“The loans are given to help businesses get through crisis. If new investors decide to come in before the loan is paid off, the SBA wants some money back.”

“As your business grows, your financial infrastructure must grow with it. What worked when you were doing $500,000 in revenue won’t work at $5 million.”

“Push your loan officer hard at the beginning. Ask the officer what he or she considers the most significant vulnerabilities in your application and how the institution is likely to respond to them.”

“There seems to be an unlimited supply of entrepreneurs who want to start, buy, or expand their businesses. We anticipate that our loan volume will double what it was last year.”

“The truth hurt a bit when my daughter chimed in, “What exactly did you win this award for anyway, Dad?”

“I applied to a company that I had never heard of before, but that had a slick interface and strong Google reviews. I also submitted three months of my bank statements through a secure portal. And that is when the chaos began.”

“Two weeks ago, I met a friendly competitor of mine. She prices her services using a completely different model from the one we use. She triggered an idea that we will test.”