Coleman Online Small Business Lending Report — Lamenting the Online Small-Business Lending Bubble
April 30, 2015
Guest Post
by Ami Kassar
President & Founder MultiFunding
Am I missing the boat and doing something wrong? That’s how I have felt lately as I’ve watched the emergence of the online small-business financing space.
It seems every other week I wake up to another announcement about a company in the small-business financing space who has raised a lot of money from venture capitalists at a really high valuation. There is a bubble happening in the space and anybody who is anybody in the investment community wants a piece of it.
Every successful company has a core thesis to it–something that they are trying to do–or prove. In my space, many claim they’re bringing speed to the loan process. Others promise technology. Sometimes I think they’re missing the core message.
When we serve an entrepreneur or business owner — we’re being entrusted with their dream — and to help advise them. In many cases their life savings are on the line, and many people’s jobs. Our belief is when the stakes are high — they deserve a conversation with an expert — who can try to help them figure out the best path for their business.
There can be many outcomes from this conversation. Sometimes the answer might be that they should not try to borrow any money at all. Or other times they need to clean up their financials or get their taxes filed before looking for a loan. Other times we need to piece several loans together over a path to help them get to where they need to be. Speed is often not the answer — listening and patience are.
I know that MultiFunding will be here for many decades helping to serve our clients. Our new tag-line “Business Loan Advisors” might not have the sex appeal that makes venture capitalists druel — but it’s who we are and what we do; as for me, I am done with my sleepless nights.
Contact Ami at akassar@multifunding.com
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