Question 1

Are you a lender or a broker?

Accepted Answer

Atlas Business Capital is a commercial finance brokerage. We do not lend our own money. We maintain relationships with banks, non-bank lenders, equipment funders, and factoring companies nationwide, and we place your request with the ones best suited to it. The practical benefit is that a single application produces multiple competing options instead of one yes-or-no answer.

Question 2

What does it cost to work with Atlas?

Accepted Answer

Nothing up front, ever. We are compensated by the funding source when a transaction closes. Any broker who asks for an application fee, a processing deposit, or an advance payment before you have funding in hand should be treated with extreme caution.

Question 3

Do you serve businesses outside your area?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Atlas works with businesses in all 50 states. Nearly the entire process is handled by phone, email, and secure document upload.

Question 4

How is a broker different from an online marketplace?

Accepted Answer

A marketplace pushes your data to a list of lenders and lets you sort through whatever comes back — and often resells your information as a lead. Atlas reviews your situation first, decides which lenders should actually see it, packages the file properly, and then walks you through the offers personally.

Question 5

Who will I actually be working with?

Accepted Answer

Chuck Brazier handles client relationships directly. You are not passed to a call center or reassigned to a junior rep after the first conversation.

Question 6

What are the general minimum requirements?

Accepted Answer

Most programs look for at least six months in business, consistent monthly revenue deposited into a business bank account, and a manageable level of existing debt. Requirements vary widely by product — equipment financing and factoring have different criteria than working capital.

Question 7

My bank declined me. Can you still help?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. A bank decline typically reflects that specific institution's internal credit policy rather than a broad judgment about your business. Lenders differ substantially in what they will approve, and that variation is exactly what a broker is for.

Question 8

What if I have bad credit, a tax lien, or a past bankruptcy?

Accepted Answer

These are not automatic disqualifiers across every product. They narrow the field and affect pricing. Tell us up front — surprises discovered in underwriting cost far more time than disclosed issues do.

Question 9

Can a startup get funding?

Accepted Answer

It depends on the product. Equipment financing and invoice factoring are the most accessible to newer businesses, because both are backed by an asset. Most working capital programs want at least six months of operating history.

Question 10

Do you fund every industry?

Accepted Answer

Nearly all. A short list of industries is restricted by most lenders — including cannabis, firearms, adult entertainment, and certain financial services. Call and ask; there is usually a path.

Question 11

How long does the application take?

Accepted Answer

The initial request takes about five minutes. Providing bank statements adds a few minutes more, either as uploads or through a secure bank connection.

Question 12

Will applying affect my personal credit?

Accepted Answer

Getting options requires only a soft inquiry, which has no effect on your credit score. Any hard inquiry happens later in the process and only with your permission.

Question 13

How quickly can I get funded?

Accepted Answer

Working capital can fund in as little as 24 hours. Equipment financing typically takes two to five business days. Factoring facilities take three to seven days to set up, after which individual invoices fund within a day. Conventional and SBA facilities run several weeks to a few months.

Question 14

What documents will I need?

Accepted Answer

For most requests: a short application, three to six months of business bank statements, a driver's license, and a voided check. Equipment requests add the vendor quote; factoring adds your A/R aging; larger facilities add tax returns and financial statements.

Question 15

Am I obligated to accept an offer?

Accepted Answer

No. There is no obligation at any point before you sign. If none of the offers are right for your business, that is a legitimate outcome and we will tell you so.

Question 16

How do I compare offers that are structured differently?

Accepted Answer

Compare the total dollar cost of capital and the payment schedule, not the headline rate. A short-term facility with a low-sounding factor rate can cost far more than a longer-term loan with a higher stated rate. We lay every offer out on the same terms so the comparison is real.

Question 17

What is the difference between a rate and a factor rate?

Accepted Answer

An interest rate accrues on the outstanding balance, so paying early reduces total cost. A factor rate is a fixed multiplier applied to the original amount — a fixed multiplier means the same total repayment regardless of how quickly you pay. Prepaying rarely produces proportional savings on factor-rate products, though some lenders offer a discount.

Question 18

How much should my business borrow?

Accepted Answer

Only as much as you can deploy productively and service comfortably from current cash flow. A useful test: if the capital does not generate a return faster than it costs, or if the payment only works assuming revenue grows, the amount is too high.

Question 19

Can I pay off financing early?

Accepted Answer

It depends entirely on the product and the lender. Some offer meaningful early-payoff discounts, others charge prepayment penalties, and factor-rate products often provide little benefit for paying early. Ask before you sign, and we will confirm it in writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Working With Atlas

Qualifying

The Process

Understanding Your Options

Questions by financing type

Equipment Finance

Commercial Real Estate

Working Capital

Invoice Factoring

Still have a question? Ask an owner directly.