What is Business Financing? How to Fund Your Business

From infrastructure shortages to trouble hiring people, businesses in India face a variety of challenges. The biggest challenge, however, is to get business financing to run and grow a business. Lack of it makes 67% of Indian MSMEs turn to friends, family, and local lenders to borrow money.

If you are running a business, you already know it takes more than just great ideas. It takes money, and sometimes it is hard to get. That’s where business financing comes in and provides relief. Whether you’re trying to open a new store or fill your inventory, business financing plays a crucial role in helping you meet all your financial objectives.

As important as it is, a question still remains: ‘What is business financing?’ In this guide, we’re going to break down what business financing means, why it matters, and how to pick the one that actually works for your business.

Why Is Business Financing Important?

Before we understand the importance of business financing, let’s first understand its meaning it. Business financing refers to the process of getting funds to support a company’s operations, growth, expansion, and long-term goals. It includes cash flow management, investing, forecasting, and budgeting.

Getting sufficient capital is essential for every business, particularly small enterprises, to continue operating and growing. Business financing offers a means to get that funding and keep the business growing and succeeding.

Importance of Business Financing

Running a business without enough capital is like trying to keep things moving with your hands tied. No matter how passionate or hardworking you are, it becomes difficult to make real progress. You might have the best product or service in town, but if you don’t have the capital to support operations, marketing, inventory, or expansion, you’re basically holding things together day by day.

If you don’t have access to necessary funds, you will lose out on growth opportunities, miss sales, face delays in product delivery or payroll, and more. Having the necessary funds, on the other hand, allows you to grow and expand. Business funding also helps you with the following:

• Maintaining Inventory: You can buy supplies or stock up on goods without having to wait for client payments.
• Paying Salaries and Wages: The business funding allows you to make the payments on time to ensure operational stability.
• Paying for Rent & Utilities: You can use short-term financing to cover regular costs like rent, water, electricity, and internet.
• Managing Seasonal Fluctuations: As a business owner, you can utilise working capital loans to maintain operations during slowdowns or off-seasons.
• Opening New Branches or Buying Equipment: You can enter new markets or locations if you have the money and also buy the necessary machines.

Types of Business Financing Options

Whether you are running a manufacturing or a service business, its demands change with time, market, and season. These changing demands make a standardised funding offering unsuitable to meet the specific business demands. This is why there are different types of business financing for different objectives. Here are all the business loan options that are available for you:

1. Debt Financing

In debt financing for business, you borrow money from a bank, lender, or financial institution and repay it over time with interest. Most businesses choose it because it’s simple and works for various financial needs. You can fund a big expansion or buy machinery with it, and in return, you commit to monthly payments over an agreed period.

• Pros: The main benefit of debt financing is that you keep complete ownership of your business. It means no investor calls, no giving up equity, and no explaining every small decision.
• Cons: Debt needs to be repaid, no matter how your business is performing. Even if your sales slow down or unexpected costs arise, you must continue paying your EMI. Plus, depending on the lender, you might need to put up collateral or have a strong credit score to qualify.

Debt financing is ideal for businesses with a stable cash flow and entrepreneurs who don’t want to dilute ownership. It is also ideal for companies ready to scale or invest in assets. The popular types of debt financing are as follows:

• Term Loans: A term loan is a one-off payment given for a certain amount of time that is usually used for long-term investments, business expansion, or equipment purchases.
• Working Capital Loans: It is a type of short-term loan that is used to pay for ongoing business expenses such as bill management, inventory purchases, and salary payments.
• Overdrafts and Credit Lines: A bank’s overdraft or credit line is a flexible business loan option that lets businesses take out more money than their account balance up to a predetermined amount.
• Business Credit Cards: These are ideal for everyday company costs like office supplies, utilities, and travel. It records spending, offers flexibility, and often has cashback or reward points.

2. Equity Financing

In equity financing for business, you raise capital by offering a share of your business to investors. This option is especially common in startups, where the business does not have stable revenues yet, but the potential is high. Investors come in with funds, and in return, they get a share of ownership and sometimes a say in your operations.

• Pros: The key benefit of equity financing is that you don’t have to repay the money. This can be a huge relief, especially in the early stages where cash flow is unpredictable. Many investors also bring mentorship, contacts, and credibility.
• Cons: You’re giving up part of your business, which means less control, shared profits, and possibly slower decision-making. The fundraising process can also be long and competitive, where you’ll need a clear revenue model and the ability to sell your vision.

Equity financing is an ideal choice for early-stage startups with high growth potential and entrepreneurs launching innovative or tech-based ventures. It is also perfect for businesses that need both large capital and strategic guidance. The popular sources of equity financing are:

• Angel investors
• Venture capital firms
• Startup accelerators
• Crowdfunding platforms

3. Alternative Financing

Not every business fits into the loan-or-investor box. Alternative financing steps in when traditional loans don’t fit, offering flexible funding options that often don’t require high credit scores or perfect documentation.

• Pros of Alternative Financing: The key benefits of alternative financing are that you receive unsecured funding with quick approval and less paperwork.
• Cons: Alternative financing, however, also has smaller ticket sizes, higher interest rates or service fees, and limited flexibility for long-term plans.

This financing is well-suited for small businesses that need urgent cash flow, businesses with no access to traditional credit, and retail, D2C, or seasonal sectors. Here’s a look at a few options under this category:

• Invoice Financing: If you’re waiting on client payments, invoice financing helps you unlock a percentage of those pending receivables instantly. Lenders give you an advance based on your invoices, and you repay once your customer pays you.
• Revenue-Based Financing: Repayments are linked to your sales in revenue-based financing. If you earn more, you pay more. If sales dip, repayments shrink. This is great for seasonal businesses or D2C brands with online traction.
• Merchant Cash Advance (MCA): These are short-term funds based on your daily debit/credit card sales. They’re fast and collateral-free but often come with higher fees.
• Government Grants and Schemes: In India, schemes like Mudra Loans for new business or SIDBI-backed initiatives offer subsidized funding or credit guarantees for small businesses, especially those run by women, youth, or first-time entrepreneurs.

How to Choose the Right Financing Option for Your Business

All three options, debt, equity, and alternative, serve different needs. Your job is to match the option with your business goal. Picking the right financing isn’t just about what’s available. It’s also about what’s right for your current needs and future goals.

Factors to Consider when Choosing the Financing

• Business Size & Stage: While established businesses choose credit lines or term loans, startups often depend on venture financing, personal loans, or seed money.
• Cash Flow and Revenue: Lenders assess your capacity to pay back the loan. If the cash flow and revenue are strong, you can also get loan conditions with favourable terms.
• Credit History: A good credit score increases your chances of loan acceptance and approval with reduced interest rates.
• Business Objectives: Are you starting a new product, overseeing day-to-day operations, or financing expansion? The financial arrangement you use should be determined by your goal.

Ask Yourself:

• Am I funding daily operations or long-term growth?
• Can I handle EMIs, or prefer flexible repayment?
• Is giving up equity worth the capital and guidance I’ll receive?
• What’s my business stage and revenue model?
• What is the total cost of borrowing (interest + fees)?
• Are there any hidden charges or early repayment penalties?

How to Apply for Business Financing

Whether you’re applying for a loan, pitching for equity, or exploring alternative finance, follow this business loan application process to improve your chances:

1. Know Why You Need the Funds: The reason for which you are getting business financing must be clear to ensure that you don’t apply for an amount that is less or more than what you need.
2. Verify Your Company’s Eligibility: You must ensure you meet basic qualifying requirements, including credit score, operating history, and minimum company turnover.
3. Examine the Available Financing Options: Business loans come in a variety of forms, including overdrafts, working capital loans, and term loans. Consider each option’s interest rate, terms of repayment, flexibility, and suitability for your financial needs. 
4. Compile the Necessary Records: Before applying, make sure you have all the necessary paperwork. These usually consist of income tax returns, bank statements, company registration, identification verification, and GST filings.
5. Use the Appropriate Channel to Apply: You can apply offline by going to a branch or online via bank websites or digital lending services. Select the approach that works best for you in terms of convenience and dependability.
6. Carefully Examine the Loan Offer: Pay close attention to the terms and conditions when you get a loan offer. Before agreeing, make sure you understand the interest rate, EMI, prepayment fees, and total cost of payments.
7. Monitor Approval and Payment: Throughout the verification process, maintain communication with the lender. Within a few days of approval, the money will often be sent straight to your account.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Some of the most common business financing mistakes can lead your application to rejection. It will also affect your business operation and goals. Avoid these mistakes in business financing to improve your chances of successful approval:

• Borrowing Without a Plan: Always be aware of the intended use of the funds. An unclear strategy results in excessive spending or financial mismanagement, which makes repayment more difficult and results in unpredictability.
• Choosing the wrong type of financing: Make sure the loan is appropriate for the intended use. When short-term demands are met with a long-term loan, cash is needlessly tied up, and interest outflow is increased.
• Skipping the fine print: Pay attention to the terms of the financing. Charges that affect your cash flow and repayment flexibility include processing fees, fines, and lock-in periods.
• Not comparing lenders: There is no one-size-fits-all solution. There are differences in interest rates, loan terms, disbursement schedules, and customer service; comparing lenders helps you save time and money.
• Ignoring your credit: Your financial reputation is reflected in your credit score. While a low score might restrict your possibilities, a good score can open up cheaper interest rates and quicker approvals.

Conclusion

Business financing isn’t just about raising money but selecting the right type and partner to meet your business’s financial objective. From working capital loans to equity financing, you can choose from many options. However, the business loan rejection rate is high in India, but you can improve your chances by avoiding common mistakes.

If you are looking for business financing to grow your business, FlexiLoans offers the most competitive business loans with favourable terms. We provide funds for all your business needs, ranging from buying equipment to opening another branch.

FAQs about Business Financing

Q1: What are the requirements for business financing?

Ans: When you apply for business financing, a lender or bank asks you to submit the following documents:

• PAN, Aadhaar
• GST, business registration
• bank statements (6–12 months), and ITRs.

Q2: Can I get business financing with a low credit score?

Ans: Although lenders usually consider a good credit score when approving business loans, there are NBFCs or revenue-based lenders who focus on business cash flow. So yes, you can get business financing with a low credit score, but it is still hard.

Q3: How long does it take to get approval for business financing?

Ans: There is no right answer to this, as every bank or lender follows its own approval processes. Here is a general timeline for business financing in India:

• Working capital loan: 48-72 hours
• Term loan: 3-7 working days
• Equity: Weeks to months

Q4: What’s the best business financing option for a new business?

Ans: If you are a new business and want to make the most of the financing, you can apply for revenue-based loans, government schemes, or early-stage angel investors.

Q5: Are there grants available for business financing?

Ans: Yes. The government of India provides different schemes and subsidies for MSMEs in India. It includes Mudra Loans, SIDBI, state startup programs, and other MSME schemes.

Q6: Do I need to visit a bank or lender in person for business financing?

Ans: You can apply for business financing both online and offline. If you are applying online, you don’t need to visit a bank or lender. Many lenders like FlexiLoans offer 100% digital applications.