Pillar guide
Business and commercial finance. Funding growth without the cliff.
Working capital, commercial property, equipment and asset finance. How each is assessed, what they cost, and how to arrange finance before you need it rather than during.
- 01Former commercial bankers
- 02Access to 100+ lenders
- 03A director on every file
- 04A reply within one business day
The order was too big to turn down and too big to fund.
Most business finance problems aren't credit problems. They're timing problems. Money goes out to fulfil the work months before it comes back in, and a facility built for a different cash cycle doesn't bridge the gap.
The businesses that handle growth well arrange finance before the opportunity, not during it. That isn't always possible, but where it is, it changes both the cost and the terms available.
It also matters who arranges it. Equipment, premises and working capital typically get organised by three different parties who never speak, leaving the owner to carry the coordination.
Working capital
Overdrafts, lines of credit, invoice finance and trade facilities each suit a different cash cycle. Invoice finance advances against receivables and suits businesses with long payment terms; an overdraft suits fluctuating short-term needs.
The structure should match how money actually moves through your business, not the product the bank happens to lead with.
Commercial property
Commercial LVRs sit well below residential, commonly 65–70%, and lower for specialised assets. Lenders look closely at the asset type, tenant quality and lease terms for investment purchases, and at trading history for owner-occupiers.
The lease-versus-buy decision deserves modelling rather than instinct. Buying the premises converts rent into equity but ties up capital that may earn more inside the business.
Equipment and asset finance
Vehicles, machinery and equipment are usually financed against the asset itself, which makes approval faster and security simpler. Structure matters for both cashflow and tax treatment.
- Chattel mortgage: you own the asset from settlement
- Finance lease: the financier owns it, you lease it
- Rental or operating lease: off-balance-sheet treatment in some cases
- Balloon or residual: lower repayments, a lump sum owing at the end
Business and practice acquisition
Buying a business or practice raises questions ordinary lending doesn't: how goodwill is valued, what transition risk looks like, and whether the buyer's experience satisfies the lender.
These deals are won or lost on presentation. The financials matter, but so does the narrative around continuity of earnings.
A note on regulation
Most commercial and business lending is not regulated under the National Credit Code, which means different protections and disclosure obligations apply compared with consumer lending. We'll tell you which framework applies to your finance before you proceed.
A worked example
- Commercial premises purchase
- $1,500,000
- Indicative maximum LVR (industrial, owner-occupied)
- 75%
- Indicative loan
- $1,125,000
- Deposit or equity required
- $375,000
- Transfer duty (indicative)
- ~$82,500
- Monthly repayment (7.2%, 15 years, P&I)
- ~$10,200
Illustrative only. Commercial lending is individually priced and LVRs vary significantly by lender, asset type and tenant profile.
If you'd rather have someone work through this against your actual numbers, that conversation is free and there's no obligation attached to it.
Business & CommercialFrequently asked questions
Typically 25–35% depending on the asset type and whether you'll occupy it. Specialised assets require more. Additional security, such as a residential property, can reduce the cash required.
Often faster than property lending. Days rather than weeks where the asset is straightforward and the business is established. Completeness of the submission is usually what determines the pace.
It depends on your cashflow, the lease terms available and what else that capital could do inside the business. It's a modelling exercise, and one worth doing properly before the lease renewal forces the decision.
Yes, and we'd prefer to. They interact, because business debt affects personal borrowing capacity and vice versa. Seeing them separately is how people end up structurally stuck.
Generally not. Most commercial and business lending sits outside the National Credit Code, so different protections apply. We'll be explicit about which framework covers your finance.
This guide is general information only and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. It is not credit, financial, legal or tax advice. Consider its appropriateness to your circumstances and seek professional advice where relevant. Credit criteria, fees, charges, terms and conditions apply.
Run the numbers
Asset & equipment finance
Vehicles, machinery and equipment. Repayments, balloon and total interest.
Commercial loan repayments
Principal and interest or interest-only repayments on a commercial facility.
Commercial deposit & LVR
Indicative deposit, LVR and total cash needed for a commercial purchase.
Self-employed income
Net profit plus potential add-backs, to illustrate how a lender might read your income.
The process
How it works.
Tell us what you're trying to do
A quick conversation gives us the context: your goal, your timeline and where you're up to.
We assess your position
We look at your circumstances, objectives and the lending options actually available to you across the lenders we have access to.
We structure the strategy
We identify an appropriate lending approach, and explain the trade-offs in plain English before you commit.
We handle the process
From application through to settlement, we stay involved and keep you updated.
Free guide
The Business Owner's Finance Readiness Check
Commercial, working capital and asset finance
- Funding a big order without the cashflow cliff
- Equipment and asset finance, explained plainly
- Commercial property: lease versus buy
- Separating business and personal finance properly
Other guides
- First Home BuyersFirst home buyer loans in Australia. The plain-English guide.
- RefinancingRefinancing your home loan. How it works, and when it's worth it.
- Property InvestmentInvestment property loans and structure. A plain-English guide.
- Complex Income & Premium Home FinanceHome finance for self-employed and complex-income borrowers.
Ready when you are.
Three quick questions, then a director comes back to you within one business day. No obligation, and we'll tell you honestly if the answer is “not yet”.