Billable work delivered, invoice sent, payment pending
In a services firm, payroll is the product. Salaries go out every cycle while client invoices age on terms the client sets — and in some practices, on contingency or milestone schedules that stretch far longer. Growth means hiring ahead of the revenue those hires will eventually produce, which is exactly when cash is tightest.
Where it squeezes
- 01Client payment terms stretching 30 to 90 days after delivery
- 02Payroll due monthly regardless of collections
- 03Hiring ahead of the billable revenue a new team member generates
- 04Contingency, milestone, or retainer structures that delay cash
- 05Technology, software, and insurance costs billed annually
What owners use capital for
- Covering payroll while client invoices age
- Hiring ahead of a signed engagement
- Funding case or project costs before recovery
- Investing in software, systems, or office expansion
- Smoothing cash flow across uneven billing cycles
What professional services businesses most often use — in order.
Business Line of Credit
Businesses that want capital on standby for recurring or unexpected needs.
- Amount
- $10K – $250K revolving
- Term
- Revolving, typically renewed annually
- Speed
- Days to set up, then draw on demand
- Cost basis
- You are charged only on what you draw
- Draw and repay on your schedule
- Pay only for what you use
- Replenishes as you repay
Approval amounts are usually smaller than a term structure, and the line must be maintained.
Compare structuresInvoice Factoring
B2B businesses carrying real receivables from slow-paying customers.
- Amount
- Up to 90% advance rate
- Term
- Per-invoice, no long-term contract
- Speed
- Fast once your account is set up
- Cost basis
- A discount on the invoice face value
- Scales with your receivables
- No long-term contract
- Your customer's credit matters most
Only works if you invoice other businesses — there is nothing to advance against otherwise.
Compare structuresWorking Capital
Businesses that want a fixed schedule and a clear payoff date.
- Amount
- $5K – $2M
- Term
- 3 – 24 months, typical
- Speed
- Days, once your file is complete
- Cost basis
- Fixed total cost disclosed before signing
- Predictable payment schedule
- No collateral required
- Clear payoff horizon
Less flexible than a line of credit — you take the full amount up front and repay on a set schedule.
Compare structuresSBA Loans
Established businesses that can qualify and can wait for a longer process.
- Amount
- Up to $5M
- Term
- Multi-year terms
- Speed
- The slowest path — weeks, not days
- Cost basis
- Lowest cost structure of the products here
- SBA 7(a) and 504 programs
- Longest terms available
- Lowest cost when you qualify
The most paperwork and the longest timeline, with the strictest qualification bar.
Compare structuresAmount ranges and timelines are typical ranges, not guarantees. All financing is subject to underwriting review; product availability and terms vary by applicant.
Asked and answered.
Net-60 receivables and retainage while payroll runs every Friday. The work is finished; the money is still on someone else's schedule.
Fuel and drivers are paid this week. The broker pays in 30 to 45 days. That gap is the whole business problem.
Strong nights and dead weeks in the same month. The walk-in fails when you can least afford to replace it.
Get a straight answer for your business.
Soft inquiry only. Three documents to start. A real person reviews your file.