Even in a challenged economy, if you ask a small business owner who has great credit, earns a respectable $1-2mm in revenue each year, is profitable, liquid and has managed to keep their debt in line, if they believed they would be turned down by their bank for a loan, they would probably laugh at you.  They would argue that they are shining examples of entrepreneurship at its finest and after all, what bank WOULD NOT want them for a customer or want to “close” the deal as quickly as possible? 

Plenty!  Let me share a few facts…. a larger bank’s definition of “small business” is one with annual revenues of up to $20mm.  Yes, that is the number their statistics are based on and for most of us that is NOT a small business.  Remember that number the next time you read that a large bank has committed to assist small business owners with loans.  My guess is that the vast numbers of loans being made are to middle-market businesses with revenues in the mid-range of that number….closer to $10mm, which, of course, would shut out the smaller companies.  Finally, I ask this of our local small business owner as you read the following article…..did YOU make $10mm last year?  If not, then come see us at Florida Commerce.  We believe that good things….come in much smaller packages!