An SBA loan is a bank loan with a federal guarantee stapled to it: the government promises the bank most of its money back if you default, so the bank says yes to businesses it would otherwise decline, at rates it would otherwise reserve for stronger files. The trade is time and paperwork: weeks to months, and documentation that makes a mortgage look casual. The full guide decodes the 7(a) (the general-purpose workhorse), the 504 (real estate and heavy equipment), and microloans, then gives the honest decision rule: SBA when you can wait and qualify; online term lenders when you can't.

What the full guide covers

• The guarantee: why banks say yes
• 7(a) vs. 504 vs. microloans
• Real timelines and paperwork expectations
• Rate caps and what you'll actually pay
• SBA vs. online lenders: the decision rule

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