Good Business: Loans & Growth

Small businesses are a pillar of the American economy. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, they make up 99.9% (32.5 million) of all businesses in the country. Yet as large as the small business community is, there are many challenges that individual owners face. One of those challenges is getting access to the capital required to start a new business or grow an existing one.

Small businesses commonly face the issue of not having access to capital for operations, growth and expansion.

This is where SBA loans — loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration — can make a big difference for the small business community.

 

How SBA Loans Help Small Business

When small businesses reach out to banks for funding, their risk profile — or how likely they are to be able to pay off a loan — is usually a deciding factor in a loan's approval. Lending to even the best small businesses inherently carries higher risk, as there's no guarantee that a smaller firm will continue to be successful through various market cycles, and most do not have the luxury of fulsome capital reserves to take them through a downturn.

The SBA's loan programs help to reduce lender risk, allowing small businesses to increase their chances of securing funds. Utilizing SBA loans helps businesses get the capital they need while reducing the risk that banks face when providing them with loans.

SBA loans, or government-guaranteed financing, provides banks with a guaranteed reimbursement on uncollectable loans. This allows for more flexibility for banks to fund small businesses.

SBA loans also give small businesses a chance to expand without the burden of high interest rates they might have to pay if they financed with credit card or alternative lenders.

 

A Sweet Deal for Sweet Treats

Being able to secure loans from trustworthy lenders has proven crucial for small businesses like John Kelly Chocolates, a Los Angeles based boutique chocolatier.

In 2004, John Kelson and Kelly Green – owners of John Kelly Chocolates – used their passion for creativity, quality and sharing with others to start their gourmet chocolate business.

For nearly two decades, their business has been a staple of the Hollywood-Los Angeles community. Their sweet creations have found their way into coveted Oscar "swag-bags" and continuously satisfy customers' cravings at what are now their three boutique locations.

While the chocolatiers have earned popularity and awards, things weren't always easy for the business — especially when Kelson and Green were trying to expand their operation.

“When we worked with large banks, they claimed to be for small businesses," explained Kelson. "But they would set up a matrix that made it difficult to qualify, and no one personally took the time to really look at the numbers to help you out. This forced us into very unforgiving loans with high interest rates that were hard to pay off."

While the company was ready to grow, John Kelly Chocolates was held back by the hefty interest rates of that previous loan. That's when they got help from City National Bank.

With goals to expand the business, they needed to find other options that could get them out of a situation where capital was mainly going towards interest for repaying a loan.

City National's bankers  took the time to get to know Kelson and Green, their business and what their goals were. This in turn helped them strategize a way to grow their business with the right financing from an SBA loan.

The right loan meant they could continue to achieve their goals. In addition to their home store and factory in Hollywood, they now have retail stores in Santa Monica and Beverly Hills.

“I actually enjoy talking to people at City National, and I don't dread it. I feel like they do care about our business and how we are doing," explained Green. “Our interactions are always a pleasant experience and I can't always say that about all banks we've worked with."