By Andrew Miller
According to the latest Small Business Cash Flow Report, the majority of small business owners surveyed are on track to meet or exceed their 2026 projections. Nearly a third expect significant growth.
But growth costs money. And cash flow has now overtaken inflation as the top concern for small business owners. It’s the first time that’s happened in the survey’s history.
The need for capital is real across industries. Retailers are seeking funding to stock inventory. Transportation and warehousing businesses are financing equipment.
The demand is there. Getting the money is the harder part.
Some small business owners are improvising. They may be drawing on a business line of credit, delaying payments to themselves or family, or carrying a balance on a business credit card.
That’s a rough way to run a growth plan.
In many cases, businesses weren’t left with much of a choice. Nearly half of small businesses that approached a traditional bank first were denied.
Add in the lengthy approval timelines and paperwork-heavy application process, and it’s not hard to see why more than three quarters of owners have stopped going to banks for capital.
For business owners who need fast, flexible capital without a three-month approval window, the alternative lending market has matured enough to be a real first option. Not just a last resort.
P.S. Don’t wait for the bank to change its mind. Signet can get you funded in as little as 24 hours.Let’s talk.