Know Your Numbers Before You Talk to a Bank or Investor

This lesson publishes soon. Here's the framework it will cover.

What a lender actually wants to see

A bank or investor isn't evaluating how hard the business works, they're evaluating whether the numbers support repayment or return. Vague answers, even accurate ones, read as unpreparedness. Specific numbers, even modest ones, read as a business that knows itself.

What to have ready

• Consistent monthly profit figures, not just annual totals. A pattern over time tells a clearer story than a single number.
• A cash flow projection, not just a current balance. Lenders want to see the business can handle timing gaps, not just that it's solvent today.
• A clear answer for what the money is actually for. Specific, not general. "Working capital" is weaker than "covering a six-week gap before a seasonal peak."