Capital raisingBusiness loans
Help for Vancouver business owners getting a loan approved on the right terms: what the business can support, a lender package that answers the bank’s questions, and offers compared on cost, covenants and guarantees before you sign.
When owners call us
Owners usually come to us when a loan matters to the plan and they want to get it right the first time.
A new location, equipment or a large contract, funded without giving up equity.
A company that has grown on its own cash and now needs a lender, and wants to understand what the bank will ask for.
A decline that calls for a different structure, a government-backed program or an alternative lender.
Several term sheets with different rates, fees, covenants and guarantees that need to be compared on the same basis.
Inventory or receivables that could support a loan even when monthly cash flow is inconsistent.
Existing debt that is too expensive, too short or carries covenants the business keeps coming close to breaching.
How we help
Business loan advice for founders and owners in Vancouver seeking term loans, lines of credit, inventory and equipment financing, asset-based loans or refinancing. We bring a corporate finance lens to the loan, balancing what is possible with what is practical.
A review of the financials, assets and working capital needs to establish what type and size of loan the business can support.
Forecasts and loan packages that speak the language of bank and non-bank lenders and strengthen your position in the negotiation.
Offers compared on interest, fees, repayment schedule, covenants and personal guarantees, so you know what you are signing.
Scenarios that show how each borrowing option affects cash, runway and flexibility, including in a weaker year.
A loan that supports the bigger plan, whether that is funding growth, stabilizing operations or buying time in a turnaround.
Work with your team and the lender through approval and documentation, tracking deliverables so nothing is missed.
Lending in Vancouver
A business loan in Vancouver can come from a chartered bank, a credit union, BDC, a government-backed program or an alternative lender. The best fit depends on the size of the loan, the security available and how predictable the cash flow is.
We have developed relationships with banks and with non-bank lenders, including private lenders, family offices and debt funds. We are independent of all of them, so our only priority is the right capital on the right terms for the business.
Read how banks use EBITDA and DSCR to decide on a business loan.
Usually the lowest rates, for companies with a track record, steady cash flow and security. Expect covenants, regular reporting and often a personal guarantee from the owners.
British Columbia has some of Canada’s largest credit unions, and many lend actively to local businesses. Their criteria and appetite can differ from the banks, which matters when a file sits near the edge.
Government-backed options for equipment, leasehold improvements and growth, including where a bank would not lend on its own.
Private and asset-based lenders can move faster and lend against inventory or receivables, at a higher cost. They suit a specific need, ideally with a path back to cheaper bank debt.
Our view
Owners often focus on the rate. The terms that cause trouble later are usually elsewhere: the covenants, the repayment schedule, the security and the personal guarantee.
We look at the loan the way the lender does, then the way a careful owner should. The goal is approval on terms the business can carry in a weak year as well as a strong one.
Watch: Fractional CFO for Growth
How an engagement works
Simple loans can move quickly once the package is ready; larger or more complex facilities take longer. You receive a written proposal with the scope and fee before any work begins.
Looking for a larger or more structured facility? See our debt financing service.
Need a loan for the next stage of the business?
Selected clients
Frequently asked questions
Term loans, lines of credit, equipment and inventory financing, asset-based loans, receivables financing, government-backed loans and refinancing.
Mainly on cash flow, measured by EBITDA and debt service coverage, then on security, the strength of the owners and the quality of the information. Our article explains how banks lend using EBITDA and DSCR.
Usually two to three years of financial statements, recent interim results, a forecast, details of existing debt and the assets available as security, and a clear explanation of the purpose of the loan.
A decline often reflects one lender’s criteria. We look at why, then whether a different structure, a government-backed program, a credit union or an alternative lender is a better fit.
Often, for smaller companies. The scope of the guarantee can sometimes be limited or negotiated, and it should be weighed alongside the rate and the covenants.
No. We advise you, the borrower, and we are independent of the lenders we work with.
It depends on the scope. After a first conversation we send a written proposal setting out the scope, the stages and the fees, so the cost is clear before any work begins.
No. Vancouver is our home base, and we work with businesses across British Columbia and the rest of Canada.
Have a question that isn’t covered here? Ask us directly.
Related insights
Start a conversation
Tell us what the loan is for, how much you need and when. We will come back with the questions that matter for your situation.
What happens next
Office
Alphabridge Group Inc.555 Burrard StreetVancouver, BC V7X 1M8
We use your details only to respond to your inquiry.
Whether it is a deal, a raise, a valuation or the way the business is run, we are glad to talk it through.
vasant@alphabridge.co
+1 778 903 4883
Five practices, organized around the decisions our clients face.
Sector depth across the businesses we advise, from early-stage ventures to established operators.
Perspectives on transactions, valuation, capital, performance and strategy.
An independent strategic finance firm, founded in 2016 and led by its principal on every engagement.
