Venture capital may be the hot, sexy funding route that helps a few businesses and grabs a lot of headlines every year. But it turns out another type of funding works out better for most entrepreneurs: microfinance. Microfinance loans are small loans typically in the range of up to $50,000 in the United States, with an average loan amount between $9,000 and $10,000.
Non-bank lenders such as
Accion USA provide loans that average just $7,000. Here’s the funny part: The businesses they lend to have a survival rate that’s twice the national average. Repayment rates are on par with traditional banks, too.
Why do micro-borrowers do better than owners who use traditional bank loans or credit cards? Here are three reasons:
1. Better vetting. Microlenders tend to spend more time getting to know a business owner one-on-one, which usually doesn’t happen at major banks. These microlending institutions often take bigger risks on unproven startups, but because they take the time to learn a lot about the person seeking the loan, they form a more personal connection. With those closer ties having been forged, entrepreneurs will go the extra mile to avoid disappointing the person who approved their loan.
2. Support groups. Most microloans are made in a group setting. The business owners in a lending circle support one another and, in some cases, are financially responsible for each other’s loans. This web of interconnected responsibility helps keep them on track and provides moral support.
3. Smaller loans. When entrepreneurs only have a small sum with which to start their businesses, they watch every dime carefully. Too often, landing a big loan can lead to profligate spending rather than growth and productivity. Small borrowers also don’t get delusions of global domination -- they take it one careful step at a time, so they don’t stumble into overexpansion.
