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Working capital, equipment, and the honest answer.

We broker small business loans through trusted lender partners. Working capital lines, term loans, equipment financing, merchant-cash advances when they fit, SBA referrals. We are paid by the lender on funded deals — no application fee to you, no upfront cost, no pressure to take a deal that does not work.

Products we broker

  • Working capital lines of credit
  • Term loans for equipment or expansion
  • Equipment financing
  • Merchant cash advance (when it fits)
  • SBA referrals to qualified partners
The honest answer

Brokers exist to find the fit, not push the easy product.

Most lending brokers push merchant cash advance because it pays them best and closes fast. We will tell you when an MCA is the right tool and when it would crush your cash flow. Same for equipment financing, term loans, and SBA. The honest answer is the entire job.

When MCA fits

Short-duration cash need, predictable card volume, sub-12-month payback. Used right, it is a tool. Used wrong, it is a trap.

When term loans fit

Capital expenditure, expansion, predictable repayment. Equipment, real estate improvement, predictable monthly servicing.

When SBA fits

Larger amount, longer term, willing to provide documentation, can wait the timeline. We refer you to qualified SBA partners.

When nothing fits

Sometimes the right answer is "clean up X, then come back in 90 days". We will tell you that too.

Process

From conversation to funded.

  1. Phone call: 15 minutes with Jim. Business overview, what the capital is for, ballpark amount, current banking. No documents at this stage.
  2. Honest read: We tell you what products fit, what does not fit, and what we would do in your position.
  3. Application: If a product fits, we walk you through one application that gets shopped to the right partners.
  4. Offers back: 1 to 5 business days for working capital, 1 to 3 weeks for term/equipment, longer for SBA.
  5. You pick: We explain each offer in plain English. You decide.
  6. Funded: Most working capital deals fund within 7 business days of approval.
FAQ

Common lending questions.

Do you charge an application fee?
No. We are paid by the lender on funded deals. There is no application fee or upfront cost for you to work with Steele Solutions on a lending placement.
How fast can a loan close?
Working capital lines and short-term advances: 3 to 7 business days. Equipment and term: 1 to 3 weeks. SBA: runs its own timeline.
What if my credit is rough?
Some products require strong credit; others underwrite primarily on revenue. We will tell you what fits, and we will tell you when nothing fits and the right move is to clean things up first.

Which lending product fits which situation

There are six common business lending products. Each fits a different cash-flow problem. Picking the wrong one is expensive; picking the right one is straightforward once the problem is named.

Working capital (term loan or line of credit)

Short-to-medium term cash to bridge a cash gap, fund inventory, or smooth seasonal swings. Term loans are paid back on a fixed schedule (usually 12-60 months). Lines of credit are revolving — draw as needed, pay interest only on the drawn balance. Best for: predictable cash needs you can pay back on a schedule.

Equipment financing

Asset-backed loan to acquire specific equipment. The equipment itself is collateral. Rates and terms are usually better than unsecured working capital because the lender has the asset to recover. Best for: vehicles, machinery, kitchen equipment, point-of-sale hardware.

SBA 7(a)

Government-guaranteed loans up to $5M. Lower down payment, longer terms (typically 7-10 years for working capital, 25 years for real estate). Slower funding (30-90 days) because of underwriting complexity. Best for: large purchases, real estate, business acquisitions.

SBA 504

Specifically for owner-occupied commercial real estate or major fixed assets. Two-loan structure (bank loan + CDC loan), typically 10% down. Best for: buying or building your own commercial property.

Merchant cash advance (MCA)

Cash today repaid as a percentage of future card sales. Fast (often 24-72 hour funding). Expensive when annualized. Useful when the cash need is urgent and the alternative is missing the opportunity. Dangerous when used as a substitute for unprofitable operations — the daily repayment chokes already-thin cash flow. Steele Solutions recommends MCA only when the math actually works for your cash cycle, not as a default.

Factoring (invoice factoring)

You sell unpaid invoices to a factor at a discount. The factor pays you ~85-90% immediately and collects from your customer. Best for: B2B businesses with 30-90 day net terms who can't wait for customer payment.

How we shop your file

We package your application once and present to multiple lenders. You get offers from the lenders who say yes, plus our honest read on which offer fits your situation. We do not charge an application fee. Steele Solutions is paid a referral fee by the lender on funded loans, which means we win when the loan funds — the same incentive structure you have.

Frequently asked

Do you guarantee approval?
No. Approval is the lender's call, not ours. We package, present, and shop your file across multiple lenders.
Will applying with you affect my credit score?
The initial package and pre-qualification reviews use soft pulls in most cases. Hard pulls happen only when a specific lender moves to underwriting on a specific deal.
What's the fastest funding option?
MCA can fund in 24-72 hours. Equipment financing in a week or two. Conventional term loans in 2-6 weeks. SBA in 30-90 days.
Do you do startup loans?
We refer to SBA-friendly lenders for startups with strong business plans. Steele Solutions does not write its own loans; we are a referral and packaging operation.

Get the honest answer first.

Fifteen-minute call with Jim. No documents needed at this stage. Just tell us what the capital is for and we will tell you what fits.

Call Jim · 417-294-1882