Twenty-five industries that are declined by rule or by policy before anyone reads the file. Each one has its own page on why lenders say no, what does get funded, and what to bring.
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)