An SBA loan offers a startup the same trade at every stage: some of the best startup pricing in lending, paid for in weeks and paperwork. The mechanism is simple, the government backs most of the loan, so lenders can say yes to young businesses at rate-capped pricing they'd never offer unsecured. On the example directory profiles (not live partners) that means 10.5–14.0% est. APR* with terms to 10 years, and startups are genuinely welcome here: roughly a third of 7(a) dollars already go to new and young businesses. Now the honest timeline. A 7(a) or Express loan through the example SBA profile runs 30–90 days. A microloan through a community lender runs 2–6 weeks, from a 560 credit floor, at $1,000–$50,000, with a human advisor helping you assemble the file. The documentation is real: a business plan, financial projections, personal financials, and a personal guarantee from owners of 20% or more. The full guide maps the process week by week and lists the document stack to build before you apply, because arriving without it is the single biggest way founders add weeks to their own deal.

What the full guide covers

• Why the government backing changes who lenders can say yes to
• 7(a) vs. Express vs. microloans, for a startup specifically
• The week-by-week timeline, honestly
• The document stack: build it before you apply
• When the 30–90 day wait is worth it, and when it isn't

The full guide is publishing soon. The short version above is accurate and current, and the concierge already knows everything in it.