🚦 “It’s 20 Minutes with No Traffic… but 2 Hours with Traffic.”

If you’ve spent time in a city with a lot of traffic, you’ve probably heard some form of this before. A bit exaggerated—but if you lead a business and have ever asked “How long will financing take?”—you’ve likely heard something just as vague.

At Capvia, we use this analogy a lot. Why? Because the financing timeline often depends less on the distance—and more on the traffic. For founders, CEOs, and CFOs, understanding what causes that traffic is key to hitting growth goals and managing cash flow.

🔍 The Three Biggest Variables That Determine Financing Timelines

1️⃣ Type of Financing

Whether you’re seeking an asset-based loan, SBA 7a, term debt, or a bank cash flow loan—each has its own process, paperwork, and timeline.

🐌 What slows things down:

• Incomplete financials or delays in putting financials together
• Missing documentation or incomplete documentation
• Unclear or outdated collateral reports

🚀 What speeds things up:

• Having all documentation organized and up to date
• Understanding the specific lender requirements in advance
• Anticipating what will be needed in due diligence and being prepared with the follow up items

🧭 At Capvia, as part of our process, we ensure everything that can be anticipated is—including the potential follow up items that will be needed in diligence.

 

2️⃣ Internal Readiness

This is where many companies lose valuable time. The question isn’t just “Can we get financing?”—it’s “Are we truly ready for it?”

At Capvia, we start every engagement by assessing the company’s internal capabilities. We help close gaps before going to market—saving time, avoiding frustration, and improving outcomes.

🔍 Key areas to assess:

• Are your systems (ERP, 3PL, invoicing, reporting) integrated and accurate?
• Can you quickly produce clean data sets for lenders or third parties?
• Do your internal controls and reports align with lender expectations?

 

3️⃣ Market Conditions & Third Parties

Timing isn’t only about you. Appraisers, field examiners, legal counsel, environmental reports—they all can play a role, and their availability can affect the timeline.

Capvia is in market every day, so we know when things are moving fast—or backing up. We use that insight to help clients avoid surprises and plan accordingly.

🛑 Common causes of delay:

• Uncertainty around what third parties (appraisers, field examiners, legal teams) are really looking for
• Needing extra time to gather or clarify supporting documentation
• Losing momentum due to missed expectations or unclear next steps

📅 At Capvia, we help our clients get ahead of these challenges by clearly outlining what’s expected, coordinating with third parties, and ensuring the right information is ready—so the process stays smooth and on track.

 

✅ The Bottom Line

Consistent things we hear after closing a deal from our clients:

“I am glad we knew to address this issue and were prepared with answers ahead of time.”

“I didn’t know what the examiner was looking for until you pointed it out and then it was easy to provide the right data.”

As a founder, CEO, or CFO, you don’t have time to sit in traffic. Having a partner who’s navigated this road hundreds of times can keep things moving—and help you get to your destination faster, with fewer detours.

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