Ambercroft Business Capital, a small-business funding broker in Lafayette, Indiana, works in four steps: a call about the purpose, matching it to a funding type, sending the request to lending partners that offer that type, and helping the owner compare whatever comes back. Each partner owns its credit decision, its rate and its terms.
Do banks offer business loans?
Yes, and for an established business with strong financial statements a bank or credit union is often the right first stop. Banks tend to ask for more documentation and take longer, and some small or young businesses fall outside their criteria. Non-bank lenders and funders fill much of that space with different products, different paperwork and, often, higher costs. Knowing which kind of source fits your situation saves time on both sides.
Broker or lender: who does what
A lender reviews the application, decides and provides the money. Ambercroft, as a broker, does none of the three. Ambercroft Business Capital is a broker, not a lender: we help you choose a funding type, prepare the request, and introduce it to lending partners that offer that type. The agreement, if there is one, is between your business and the partner.
Step 1: the purpose call
We ask what the money will pay for, roughly what it costs, and what will repay it. We do not need documents at this stage. If the honest answer points away from financing, for example toward a pricing problem or toward free advising, we say so.
Step 2: choosing the structure
The purpose decides the type: a timing gap points to working capital, a project to a term loan, recurring costs to a line of credit, stock to inventory financing, a machine to equipment financing. A merchant cash advance is not a loan and is discussed only with its full cost in view.
Step 3: the partner's review
With your agreement, the request goes to partners that offer that type. A partner usually asks for:
- Recent business bank statements
- Tax returns or financial statements, depending on the product
- A list of existing debts and advances
- Proof the business is in good standing with the state
- For equipment or inventory, the quote or invoice
The state record is easy to overlook; checking your Indiana business entity report and certificate of existence takes a few minutes before you apply. The partner then decides and, if it approves, sets the amount, price and terms.
Step 4: comparing what comes back
Offers are stated in different ways, and the headline number is rarely comparable across products:
| Product | Cost usually stated as | Compare using |
|---|---|---|
| Term loan or working capital | Interest rate, sometimes APR | Total of all payments plus fees |
| Line of credit | Rate on drawn balance plus fees | Cost of the amount you expect to draw |
| Equipment lease | Payment and buyout terms | All payments plus any purchase price |
| Merchant cash advance | Factor rate | Total payback and expected collection period |
Ask every partner for the total amount you will pay and every fee. Then compare totals and payment schedules side by side. Saying no is always an option.
Warning signs in any funding search
- Anyone promising approval before seeing the business
- Pressure to sign before you have finished reading
- Requests for payment before any offer exists
- An offer that will not state the total amount you repay
- A contract you may not take home to read
If you see these, stop and ask questions. Short answers are on the answers page, free advising is listed in Greater Lafayette small business resources, and our disclosures set out the broker relationship formally.
By Ambercroft Business Capital · Updated