation: The streamlining process will make it faster and more efficient to process loans and oversight is to monitor SBA licensed lenders–make sure they are acting for the benefit of small businesses and complying with the program guidelines.

5. 15 million for expanding SBA’s surety bond guarantee program. Translation: If you are a building contractor and have to take out a performance or payment bond on a project, you need substantial assets to secure the bond. This will help getting your hands on that needed bond and be able to secure the contract.

6. 25 million for staffing as to the new programs.

7. 20 million for the Office of Inspector General. Translation: To inspect and audit the licensed SBA lenders.

Although one could make the argument this new law is “too little too late”, we have to give our current administration a chance to do good things with this fresh money. And don’t forget the mindset of the SBA lender. Although they are not as wildly quixotic as stock market speculators, their purses open and close based upon the mood of the country. We want them to be as comfortable as possible when we walk toward them for money.

Unsecured Small Business Loans – Good News – Stimulus Bill Allows SBA 90 Percent Guarantee For Loans

admin — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:48:47 +0000

Anyone remotely involved with small businesses, whether as a consultant, lender, supplier, leasing specialist, trade association, or simply as a consumer who is tired of driving by sections of town and wondering why your favorite business unceremoniously threw in the towel, would very much like to hear some good news. Not to mention the small business owner itself. After all, there are 27 million small businesses that deserve to be thriving in this nation, but too often were ignored by the Bush administration. Classically non-complainers by nature, they just want a scrap of hope thrown their way. And I’m not talking about wide-eyed idealists looking for handouts-in all due respect to Emily Dickinson, they’re not looking for the”thing with feathers that perches in the soul”. Just give us a few bucks and we will run with it. This is a continuing article (20 in all) on the subject: Help. Is anyone out there loaning to small businesses anymore?

Fortunately there is a loan program out there and SBA lenders are actually making loans currently: the Community Express Loan Program. This gives unsecured small business loans between $5,000 and $50,000 with very little paperwork, answers typically in two days, interest rates presently at 7.75%, funding and two weeks, and monies wired directly to your business account. There are still lenders participating in this program, although Congress has failed to make the program permanent and still has a 10% cap on the number of loans.

Enter the Obama stimulus bill. Let us look how it affects this program and small business lending as a whole.

If you have tried to wade through the 1,100 or so pages of the new stimulus bill (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), you know its like chipping through granite. But let me pull out a little gem. It now allows the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA to you) to guarantee up to 90% of loans made by private lenders under their program. Let me explain. This is great for Community Express.

When the Small Business Act was enacted in 1958, it had a very simple mission. Find a way to get loans to small businesses that couldn’t get them through traditional channels. It did this in an ingenious way. They knew banks where reluctant to loan to small businesses, especially startups, because of fear of failure. So the SBA collected a fee on each loan and used this as a fund to pay banks if there was a default. Bingo, there was invented the SBA guarantee fee. It doesn’t take a degree in rocket science from MIT and an MBA from Harvard to know this gives incentives to the banks to make more loans.

SBA loan programs have guarantees from 50% to 85%. Specifically, the SBA currently has an 85% guarantee on loans up to $150,000 and up to 75% on loans above $150,000. On the other hand, there are some programs that only go as high as 50%, including the Express Loan program (for those types of loans the new guarantee will not change). With the new stimulus bill, the SBA has the right to increase these fees to 90%.

Think about this for a moment. Simple math tells us more guarantee, the greater the likelihood of the bank making the loan. For goodness sakes, 90% is tapping on the door of a 100% guarantee! Also note the guaranteed portion is typically sold on the secondary market (which has recently shut down to almost nothing) so there is more chance for loans to be sold and more money to go back into the coffers of the banks for further lending.

Notice I said the SBA has the right to increase it to 90%. It can pick which program. And it has not occurred yet. But if I was a betting person, I would say they would be seriously looking at most of the programs because everyone is scraping for ideas to revive the economy.

For those addicted to primary source documents, this is what the new statute, in relevant part (my attorney wanted me to add that) says:

SEC. 502. ECONOMIC STIMULUS LENDING PROGRAM FOR SMALL BUSINESSES. (a) PURPOSE- The purpose of this section is to permit the Small Business Administration to guarantee up to 90 percent of qualifying small business loans made by eligible lenders.
(b) DEFINITIONS- For purposes of this section:
(1) The term ‘Administrator’ means the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
(2) The term ‘qualifying small business loan’ means any loan to a small business concern pursuant to section 7(a) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 636) or title V of the Small Business Investment Act of 1958 (15 U.S.C. 695 and following) except for such loans made under section 7(a)(31).

There is also a sunset provision under Subparagraph (f) that the guarantees are only good for one year after enactment of the bill, unless extended by Congress.

So what does it do for me now as a small business owner? Well now the not so good news. I predict the SBA will be increasing many of its programs to 90%. But to get the banks in the lending mood again, there has to be a secondary market. There is also new legislation on that, which we will discuss in another article. But once we have a secondary market, I predict that they banks will not only loan, but do so in a big way. For three reasons:

First, history tells us when there is economic inactivity due primarily to depressed conditions, when the cycle changes for the better, like a sling shot affect, it changes dramatically. Remember when people were unable to refinance or purchase their homes because of tight markets and high interest rates? The rates went down and many jumped at the chance to refinance, improve their homes, and purchase (some say too precipitously) with abundance. Although this is an overstatement and also depends upon other factors such as employment, standards of living, etc., the analogy holds that when things loosen up, there will be a substantial number of business loans.

Secondly, banks are in large part in the business of making loans and they have not been doing so for some time. They will be anxious to make profits again.

Lastly, simple economics tells us when there is a vacuum in the market; capital will rush in and take advantage of that open market and initial lack of competition. Large banks are not making business loans so small community banks are starting to rush in to take over the arena. Give them a secondary market and they will explode.

So for the small business owner, I think this news of 90 % guarantees is favorable. Why did it take them so long?