Funding decisions are mostly made before you ever apply — in how your bank statements look and how your business is set up. A little preparation turns a maybe into a yes, and a yes into a better offer. Here is exactly what funders look for and how to get ready.
Clean up your bank statements
For revenue-based funding, your business bank statements are the application. Funders read the last 3 to 6 months for consistent deposits and few negative-balance days. In the weeks before you apply, keep a positive balance, avoid overdrafts, and run revenue through your business account — not a personal one. Clean, steady deposits are the single biggest driver of a strong offer.
Get your business entity and basics in order
Funders fund real, separate businesses. Make sure you have a registered entity (LLC or corporation), an EIN, a dedicated business bank account, and a business address and phone. These basics also help you build business credit, which lowers how much your personal score has to carry over time.
Know your numbers and gather your documents
Be ready to state your average monthly revenue, time in business, and existing debt — funders will check, and confident, accurate answers build trust. Gather the file: recent bank statements, a government-issued ID, and a voided check for fast products; tax returns, a profit-and-loss statement, and a balance sheet for larger or longer ones. The full documents checklist shows what each product needs.
Match your goal to the right product — and apply once
Knowing what you need the money for, and how it pays you back, tells you which product fits — and a broker can confirm the lane before you spend time chasing the wrong one. The Broker Shop is a broker, not a funder: one application reaches the funders whose guidelines you meet, you compare the strongest offers, and it's free to apply. Prepared files get the cleanest yeses.
See what you qualify for
One 2-minute application is matched to the funders whose guidelines you meet. It's free, and checking your options won't affect your credit score.
See What I Qualify For →The bottom line: Clean bank statements, a real entity setup, accurate numbers, and the right documents turn a maybe into a yes. Get those in order, then apply once — a broker matches your prepared file to the funders whose guidelines you meet, free to apply.