Financing and transaction readiness
I spent a decade deciding which businesses got financed.
Now I get businesses ready before the file ever reaches an underwriter. Most declines are not about the business. They are about how it was presented.
The problem
Owners rarely find out why the answer was no.
A lender asks for three years of financials, a debt schedule, and interim statements. What arrives is inconsistent between years, does not tie to the tax returns, and shows earnings that need six adjustments to explain. The credit memo gets written around that uncertainty, and uncertainty gets priced.
Sometimes it is a decline. More often it is a smaller amount, a shorter term, a personal guarantee that was not necessary, or a rate a quarter point higher. The owner never learns that the file, not the business, cost them the difference.
Why it matters
The same business gets different terms depending on how legible it is.
An underwriter is trying to answer one question: are these earnings real and will they repeat. Everything else is procedure. A business that answers that question clearly, in the format credit teams expect, gets a faster decision and better structure than an identical business that does not.
That gap is entirely addressable, and it is the same preparation that a buyer's diligence will demand later, so the work is not wasted if a sale is eventually the direction.
What the engagement includes
- Financial statement cleanup and reconciliation to tax returns
- A supportable earnings picture, with adjustments documented rather than asserted
- Debt schedule, collateral position, and coverage analysis as a lender would run it
- Working capital and cash flow presentation that anticipates the credit questions
- A file assembled in the order and format underwriting expects
- Preparation for the questions you will actually be asked, and rehearsal of the answers
- Diligence readiness for a transaction, including the requests buyers make early
Who this is for
- Owners planning to borrow for equipment, real estate, expansion, or an acquisition
- Businesses pursuing SBA financing, where documentation standards are specific
- Companies that have been declined, or approved on worse terms than expected
- Owners two to three years out from a sale who want the numbers ready in advance
What you should expect to gain
- A file that answers the underwriter's questions before they are asked
- Fewer surprises and fewer rounds of follow-up requests
- A realistic view of what the business can support before you apply
Common questions
Before you book.
Do you arrange the financing?
No. Tablerock prepares the business and the file. I am not a broker and I do not take a fee from a lender, which means the advice is not shaped by whether a deal closes. I work with your banker or introduce you to lenders who fit the situation.
How early should this start?
Earlier than most owners think. Cleaning up reporting, fixing revenue recognition, and building a supportable earnings picture takes months, not weeks. Starting six to twelve months before you need money is normal.
What is quality of earnings and do I need one?
It is an analysis that tests whether reported earnings are real and repeatable. Buyers and some lenders require one on larger transactions. Whether you need a formal one depends on deal size and counterparty, but the preparation is similar either way.
What if I get declined?
A decline is information. Most are about presentation, structure, or timing rather than the underlying business. Knowing which one it was is the difference between reapplying successfully and repeating the same outcome.
Next step
Find out how your file reads.
A short conversation about what you are trying to finance and where the gaps are.