The Perfect Franchise Financing Combination

When an entrepreneur is considering purchasing a franchise, various financing options are considered and the most appropriate financing product(s) is typically selected. For example, an equipment lease is often chosen for financing new equipment needed to run the business. Another option is to finance the entire business with a SBA 7(a) loan. A 3rd option is to self-fund using funds saved in the entrepreneur’s retirement account using the R.O.B.S. program established by the IRS. It is very unusual when two financing products are complementary & can be selected jointly to finance a new business. With the introduction of the SBA Express loan, this changed because an SBA Express loan perfectly complements an equipment lease for financing a new franchise and the expansion of an existing franchise.

In 2014, the Small Business Administration (SBA) introduced the Small Loan Advantage loan program some lenders refer to as the SBA Express loan. After the “The Great Recession”, many homeowners lost their real estate equity which is used as collateral requirement for a SBA 7(a) loan approval in most cases. Consequently, many perspective borrowers were unable to secure financing because they lack the equity in their home required to collateralize their loan request. The SBA Express loan is capped at $150,000 to limit the lender’s risk since the borrower’s real estate collateral is not required and business assets are used to collateralize the SBA Express loan.

Since the collateral used to secure an equipment lease is the equipment being financed and the collateral for the SBA Express loan is the equipment needed to operate the business, these 2 debt financing products are compatible! Furthermore, since the underlying concept of the SBA Express loan is to provide working capital, financing the equipment needed to operate the business provides the franchise owner more working capital so the underlying reason for both products is the same.

Capital Leases – Leasing Equipment to Own

The most common financing option available for franchises using equipment leasing is a capital lease. The main purpose of a capital lease is to finance the equipment purchase while preserving the owner’s working capital. Franchisees can finance the purchase of their proprietary equipment, security systems, computer hardware & software, flooring, outdoor signage and other tangible items needed to run the business using an equipment lease. The owner(s) are required to personally guarantee equipment lease.

The required down payment ranges from a lease payment up to 20% of the amount financed. Lease documentation fees may range from $95 to $495. Repayment terms typically range from 12 months up to 60 months. All payments made are tax deductible so the payments will lower business’s taxable income and, in turn, tax liability. Since the plan is to keep their equipment long term, a typical capital lease offers a $1.00 end of term purchase option. In short, an equipment lease is used to finance the purchase of all equipment needed to manage the franchise; thus, preserving the franchisee’s working capital.

Small Business Administration (SBA) Express Working Capital Loan

This government backed loan is designed to provide working capital ranging from $25,000 up to $150,000 for start-ups and existing businesses. The main purpose of this loan is to provide the funds necessary to support the company until the business generates positive cash flow. The loan process takes 60 – 90 days to complete on average before the loan is funded. The SBA Express loan approval requirements are good personal credit & some liquid assets and the loan process requires attention to detail. If the use of the loan funds is to finance a new location, the loan can be approved in advance, however the funds will not be distributed by the bank until the new location has received a certificate of occupancy. This insures that the money will be used to operate the new business & will not be used to pay for build out expenses.

The interest rate for this loan is calculated by starting with the prime rate as published in the Wall Street Journal which is currently 4.25%. The bank charges a 2.75% risk premium on this loan so the interest rate is 7% now. This is a variable rate loan which changes quarterly when the Fed Board of Governors decides to raise or lower the prime rate. The most recent .25% rate increase implemented at the end of last year raised the SBA loan payments on a $150,000 loan by approximately $18.00 per month. The repayment term is 10 years and there is no pre-payment penalty so if the franchisee is extremely profitable, the loan can be prepaid to save interest expense.

Conclusion

The purpose of using SBA loans and equipment leases is to access capital and preserve the franchisee’s liquid assets. A common goal is to borrow money at a cost that is less than the business profit percentage. For example, if a $100,000 equipment lease provides a 12% return to the lessor and an $150,000 SBA working capital loan has a 6.5% interest rate, the business owners will be borrowing $250,000 at approximately a 8.9% blended interest rate. Assuming the business operates at a 15% profit margin, the franchisee is accessing capital at a cost less than the projected operating profit margin!

In conclusion, equipment leases and SBA Express loans are complementary products that will enable an entrepreneur with good personal credit to finance the opening and expansion of a franchise. The best part about this financing combination of a SBA Express loan & equipment lease is that the collateral is your business assets… not your home … just your business assets!