Pinecroft Funding Group, a small-business funding broker in San Marcos, TX, handles requests in four steps: a first call about the purpose, a match to the right funding type, a lending partner's review and decision, and the owner's choice. The broker never lends or prices; partners make credit decisions and set rates and terms.
Loan broker versus lender, in one paragraph
A lender, or a funder in the case of an advance, provides the money, underwrites the request and prices the offer. A broker does none of those. A broker's job is to understand the need, explain which structures fit and which do not, choose partners that offer that structure, and put the request in front of them in a form they can review. If you would rather go straight to a bank or online lender, you can. The value of a broker is in the sorting and the explaining, not in any promise about the result.
Step 1: the first conversation
You call, or send the short form with your contact details, business name and three range picks, and we call you back. We ask what the money will pay for, how long the business has operated, roughly what it brings in, and where repayment would come from. You do not need to send documents at this stage.
Step 2: picking the structure that fits
We tell you which funding type fits and why, and which ones do not. A timing gap points to working capital or a line of credit; a finish-out to a term loan; stock to inventory financing; a machine to equipment financing. A merchant cash advance comes up only when loan options do not fit, and we explain its cost before anything goes further.
Step 3: a partner underwrites the file
Once you say yes, Pinecroft sends the file to partners that write that structure. A partner may ask for:
- Recent business bank statements
- Business and personal tax returns
- A current balance sheet and profit and loss statement
- Formation documents and proof the entity is active
- A quote, invoice, lease or project budget
- Every loan, lease and advance the business already carries
The partner may check credit, ask follow-up questions, decline or make an offer. Underwriting standards vary from partner to partner, and none of them is Pinecroft's to set.
Step 4: setting offers side by side
Offers are priced in different ways. Put them on one footing before choosing:
| Pricing style | Common with | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Interest rate and APR | Term loans, lines, equipment loans | The APR, every fee, and the total of payments |
| Factor rate | Merchant cash advances, some short-term products | The total to be collected and the expected collection period |
| Lease payment | Equipment leases | The number of payments and any end-of-term purchase price |
Whatever the style, two figures decide most comparisons: the total cost and the payment or collection calendar. You can turn down any offer.
Warning signs wherever you shop for funding
- Approval promised before a single statement has been reviewed
- A demand for an upfront payment to "process" an application without a written explanation
- A push to sign today, before you have read every page
- An offer that will not state the total cost or the total to be collected
- A request to send bank logins or full account numbers by ordinary email or text
Free, independent advice is listed in the Hays County resources directory. Quick answers are on our FAQ page, and the broker disclosures set out the relationship formally.
By Pinecroft Funding Group ยท Updated