How easy it is to obtain financing for a franchise in Canada? The strategy you employ is important. Most people want to succeed within a short period by developing a finance plan that works for both the franchise and the company.
Franchises were hit hard during the global downturn, but they are back with revenge, much more so than other comparable industries. So can you get a franchise loan, and if so, how?
The first way is to form a partnership with an existing and strong franchiser. In this partnership, you will act as a subcontractor, meaning that you will be the franchisee. You need to develop and offer a good financial package so that creditors and the franchiser will consider it worth the investment. What should this package or plan contain? The following components are required: an overview of your background and experience, of the business of your partner, and a plan on how to achieve a profit. The lender will also require information on how much cash you will have for the loan repayment. You have to come up with a plan about how you will generate it. It is not enough to simply provide indicators that the franchise will make a profit. You may get support in the process of obtaining financing but for the most part, you will be on your own. What franchisers do is offer know how for a fee.
You have to calculate your starting costs, including the hard and soft costs. The latter include non-tangible assets such as the franchise fee.
You should present the amount of money to be contributed to the business. The minimum is 10 percent, the maximum - around 40 percent. In Canada, you can apply with the BIL/CSBF program, which is a government based program working with franchises. You will get a loan return term of 5 to 7 years, good interest rates, and no penalty in case of early repayment. You will not be required to back up the loan amount with collateral or other personal assets and funds.
No matter what type of franchise financing you want to apply for, you should have a relatively decent personal credit history.
In Canada, you can apply with different financial institutions such as TD Canada Trust. It offers a variety of financial services and products, efficient and fast services, and long branch hours. Clients are offered business lines of credit, up to $250,000 in CSBFA loans, overdraft protection, flexible repayment terms and conditions on business loans, financial counseling, and more. CIBC also offers franchise financing to companies that have owner-operated distribution systems and consider transforming corporate stores into franchises. Financing is in the amount of a minimum of $250,000 offered to companies with a strong balance sheet.