Answers for businesses and the organizations that support them.
Learn more about Strategic Thinktank, Becoming Bankable®, capital readiness, and how we work with business owners, financial institutions, and economic development partners.
About Strategic Thinktank
Start here for an overview of what we do, who we serve, and how our capital-readiness work is delivered.
What does Strategic Thinktank do?
Strategic Thinktank is a capital readiness and education firm that helps business owners become better prepared to pursue financing and helps financial institutions and economic development organizations build stronger pipelines of prepared borrowers.
Our proprietary Becoming Bankable® framework translates lender expectations into practical steps business owners can understand and act on.
Who does Strategic Thinktank work with?
We work with two primary audiences:
Business owners preparing to pursue capital for growth, working capital, equipment, real estate, or other business needs.
Partner organizations including credit unions, CUSOs, banks, economic development organizations, and other organizations that want to strengthen borrower preparedness and expand access to capital.
Do you work throughout the United States?
Yes. Strategic Thinktank is Michigan-based and works with businesses and partner organizations throughout the United States. Programs can be delivered virtually, in person, or in partner-aligned formats depending on the engagement.
Becoming Bankable® and Capital Readiness
Understand what capital readiness means, how Becoming Bankable® works, and how to prepare for more productive financing conversations.
What is Becoming Bankable®?
Becoming Bankable® is Strategic Thinktank's proprietary capital-readiness framework designed to help business owners understand what lenders evaluate, strengthen their financial readiness, organize lender-required documentation, and prepare for more productive financing conversations.
It is not simply about completing a loan application. The goal is to help business owners understand and demonstrate the financial and operational readiness lenders expect.
Who is Becoming Bankable® designed for?
Becoming Bankable® is designed primarily for established businesses that are generating revenue and expect to pursue financing.
It is particularly relevant for business owners considering capital within the next 3–12 months who want to identify and address readiness gaps before approaching a lender.
Is Becoming Bankable® only for businesses that have already been declined for financing?
No. Some participants come to us after a loan decline, while others participate before approaching a lender.
Preparing earlier gives a business owner more time to strengthen financial records, documentation, projections, credit, and other areas that may influence a lender's decision.
How is Becoming Bankable® delivered?
Business owners can access Becoming Bankable® through self-paced learning, facilitated cohorts, and higher-touch support.
Partner organizations may also sponsor cohorts, pilot programs, licensing and access arrangements, or other partner-aligned delivery models.
Does completing Becoming Bankable® guarantee that I will receive financing?
No. No legitimate capital-readiness program can guarantee loan approval.
Lending decisions are made independently by lenders based on their underwriting criteria, the financial condition of the business and owner, the proposed use of funds, and other factors.
Becoming Bankable® is designed to help you become better prepared to present your business and financing request.
Does Strategic Thinktank provide loans or financing?
No. Strategic Thinktank is not a lender and does not make credit decisions.
Our role is to help businesses understand lender expectations, identify capital-readiness gaps, strengthen financial preparedness, and organize the information typically required for financing conversations.
Can you help me obtain an SBA loan?
We can help prepare you for conversations about SBA and conventional business financing by strengthening your capital readiness and helping you understand the documentation and financial information lenders may require.
The lender ultimately determines the appropriate financing product and whether a business qualifies.
Can you introduce me to a lender?
When appropriate, we may make introductions to banks, credit unions, CDFIs, and other financing resources within our network.
An introduction is not a guarantee of financing. Our objective is to make lender introductions when there appears to be a reasonable fit between the business, its readiness, and the financing opportunity.
Do you prepare business plans and financial projections?
Our higher-touch services may include review of lender-ready business plans, financial projections, and other financing documentation.
The level of support depends on the program or engagement selected.
I'm a business owner. Where should I start?
Start by exploring Becoming Bankable® and identifying the level of support that best matches your current capital-readiness needs.
If you are planning to seek financing, beginning before you approach a lender gives you time to identify and address potential readiness gaps.
What does Becoming Bankable® cost?
Business owners can choose among Becoming Bankable® self-paced learning, facilitated cohorts, and higher-touch support. Pricing varies by delivery option and level of support, with applicable program pricing shown on the Becoming Bankable® page.
Strengthening the capital-readiness pipeline
Learn how Strategic Thinktank works with credit unions, CUSOs, banks, economic development organizations, and other partners to help promising businesses become better prepared for financing.
How does Strategic Thinktank work with credit unions, CUSOs, and banks?
We help financial institutions create a structured capital-readiness pathway for promising businesses that may need additional preparation before they are ready to move successfully through underwriting.
This may include businesses preparing to apply for financing as well as prospective borrowers who have been declined but demonstrate the potential to become stronger future applicants.
How can Becoming Bankable® help a financial institution?
Becoming Bankable® can help financial institutions improve borrower preparedness before the financing conversation.
The framework focuses on financial readiness, lender-required documentation, understanding lender expectations, and building the financial discipline necessary to pursue business financing more effectively.
For partners, this creates a structured way to strengthen the pipeline between promising businesses and potential financing opportunities.
How do you work with economic development organizations?
We partner with economic development organizations and other small-business support organizations to deliver scalable capital-readiness education to the businesses and communities they serve.
Engagements may include sponsored cohorts, facilitated programs, pilot initiatives, licensing, assessments, and partner-aligned programming.
Can an organization sponsor Becoming Bankable® for its clients or members?
Yes. Organizations can sponsor Becoming Bankable® programming for a defined group of businesses.
We can structure the engagement around the organization's audience, objectives, delivery preferences, and desired outcomes.
Do you offer pilot programs?
Yes. A pilot can be an effective way for a financial institution or economic development organization to test Becoming Bankable® with a defined group of businesses before considering a broader implementation.
The pilot structure can be aligned with the partner's target audience, referral process, program objectives, and desired measures of success.
Do you license Becoming Bankable®?
Yes. Licensing and partner-access models are available for organizations seeking to extend capital-readiness education across their organization, network, or client base.
Licensing arrangements are customized based on anticipated usage, number of participants, delivery model, and level of Strategic Thinktank support.
I'm with a credit union, bank, CUSO, or economic development organization. Where should I start?
Request a partnership conversation.
We'll learn more about the businesses you serve, your objectives, and the capital-readiness challenges you are trying to address, then determine whether a cohort, pilot, licensing arrangement, or another partner-aligned solution makes the most sense.
How is partner pricing determined?
Partner engagements are customized based on the delivery model, number of participating businesses, scope, anticipated usage, and level of Strategic Thinktank support. Cohorts, pilots, licensing arrangements, and other partner programs are priced according to the needs and objectives of the organization.
Tell us what you need.
Whether you're preparing your own business for capital or exploring a capital-readiness solution for the businesses you serve, we'll help you identify the appropriate next step.