Guidant Financial Reports on the State of U.S. Small Business in 2015

BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite ongoing difficulty accessing capital through traditional channels, entrepreneurs are still pursuing their dream of starting or purchasing small businesses, according to Guidant Financial. The company – which is the premier provider of rollovers for business start-ups (ROBS) in addition to traditional funding options such as SBA loans – helped nearly 2,000 entrepreneurs secure $382 million in small business financing in 2015, up from $290 million the year before.

"Even though we had a record year in terms of helping entrepreneurs with our ROBS and SBA 7(a) loan services, access to financing remains a challenge for many U.S. small businesses," said Guidant CEO and co-founder, David Nilssen. "Yet, the entrepreneurial spirit remains strong. We saw a record number of people inquire about capital so they could create the life they want through business ownership."

Guidant Financial pooled data from nearly 1,000 of its ROBS customers with client information from entity filing service MyCorporation. Statistics showed that "dissatisfaction with corporate lifestyle/position" ranked as the No. 1 reason respondents pursued being their own boss in 2015, followed closely by pursuing a "lifelong entrepreneurial dream." The survey also provided valuable trend information on the U.S. small business economy.

Highlights from the survey include:

• Geography – California tops the list in terms of the highest volume of entrepreneurs leveraging ROBS to help finance their businesses, followed by Texas and Florida.
• Multi-source Financing – about half of respondents supplemented their ROBS financing with other forms of funding, with cash and Small Business Administration (SBA) loans being the most common sources.
• Type of Business – 2015 saw a swing in the type of businesses being funded away from independent startups (-12%) to existing businesses (+7%).
• Industry – Tech, marketing and health were the top industries for businesses started or purchased.

While awareness and adoption of ROBS as a compelling alternative financing option continues to grow, Guidant Financial also saw a dramatic increase in its SBA lending business, which nearly tripled in 2015 for the second consecutive year.

"Whether through franchise ownership or independent business, today's entrepreneur is creating a better future not just for themselves, but also by creating American jobs and supporting the U.S. economy," added Nilssen.

See the accompanying infographic from Guidant Financial and MyCorporation here.

Since 2003, Guidant Financial has helped 11,000 entrepreneurs in all 50 states to deploy nearly $3 billion in funding to start or acquire a small business or franchise. These businesses have in turn created more than 60,000 U.S. jobs.

About Guidant Financial
Guidant Financial works with entrepreneurs to identify, evaluate and deploy intelligent business financing strategies. Their services include, but are not limited to, rollovers as business start-ups (ROBS), SBA loans, unsecured credit and portfolio loans. Visit Guidant on the web at guidantfinancial.com.

About MyCorporation
For over 15 years, MyCorporation.com has reliably and affordably helped small business owners incorporate their businesses and form LLCs. If you're ready to start your own business, give MyCorporation a call at 877-692-6772 or visit them at mycorporation.com.

Contact:
Brooks Wallace
Hollywood Public Relations
774.773.9571
[email protected]

SOURCE Guidant Financial

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