When word finally goes out that you are considering taking a business loan to boost your venture, there would be different kinds of reactions to this. You will meet with people offering cautionary advice or just the usual naysayers who won’t lack a story to tell about the outcome of such loans.
Not every reason is good enough to go into debt when it comes to your business, but it does not mean you lack relevant ideas. Your company might have reached a point of ushering into the next level. However, you do not have sufficient working capital to achieve this.
This post highlights five reasons you might want to consider while applying for a business loan.
1. The Need to Expand Your Physical Location
Just like moving to a larger and more modern apartment for your personal living space as your family members living together grow and you earn more from your venture, your company needs to move to a larger premise to support the growing team members, as well as the number of clients.
There are the ‘signs of times’ that pretty much tell you when the time to expand is come. For instance, your new employee has to set up a workstation in the kitchen area because your available space has bust at the seams. Similarly, you may be experiencing increased customers in your retail shop or restaurant, and the existing area is growing much smaller.
Obviously, this is something to be happy about because your business is thriving, hence the need to expand to a larger premise. However, this doesn’t mean you may be having sufficient funds to facilitate the move. This is why you may consider taking a small business loan to make this big move possible.
2. Setting the Foundation for Future Credit
In case you need to apply for bigger business loans for your company in coming years, you’d instead begin with easy, short-term loans to help you build more business credit. Startups often find it hard to qualify for bigger business loans because they lack a solid credit history to report to lenders.
Going for short-term business loans that can be paid on time can help your company grow its credit for the future. Using this strategy is quite essential to creating better relationships with loan financiers, providing a leeway you can leverage on when up and ready for a bigger loan.
3. The Need for Business Equipment
You will be required to purchase newer equipment, machinery, and other IT devices to boost your products and services in your new outlet. Thus, you may need a business loan to make the purchase possible. Additionally, such equipment and machinery can serve collateral when applying for a bigger loan, and when you’re not considering equipment financing.
Ideally, make sure that you separate your actual business needs from the desirable when taking an equipment loan. Your staff may love to have a margarita machine, but considering the type of venture you run, such equipment wouldn’t be a wise investment.
4. Need to Purchase More Inventory
The biggest, and probably the most significant expenses for your business is the inventory. Just like equipment purchases, you must continually replenish your stock with high-quality products to keep up with the demands. Accomplishing this can be quite tricky when you have to purchase large inventory before seeing your actual ROI. You may require a business loan, especially if you are a seasonal business person lacking cash at hand, yet expect to purchase more significant inventory.
To understand whether taking a loan would be wise, come up with a sales projection based on your previous years’ business performance.
5. You Need Fresh Talent in Your Business
There were times you could take on multiple roles in your startup, from fundraising, customer service, and bookkeeping. If your current team is overwhelmed with tasks, the business can experience slowdowns, and consequently affect your business model.
You must consider investing in new talents to keep your business venture competitive. But this means that you may need a business loan to cover for new talent acquisition.
Conclusion
Taking loans to boost your business venture can be a wise move, but you ought to be wary of potential risks. These five reasons prove why business loans can help you achieve your business goals when you don’t have cash in hand.