CHARLOTTE, NC (Source: The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC) - Small businesses that grow to say that they run into challenges when they seek financing: loans are harder to secure, and sometimes more expensive than before the recession. Lending is pick up throughout the country. But it was not enough to spark meaningful job growth, thawed and entrepreneurs, and lawyers say that is an obstacle to economic recovery.
Lenders say they want to make offers, but that many companies are still reluctant to take on more debt. They recognize their standards are strict in the wake of a devastating financial crisis and stricter regulations. And some say that they take fewer risks.
A recent study found only 30 percent of small businesses that wanted credit would qualify for traditional or Small Business Administration-backed loans with interest rates below 8 percent. Almost half would have to discuss alternatives, such as unsecured loans that can cost as much as 31 percent of the survey in turn helps to multi-funding, a Pennsylvania startup, the company can find the right lender.
Classic Graphics Printing Charlotte knows the hurdles. If the company needs a $ 6.5 million loan for three new presses in 2005, owner David Pitts worked the whole deal via e-mail.
In those days, "things I used to in three weeks, the ingestion of 2 {months to do," he said. "While we are dramatically higher, the banks and other lenders ... so shy, so careful."
Small businesses power the economy, with companies less than 500 employees working half the country is employed in the private sector. Those companies that experience major job losses if the economy shed jobs, partly because of their dependence on the larger businesses they operate. But when the economy gains jobs tend to run small businesses.
Companies with fewer than 500 employees have seen gross employment increase on average by 8 percent since the recession ended, compared with 3 percent for larger companies, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show.
Refueling, that employment growth is particularly important in these days, given the feeling among many that the recovery losing steam. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned last month that some of the problems slowing the U.S. economy, a weak financial sector to fight real estate market could continue into next year.
"Credit and access to capital is really the critical element," said Chuck Bamford, an entrepreneurship professor at Queens University of Charlotte, lending will pick up gradually in the coming months counted. "The controlled approach means that we are not to yell out of this recession."
Ami Kassar funding multi-chief executive said banks should do more to expand small businesses.
"If you are one of the lucky few who hold shares in your house, building, equipment has left, you can get some really wonderful, super-low loan rates," he said. "Unfortunately, if you are the one most in this situation there are options, but it's pretty expensive."
multi-funding would be in the first quarter of study, which surveyed 250 small businesses, 15 percent are not eligible for funding consideration.
The hold of some companies to borrow money, said Kassar.
"I do not think it a lack of demand," he said. "That's nonsense."
Classic Graphics has a couple of loans tracked this year, from $ 200,000 to more than $ 1 million _ and each transaction was "how to draw teeth," said Pitts.
Securing financing means hours on the phone with lenders, and more documents, more waiting and more security checks than ever before.
And despite the nearly 30-year-old print shop _ growth is on track to hit $ 50 million in sales this year, compared with $ 39 million last year _ not granted any request.
In one case, Pitts applied for a $ 1.2 million equipment loan, but his lender would finance only $ 800,000, so that classic artwork to pay for money for the difference.
"But that takes money out of business, smaller companies that need to operate," he said. "I can not imagine what it is for companies not on the top of their financial stake."
Newer companies and companies without much physical equipment for safety as well as challenges.
Five-year-old management consulting Big Sky Associates, which has almost doubled in size needed every year to expand its line of credit to cover payroll and other operations while the gaps in the business, because contracts are completed and customers billed CEO Hanno Ekdahl said.
The Charlotte company to 10 employees and over $ 2,000,000 in revenue, was approaching the end of 2009 asked its lenders to increase its loan to $ 250,000 from $ 75,000. Too risky, the bank said.
"It's frustrating when you feel may well show enough and then someone say:" I can not have enough money to continue growing your business, "said Ekdahl, of his staff paid smaller bonuses and deferred spending on marketing , public relations and recruiting as a result.
A year later, Big Sky for the larger credit line applied again, and succeeded, though not without a series of face-to-face meetings and a lot of follow-up questions about their financial situation, Ekdahl said.
The SBA urges banks to issue more loans to underserved communities and those who want to make smaller loans _ and it is expanding its own efforts to help the introduction of new programs, such as a slim credit process said, there officers.
SBA-backed loans are becoming popular among the lenders in commercials as they help to reduce risk. The Agency NC District Director Lynn Douthett said, lenders are not necessarily going a preference for certain sectors, but that the SBA has noticed more loans to professional and technical services firms and health and social assistance firms.
Studies suggest others are left behind are: Minority-owned businesses have a harder time accessing capital to keep it harder to water during the recession, according to a report last year by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Minority Business Development Agency.
Those businesses found to pay higher interest rates for loans were denied credit more and were less likely to apply would be rejected for loans for fear of the request, the report said.
Charlotte-area bankers say, they want to make loans as long as they are confident in the business.
Activity is at Charlotte NewDominion Bank, which is delayed partly due to pent-up demand for the company, the hiring of employees or the purchase of new equipment during the recession, said CEO John Hipp. Current loan applicants must include accountants, consultants and contractors, he said.
"Our pipeline, the loans that we are looking is as good as it is in probably three years," he said. "I'm not saying it is tough, but compared to 2010 and perhaps 2009, it is much better."
The Bank is calling on businesses and offer special prices for condos loans, which are considered less risky. But it is still evaluating potential borrowers carefully looking _ for example, whether the company has enough money to fall back on if they lose a big customer, Hipp said.
Charlotte-based Bank of America Corp. expands 18000000000 $ of loans to small businesses in the U.S. in 2010, compared to $ 16.5 billion in 2009. In the first quarter of this year, it has awarded nearly $ 3000000000 for small businesses, usually with less than $ 20 million in annual revenue, including $ 75 million in North Carolina, said spokeswoman Nicole Nastacie.
Bank of America has a top SBA loan provider, by volume, and the company announced last fall to hire more than 1,000 small business bankers in the U.S. in early 2012.
Is a challenge, however, that demand is weaker than before the recession, especially for companies with less than $ 1 million in annual revenue, said Nastacie. She said the bank has no lending target this year but that it remains committed to serving small businesses.
At Wells Fargo & Co., new lending to small businesses in the United States to 27 percent in the first quarter over the same period last year, said Charlotte Region President Kendall Alley. The bank, the Charlotte-based Wachovia bought in 2008, made 31 000 loans totaling $ 3700000000th
Wells Fargo was present as a top SBA lender recently. The activity is in the Charlotte market, even if it is still by a third or more of the level before the recession in the first quarter, he said.
The bank has lent to any lending commitment for the year 2011, but it's about more loans this year, officials said.
"My best analogy is that it's like a train had" left the station, said Alley. "I do not think we see in full swing, but we are certainly the momentum and energy."
Smaller banks to increase lending in the region to foment also appeal to potential customers, including the new business efforts.
Charles Stewart, Charlotte market president for Sterling Park, said his company has seen some improvements since the end of the first quarter. Things are picking up at First Trust Charlotte is also, although "we are not ready to crack the champagne or anything" not yet, said CEO Jim Bolt.
Bamford, Queens professor said, there is a greater desire for creative, interesting business ideas, such as technology, energy and health-related businesses and less money on the types of companies that funneled provided the extravagance of the boom years, such as a party planner and other entertainment companies.
The current tight lending standards will probably mean a longer recovery, he said. But Bamford expected to facilitate that, as banks and companies to improve the balance sheets. Higher standards could also lead to a higher quality companies in the long run, he said.
"Honestly, that's good," he said.
"What could it lead to a much stronger, longer growth period."
Source: The Charlotte Observer
(C) 2011, The Charlotte Observer (Charlotte, NC).
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
Photos (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): SmallBiz loans for reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, by fax at 847-635 - Write to 6968, or the permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Chicago, IL 60 025, USA. 1107589
A service of YellowBrix, Inc. Date of publication: 07/01/2011
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