Small Business Loans for Women Entrepreneurs » BizFly Funding (2024)

Home » Small Business Loans for Women Entrepreneurs

Small Business Loans for Women Entrepreneurs » BizFly Funding (1)

One of the principles of the American business marketplace is supposed to be that the best ideas, the best products, and the best services will rise to the top. The market will decide winners and losers based on the merits.

Unfortunately, this isn’t entirely the reality that exists on the ground. Women entrepreneurs face an up-hill battle, and it starts with obtaining small business funding.

Funding is critical for a small business to develop, grow, and thrive. Without sufficient small business funding, many small businesses fail – in fact, around half fail within the first five years of operation.

Today, around 40% of all small businesses are owned and operated by women entrepreneurs. Yet disproportionately, they find it more challenging than their male counterparts to obtain equal amounts of credit or small business loans, equally favorable loan terms, and so on.

Small Business Loans for Women Entrepreneurs » BizFly Funding (2)

This is due in some small part to overt discrimination and sexism on the part of some lenders, especially traditional lenders and banks. However, in many cases, it’s more of a covert, societal problem.

The myriad of ways in which society punishes and discriminates against women have a cumulative effect that make obtaining small business funding more challenging.

The statistics bear this out – lower lifetime earning totals, less pay for the same job, and lower average credit scores (all of which affect small business funding eligibility) based on gender disparities only.

On top of that, many lenders see small businesses as a high-risk investment to begin with, and even more so when there is a woman at the helm. That kind of overt sexism persists even today, and can further raise the bar that women need to meet in order to obtain small business funding.

But fortunately, there are some promising signs of improvement. Alternative lenders have come to prominence, that don’t have the institutional heritage of sexism and discrimination that can exist among banks and traditional lenders.

At the same time, many of these same alternative lenders have made a concerted effort to provide access to credit for women-owned businesses.Small business loans for women, even business loans for women with bad credit, are now easier to obtain than ever before.

Banks and Traditional Lenders – Why Small Businesses are Such a Risk

Banks and traditional financial institutions don’t like to take risks. Oh, certainly, they take a lot of risks on the investment banking side. But commercial banking – deposits, savings and checking accounts, loans, and credit products – are a highly risk-averse, regulated industry.

Those regulations got even tighter after the financial collapse of the late 2000s. Already, banks and traditional lenders had maintained fairly high bars to qualify for a loan or credit product – a high credit score, fairly high revenue requirements, as well as often lengthy time-in-business requirements.

These got even more stringent after the financial collapse. Effectively, this means that small business loans from these sources were restricted to only those with the best credit, and established small businesses that were doing well economically.

For newer small businesses, or those with limited credit history or poor credit, there was virtually no chance of obtaining a small business loan.

And, as discussed above, since female ownership and leadership was often seen as an increased element of risk for a small business, and credit scores and other metrics were already artificially lower, this meant it was even more difficult to obtain small business funding.

The Rise of Alternative Lenders

Fortunately, though, many enterprising entrepreneurs and those fed up with the traditional lending industry set out to change things. Alternative lending and financial services (sometimes called fintech) companies were born.

Today, there are numerous private, alternative, non-bank lenders catering to individuals, businesses, and other niche or specific markets.

Many of the alternative lenders are also acutely aware of the difficulties that people with bad credit, women-owned businesses, and other particular demographic groups have had in obtaining small business funding in the past.

That’s why many have made great efforts to specifically offer small business loans for women, business loans for women with bad credit, business loans for poor credit customers, and a diverse array of financial products.

What’s more, they’ve brought down the lending requirements for many of their products, such that more and more people can readily obtain access to them.

A Focus on Access Includes Women Entrepreneur Loans

That focus on access is what sets alternative lenders apart. For example, a traditional bank or institutional lender may require a 700 credit score or higher in order to qualify for a small business loan (among other requirements).

Many alternative lenders have credit score requirements in the 600 or even 500 range. This opens up borrowing opportunities for a much larger number of people and businesses.

For example, BizFly Funding, one of the premiere and trusted names in small business funding, including small business loans for women, has rather generous and simple-to-meet criteria for many of their financial products.

Lines of credit, merchant cash advances, and small business loans are all readily accessible.

Specifically when it comes to women entrepreneur loans, the eligibility requirements are as follows:

  • The business must have been in operation for at least 2 months at the time of application.
  • The business only needs to have a 500 credit score or higher.
  • The business must generate at least $8,000 in monthly revenue (with larger requirements for larger business loans for women).
  • Loan amounts of $10K to $1M are available.
  • Loan terms range from 2 months to 36 months, depending on your specific needs.
  • The interest rates range from 12 to 45%, varying based on credit score, loan amount, loan term, and other related factors.

Loans for women-owned businesses, as you can see, are quite accessible at BizFly Funding.

The interest rates may be slightly higher than a bank, but it’s hard to compare them, when most women-owned businesses (and small businesses in general) cannot obtain the small business loans they need from a bank or traditional lender.

BizFly Funding also doesn’t skimp on service. Quite the opposite. You can get pre-approved in as little as 30 minutes, and apply for a loan entirely online. One of the customer service team members will be in touch shortly thereafter.

You can get your funds within 1 business day following loan approval in many cases. If you need money now to boost your business, pay your bills, and fund your operations, then check out BizFly Funding – especially if you are looking for small business loans for women!

More to explorer

Consider a Merchant Cash Advance for Bad Credit Business Financing

Read More »

The Basics of Bad Credit Business Funding

Read More »

Ecommerce Business Loans

Read More »

Don't leave!

Tell us more about your business goals, and one of our funding specialists will reach out to discuss your needs.

Get the financing your business needs in as little as 24 hours!

  • Free Same-Day Quote
  • No Upfront Costs or Obligation
  • Simple Hassle-Free Business Loans
Small Business Loans for Women Entrepreneurs » BizFly Funding (2024)

FAQs

Is it hard for a woman to get a small business loan? ›

No. Women and gender nonbinary business owners are eligible for the same loans as everyone else. Lenders can't discriminate against loan applicants based on gender. At Funding Circle, the right to inclusive credit access is part of our Small Business Borrowers' Bill of Rights.

Why is it so hard to get a small business loan? ›

Factors that impact business loan approval

Lenders place the heaviest weight on your cash flow, credit history and time in business. They'll use this information to approve or deny your loan and determine your interest rate. Don't get discouraged if your business doesn't meet all these standards.

Are SBA loans easy? ›

In general, SBA loans are not as difficult to get as business bank loans. Because they're backed by the U.S. government, they're less risky for banks than issuing their own loans.

Does the SBA lend money to entrepreneurs? ›

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get funding by setting guidelines for loans and reducing lender risk. These SBA-backed loans make it easier for small businesses to get the funding they need.

What credit score do I need to get a small business loan? ›

Generally, the minimum credit score for SBA and term loans is around 680. If you're on the lower end of this spectrum, you'll likely need very strong business credentials to qualify, such as several years in business or significant annual revenue.

How much can I realistically get for a small business loan? ›

Small business loan amounts by loan type
LenderAverage small business loan amount
Short-term loans$5,000 to $750,000
Business line of creditUp to $1 million
Equipment financingUp to 80% to 100% of the value of purchased equipment
Invoice financing/invoice factoring70% to 90% of the amount invoiced
6 more rows
Apr 26, 2024

What percentage of SBA loans get approved? ›

Many statistics say that large banks approve SBA loans at rates as low as 20-30%, while smaller banks approve SBA loans at around 40% or less. All this to say: SBA loan approval rates hover at half or below all loan applications that are submitted.

How long does it take a bank to approve a small business loan? ›

On average, most SBA loans take 30 to 90 days from applying to funding. 7(a) loan subtypes are backed directly by the SBA. The SBA's turnaround time is 2 to 10 business days, but approval from your chosen lender can take 30 to 60 days. Microloans are loans for smaller amounts of $50,000 or less.

What is the rejection rate for small business loans? ›

What if they reject you? All valid concerns, but none of these worries should keep you from chasing the debt financing your company needs. Only about 37% of small businesses apply for financing, and of those who do apply, banks reject around 80%.

What disqualifies you from an SBA loan? ›

The most common reasons SBA loans are denied are poor credit, too much existing debt, or insufficient collateral. Other reasons include: Prior bankruptcy. Negative taxable income.

Do people get denied for SBA loans? ›

You're not alone if you applied for an SBA loan and were denied. Most small businesses struggle to qualify, with over 50% of applicants being rejected. You can take concrete steps to improve your application, whether applying for the first time, trying to appeal a denial, or reapplying for a loan.

What will stop you from getting an SBA loan? ›

Before you apply for an SBA loan, take a close look at your credit scores. Most business loans require some form of collateral or cash to secure a percentage of the loan amount. If your business has no assets to use, your application will be turned down due to a lack of financial security.

Can a new LLC get an SBA loan? ›

SBA Business Loan for New LLC: Your Options. Two primary SBA loan options are available for LLCs and other small businesses in need of financing: the SBA 7(a) loan and SBA 504 loan. Each has specific ways funds can be used, and they offer different loan terms and loan limits.

How to get initial funding for a startup? ›

Choose one of the following ways to raise a fund for your startup.
  1. Investments from Close Network. ...
  2. Government Schemes. ...
  3. Find an Angel Investor. ...
  4. Venture Capitalists. ...
  5. Bank Loans. ...
  6. Startup Incubators and Accelerators. ...
  7. Crowdfunding. ...
  8. Bootstrapping (Self-Financing)
Feb 27, 2024

Is it harder for a woman to start a business? ›

Women entrepreneurs encounter various challenges when starting a business here are some: Access to Funding: Securing initial capital and funding is often more challenging for women due to biases in the investment landscape. Women-owned businesses tend to receive less funding compared to those owned by men.

What year would a woman get a business loan? ›

What exactly was going on before this Act passed? Prior to the passing of this Act in 1988, women were required to have a male relative as their co-signer on business loans. The definition of “male relative” could range from a woman's husband to her own child.

What are the chances of getting a small business loan? ›

Many statistics say that large banks approve SBA loans at rates as low as 20-30%, while smaller banks approve SBA loans at around 40% or less. All this to say: SBA loan approval rates hover at half or below all loan applications that are submitted.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Last Updated:

Views: 5481

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (56 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Amb. Frankie Simonis

Birthday: 1998-02-19

Address: 64841 Delmar Isle, North Wiley, OR 74073

Phone: +17844167847676

Job: Forward IT Agent

Hobby: LARPing, Kitesurfing, Sewing, Digital arts, Sand art, Gardening, Dance

Introduction: My name is Amb. Frankie Simonis, I am a hilarious, enchanting, energetic, cooperative, innocent, cute, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.