The Bank-Readiness Assessment
The complete, committee-style review of your business — scored, flagged, and fixed — so you know your likely decision and exactly what to repair before you apply.
Five answers, in one report.
Not a vague "financial health" grade — the specific things a credit committee signs off on, with your numbers against their lines.
Your likely decision
A readiness score and where you'd land today — approve, conditional, or decline.
Every ratio that matters
Coverage, leverage, liquidity, performance — your figures beside the thresholds banks use.
Red flags, ranked
The specific issues that would trigger a decline, ordered by how much they hurt.
A prioritized fix-list
What to change first, the expected impact of each, and how long it takes.
Best-fit lender profile
The type of lender most likely to say yes to a business like yours.
Your projected outcome
Where your score and ratios land once the fixes are made — your path to approvable.
See exactly what you'll receive.
A complete sample report for a fictional business — the real structure, depth, and language of every assessment we deliver.
Northbridge Fabrication LLC
A fundamentally sound business, three fixable gaps short of a yes.
Profitable and growing, but currently over-leveraged with thin repayment headroom. None of the three issues require a better business — only the right moves, in order, before applying.
| Metric | Your figure | Bank looks for | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debt service coverage (DSCR) | 1.18× | ≥ 1.25× | Tight |
| Leverage (debt / equity) | 2.6× | ≤ 2.0× | Over appetite |
| Current ratio | 1.5× | ≥ 1.25× | Healthy |
| Net profit margin | 6.5% | ≥ 5% | Solid |
| Top-customer concentration | 42% | < 35% | Elevated |
| Guarantor personal credit | 690 | ≥ 680 | Acceptable |
| Time in business | 7 yrs | ≥ 2 yrs | Strong |
Thin owner equity relative to debt. The committee reads it as the owner carrying little risk and the bank carrying most. This is the single biggest barrier in the file.
After the new repayments, almost no cushion. One soft quarter and coverage slips below 1.0× — the line a lender can't cross.
A meaningful share of revenue depends on a single relationship. Not disqualifying on its own, but it amplifies every other risk in the file.
SBA 7(a) via a Preferred (PLP) lender, given the equipment-plus-working-capital mix and a 7-year track record — a PLP can approve in-house and avoids the extra SBA review delay. Consider routing the machine alone through an SBA 504 for a longer term and lower payment. Target regional or community banks with a stated manufacturing appetite over large national lenders.
Good things to know.
What do I need to send you?+
Two years of financial statements, your latest management accounts, and a 10-minute questionnaire about the business and the funding you want. No live bank files or confidential borrower data — we work from your own numbers.
How is the report delivered, and how fast?+
As a written report like the sample above, within 5–7 business days. Need it faster or earlier-stage? The Red-Flag Scan turns around in 3 days.
Will you guarantee I get the loan?+
No honest party can — the lender decides. We give you an accurate read on your likely decision and exactly what to fix. If you want us beside you through the fixes and re-checks, that's the Readiness Partnership.
Is this financial advice?+
It's an independent assessment of how a lender is likely to view your business, for your own planning. We're not a lender, broker, or licensed adviser, and we take no commission from anyone. See the note below.
Know your verdict before the bank does.
Get the full committee-style read on your own business — and the fix-list that turns a “not yet” into a yes.
Get this assessment — $890