If you are looking to grow your business, you will need to take out a business loan to acquire new assets, equipment, and pay your new employees. While new businesses may start operations with a fair amount of cash flow, not every start-up owner has sufficient funds to keep things going. This is where a start-up business loan is vital.
Unlike personal loans, business loans force loan providers to incur significant risks, which can lead to stricter lending terms and higher eligibility requirements. Many licensed moneylenders in Singapore look at different eligibility requirements to identify if you are fiscally suitable for a loan.
Here are 5 tips to ensure you can qualify for a business start-up loan.
1. Business plan
Once you have completed writing your business plan and ensure that you have met all other loan requirements, it is time to get funding. A vast majority of start-up loans require a business plan document that shows your estimated projections in the coming weeks, months and years.
However, your business plan does not need to be comprehensive. It can be a short document that shows your company’s summary, products, marketing teams and liquidity assets.
2. Collateral
A collateral is a deposit that acts as security to the loan provider in the case that you default your payment. Loan providers will examine your assets to ensure that they are valuable enough to compensate for the amount that you have borrowed.
At the same time, you will run the risk of losing your assets if your business starts to take a downward plunge. Thus, you should only place assets that you are willing to lose as collateral.
3. Credit score
If you are considering a start-up business loan for the first time, sky-high interest rates can feel like a detrimental element in your credit application. The loan provider will look at personal and business finances in the past 1-2 years to help them predict a trend of your loan payments in the future.
Therefore, it is essential to work on your business credit score and ensure that your finances point to a positive trend in the near future.
4. Liquidity
Income and cash flow are vital in ensuring that your business is able to thrive in the future. This is why liquidity assets such as cash are important for your business. A constant stream of liquidity represents business health that makes it eligible for a business loan. At the same time, loan providers will examine your expenses to ascertain the profitability of your business.
You should implement the right strategies and improve your business liquidity to stand a higher chance of acquiring an instant cash loan in Singapore.
5. Debt levels
Many loan providers are cautious when lending to businesses that already have other loans in place. Thus, it is important to ensure that your debt levels are low.
Your debt-to-income ratio is a relation of your monthly debt and your monthly gross income. You should keep this ratio at 50% or lower to avoid plunging yourself into an additional debt and higher interest rates.
Conclusion
Getting a start-up loan is a crucial step in helping you to acquire new assets, expand your business and get things moving. When searching for different lending options, you should make sure to select a loan that suits your requirements and matches your business projections.
Always remember to avoid loans that can hurt your business operations and plunge you into further debt.