Funding by Industry

The industries banks and most lenders turn away

Twenty-five industries that are declined by rule or by policy before anyone reads the file. Each hub explains why, what does get funded, and what to bring.

Regulated and restricted

Legal businesses that most lenders exclude by policy: licensing, federal law, reputational rules and payment-network risk, not the strength of the file.

• Cannabis, Hemp & CBD — Dispensaries, cultivators, processors, hemp and CBD brands, and the ancillary businesses that serve them. (5 guides)
• Firearms, Ammunition & Gun Ranges — FFL dealers, gun stores, ranges, ammunition retailers, manufacturers and gunsmiths. (5 guides)
• Adult Entertainment — Gentlemen's clubs, adult retail, adult e-commerce and content businesses, and the real estate they operate from. (5 guides)
• Gambling, Casinos & Gaming — Casinos, card rooms, route operators, sweepstakes and skill-game venues, and bars and truck stops with gaming revenue. (5 guides)
• Tobacco, Vape & Smoke Shops — Vape and smoke shops, tobacco retailers, cigar lounges, and tobacco and vapor wholesalers and distributors. (5 guides)
• Bars, Nightclubs & Liquor Stores — Bars, taverns, nightclubs, lounges, breweries with taprooms, and package and liquor stores. (5 guides)

Money, credit and collections

Businesses that handle other people's money or debt. Anti-money-laundering rules, consumer-finance regulation and the SBA's lending-business exclusion keep most banks out.

• Cryptocurrency, Blockchain & Digital Assets — Exchanges, miners, custody and wallet companies, blockchain developers, and businesses that hold or accept digital assets. (5 guides)
• Check Cashing, Money Transmitters & MSBs — Check cashers, money transmitters, remittance agents, currency exchanges, ATM operators and prepaid-card sellers. (5 guides)
• Pawn Shops, Gold & Precious Metals Dealers — Pawnbrokers, gold buyers, coin and bullion dealers, jewelry and luxury resale. (5 guides)
• Payday, Title & Consumer Finance Companies — Installment lenders, payday and title lenders, buy-here-pay-here finance arms, and other consumer finance companies. (5 guides)
• Debt Collection, Debt Settlement & Credit Repair — Collection agencies, debt buyers, debt settlement companies and credit repair organizations. (5 guides)
• Bail Bonds — Bail bond agencies and the agents, surety relationships and offices behind them. (5 guides)

Professional, sales-driven and new ventures

Firms with real revenue but little collateral: contingency fees, commissions, payroll timing, deposits and pre-revenue plans that a bank's model cannot score.

• Law Firms & Attorneys — Solo practices, contingency-fee firms, litigation boutiques and growing multi-office firms. (5 guides)
• Staffing & Temp Agencies — Temporary, contract, travel-nurse, light-industrial and professional staffing firms that pay workers before clients pay them. (5 guides)
• Telemarketing, Call Centers, MLM & Direct Sales — Call centers and BPOs, telemarketing firms, lead-generation agencies, and multi-level marketing and direct-sales companies. (5 guides)
• Travel Agencies, Tour Operators & Timeshares — Travel agencies, tour and charter operators, destination management companies, and timeshare and vacation-club businesses. (5 guides)
• Startups, Pre-Revenue & AI Companies — New businesses with little or no revenue history, including AI, software and technology startups that would rather borrow than sell equity. (5 guides)
• Med Spas, Telehealth & Elective Healthcare — Medical spas, aesthetic and cosmetic practices, telehealth platforms, online pharmacies and other cash-pay elective healthcare businesses. (5 guides)

Operating businesses banks avoid

Everyday businesses that banks price as high-risk for thin margins, seasonality, equipment-heavy balance sheets, chargebacks or failure rates.

• Restaurants, Food Trucks & Food Service — Independent restaurants, cafes, food trucks, caterers, ghost kitchens and multi-unit operators. (5 guides)
• Trucking & Owner-Operators — Owner-operators, small fleets, hot-shot and specialized carriers, and the freight they haul on 30 to 60 day terms. (5 guides)
• Auto, RV, Boat & Powersports Dealers — Independent used-car dealers, buy-here-pay-here lots, and RV, boat, motorcycle and powersports dealerships. (5 guides)
• Construction & Contractors — General and specialty contractors, subcontractors, and the crews that wait 60 to 90 days on draws and retainage. (5 guides)
• Gyms, Salons, Spas & Membership Businesses — Gyms and fitness studios, salons and barbershops, spas, yoga and wellness studios, and other membership and appointment businesses. (5 guides)
• E-commerce, Subscription & Nutraceutical Brands — Online retailers, Amazon and marketplace sellers, subscription boxes, dropshippers, and supplement and nutraceutical brands. (5 guides)
• Seasonal Businesses — Landscaping and snow removal, fireworks and holiday retail, ski and marina operations, pools, tax preparers and other businesses that earn most of the year in a few months. (5 guides)

The industries that make up Main Street

Thirty of the most common businesses between startup and $10 million a year in revenue. Most lenders will write them, which makes the structure, the timing and the choice of lender the whole game.

Health and care practices

Practices lenders like for their licensing and recurring revenue. The capital goes to buildouts, equipment, acquisitions and the gap between billing and payment.

• Dental Practices — General and specialty dental practices, from a first chair to a multi-location group. (2 guides)
• Medical Practices, Urgent Care & Clinics — Physician groups, urgent care, optometry, dermatology and specialty clinics. (2 guides)
• Veterinary Practices & Animal Hospitals — Small-animal clinics, animal hospitals, mobile vets and specialty and emergency practices. (2 guides)
• Independent Pharmacies — Independent retail, compounding, long-term-care and specialty pharmacies. (2 guides)
• Home Health, Hospice & Senior Care — Home health and home care agencies, hospice, adult day programs and assisted living operators. (2 guides)
• Physical Therapy, Chiropractic & Behavioral Health — Physical therapy clinics, chiropractors, counseling and mental health practices, and addiction treatment programs. (2 guides)

Trades, auto and home services

Truck-and-crew businesses with equipment on the balance sheet, seasonal swings and payroll that cannot wait for the customer to pay.

• HVAC, Plumbing & Electrical Contractors — Mechanical, plumbing and electrical contractors from a single van to a multi-crew service company. (2 guides)
• Cleaning & Janitorial Services — Commercial cleaning companies, janitorial contractors, residential cleaning franchises and specialty cleaning. (2 guides)
• Auto Repair & Body Shops — Independent mechanical repair shops, collision and body shops, tire and quick-lube centers. (2 guides)
• Laundromats & Car Washes — Coin and card laundromats, wash-and-fold, express tunnel washes, in-bay automatics and self-serve car washes. (2 guides)
• Moving, Courier & Delivery Companies — Local and long-distance movers, courier services, last-mile delivery contractors and route operators. (2 guides)

Retail, food and hospitality

Inventory, leases, buildouts and thin margins: fundable when the numbers are presented the way lenders read them.

• Retail Stores & Boutiques — Independent retailers: boutiques, specialty stores, furniture, sporting goods, gift and hardware stores. (2 guides)
• Convenience Stores & Gas Stations — Convenience stores, gas stations, truck stops and the real estate they sit on. (2 guides)
• Coffee Shops, Bakeries & Cafes — Independent coffee shops, bakeries, cafes, juice bars and dessert shops. (2 guides)
• Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries — Craft breweries, taprooms, wineries, cideries and craft distilleries. (2 guides)
• Franchise Owners — Single-unit franchisees and multi-unit operators across food, fitness, service and retail brands. (2 guides)
• Event Venues, Wedding & Catering Businesses — Wedding and event venues, banquet halls, caterers, event rental and planning companies. (2 guides)
• Hotels, Motels & Short-Term Rentals — Franchised and independent hotels, motels, boutique inns and short-term rental operators. (2 guides)

Professional and business services

Firms whose assets walk out the door at night. Receivables, contracts, commissions and goodwill carry the file rather than hard collateral.

• Accounting, CPA & Bookkeeping Firms — CPA firms, tax practices, bookkeeping and payroll service providers. (2 guides)
• Insurance Agencies — Independent property and casualty, life, health and benefits agencies and brokerages. (2 guides)
• Real Estate Brokerages & Property Managers — Residential and commercial brokerages, property management companies and related real estate services firms. (2 guides)
• Marketing, Advertising & Creative Agencies — Marketing, digital, advertising, PR, design, video and production agencies. (2 guides)
• IT Services, MSPs & Software Companies — Managed service providers, IT consultancies, software and SaaS companies and app developers. (2 guides)
• Engineering, Architecture & Surveying Firms — Engineering consultancies, architecture firms, surveying and environmental services companies. (2 guides)
• Government Contractors — Federal, state and local contractors in services, construction, IT and supply. (2 guides)

Industrial, agricultural and education

Capital-intensive operations and licensed facilities where equipment, land and enrollment carry the file.

• Manufacturing & Machine Shops — Small and mid-sized manufacturers, machine shops, fabricators, food and consumer product makers. (2 guides)
• Wholesale & Distribution — Wholesalers, distributors, importers and product brands selling to retailers and businesses. (2 guides)
• Farms, Ranches & Agribusiness — Row-crop and specialty farms, cattle and livestock operations, nurseries and agricultural processors. (2 guides)
• Daycare & Childcare Centers — Licensed childcare centers, preschools, in-home daycares and after-school programs. (2 guides)
• Private Schools, Tutoring & Training Centers — Private and charter-adjacent schools, tutoring and test-prep centers, vocational and trade schools, driving and training academies. (2 guides)