Entrepreneurs who work with Arkansas Capital Corporation (ACC) know that we listen. We're not trying to check boxes. We're not trying to meet quotas. We're listening to our entrepreneurs and coming up with solutions that best fit their needs, not ours. If they have a specific dream business they've spent a lot of time working towards, we help them realize that dream.
We partner with federal government organizations such as the USDA and SBA, as well as community banks throughout Arkansas and surrounding states. We also do commercial conventional lending. Therefore, we can tailor a solution for many businesses and it’s likely we can present a funding package not previously considered.
Often, when entrepreneurs and small business owners approach a lender for funding, they don’t know what questions to ask. They have a vision for the business but haven't done the due diligence to determine what is needed financially to help make their dreams come true.
So, to understand what money you need, spend time learning about your target business market. An excellent place to start is by talking to others who are already in that industry. There are also several organizations that can help. For example, the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center (ASBTDC) is a terrific statewide resource, and is supported by the SBA. The ASBTDC and other resource providers can help you with important homework, such as creating financial projections and providing important marketing and validation research for your plan. Then, you’ll be ready to get in touch with ACC to find out about lending opportunities.
We especially enjoy working to help community banks and their local entrepreneurs and small business owners who may not meet their bank’s required criteria for lending. Therefore, they are unable to make the loan – and that’s when many of them turn to ACC to see if a financing package is available. In many cases, we are able to extend credit and take on added risk to make the loan happen.
This is a win-win for the entrepreneurs and small business owners, community banks, and for ACC. Businesses can be launched and grown, resulting in yet another win – for local and regional communities and their economic development efforts.
Everything we do at ACC is in support of Arkansas businesses. We have several different financing programs that we utilize, depending on what the individual entrepreneurs are seeking. We have funds for them to start, buy, or expand businesses; buy or improve commercial real estate; buy into a franchise; and/or refinance commercial debt.
We're looking to create opportunities, not just for the entrepreneurs and business owners, but for the people they employ. ACC is proud to have worked with them and with our lending partners to make loans totaling nearly $700 million over the past 65 years. Their success is our success!
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