What counts as a startup file
We do not ask for tax returns, and a business with a short history may not have any. What we ask for is about three months of business bank statements, and we consider FICO scores of 500 and up. The application takes five minutes and uses a soft credit pull. Sole proprietors can apply.
So the question for a new Huntington Beach business is simple: is there a business account with a few months of real deposits? If so, there is something to review. If you have not opened or have not yet taken a payment, the useful move is to start the account and wait until a pattern appears.
Start-up costs on the coast
| Business type | Early costs | The timing problem |
|---|---|---|
| Surf, skate or apparel shop | Stock, fixtures, lease deposit | Inventory paid months before peak season |
| Cafe or food truck | Equipment, permits, first supplies | Opening costs arrive before sales stabilize |
| Fitness or lesson studio | Equipment, insurance, build-out | Membership revenue builds gradually |
| Mobile service (detailing, cleaning, repairs) | Vehicle, tools, insurance | The first invoices clear weeks after the work |
The city has about 198,711 residents and a shopping-and-beach economy, so foot traffic and visitors matter. But early success is also tied to getting costs and revenue to line up.
A realistic first-year plan
- Open the business account and route all sales through it from day one.
- Fund the one or two things that make you money, such as equipment or inventory, rather than everything at once.
- Keep a few weeks of costs in reserve for the slow stretch that follows opening.
- Apply once you have three months of deposits to show.
For illustration only: a new bike-rental company buys 20 bikes and a trailer for $28,000, then needs $10,000 for insurance, a lease deposit and wages while it waits for summer. The first cost is equipment and the second is working cash. Be clear which is which when you apply. The numbers are an example, not our terms.
What to prepare before applying
- A dedicated business bank account with about three months of deposits.
- A short note on what the money buys and how it pays back.
- A rough monthly calendar, showing busy and slow months for your kind of business.
- A list of one-time costs, separate from recurring ones.
That preparation takes less than an hour and makes the five-minute application more useful.
Apply
We fund $25,000 to $5,000,000, with funding in as little as 24 hours after approval. Apply and say what the money buys. For a single purchase, see equipment financing; for operating cash, see working capital. See also Orange County.