Lenders Tailor Credit to Specific Needs

David Valdez, Vice President Small Business Lending, Century Bank

One loan isn’t the same as another when borrowing money to build or sustain a business. Lenders act as matchmakers, fitting business owners with the type of credit they need for specific business needs.

Most traditional and nonprofit lenders offer a menu of loan options tailored to an entrepreneur’s individual circumstances — his or her credit history, cash flow, collateral, capacity, and capital. The loans can be conventional, or they can be guaranteed with backing from the U.S. Small Business Administration if the business would otherwise have a hard time qualifying for a conventional loan and the owner needs more flexible loan terms, such as a longer repayment schedule and less stringent collateral requirements. When a bank is unable to lend to a business, loan officers typically refer the business to a nonprofit lender that offers business consulting as part of the loan package.

If a business needs money for working capital, an ideal product is a revolving line of credit, said David Valdez, a small business/commercial lender at Century Bank’s Santa Fe office. “The business uses the line when cash coming in is slow and pays it down when the cash is flush.”

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Technical Assistance Advisors Offer More Than a Loan

Joaquin Amador, Technical Assistance Advisor at The Loan Fund

Matilda Scheurer purchased Teresa’s Tamales in January of 2021, and she did it with help from The Loan Fund, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). In addition to obtaining a loan to purchase the long-time Cleveland, New Mexico restaurant, Scheurer got access to a technical advisor she can call when she needs business advice, feedback, or an answer to a question.

Joaquin Amador is The Loan Fund’s Technical Assistance Advisor in the northern part of the state*. Based in Santa Fe, Amador helps provide loans and lines of credit to small businesses and nonprofits and then offers technical support to ensure those businesses thrive.

Amador is well-positioned to offer assistance. With more than 20 years of management and marketing experience ranging from tech startup to multibillion-dollar global businesses, he is equipped to offer advice on strategic issues like business improvements, as well tactical challenges such as online marketing and search engine optimization. Two advanced degrees – an MBA from the University of New Mexico and a Master of Science from the University of Chicago – give Amador a wide range of business knowledge he can share with The Loan Fund’s clients.

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Line of Credit Can Smooth Out Cash Flow Extremes

People who operate seasonal businesses often find that lines of credit make a lot more sense than traditional loans when dealing with the dramatic cash flows that are typical of such ventures. Steve and Tracy Kirkpatrick have operated in Albuquerque for 20 years as Gourmet Specialties Southwest, a Hickory Farms franchise. Before that, Steve was an employee of the Ohio-based company known for its specialty cheese, meats and other gourmet foods.

Each fall the Kirkpatricks activate their bank line of credit to purchase inventory and set up 17 seasonal kiosks and storefronts in New Mexico and West Texas. By the following January 15, they repay the line of credit in full.

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