Why Small Businesses Choose A Lender: What The Data Shows
An existing relationship is the single biggest reason small businesses choose a lender, cited by 48% of applicants in Federal Reserve survey data weighted across banks, credit unions, online lenders, finance companies, and CDFIs. Speed of decision and the odds of...
Why AI Adoption Accelerates When Leaders Go First
According to the latest Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta’s Survey of Business Uncertainty report, personal AI adoption among business executives is accelerating: the share who personally use AI for at least one hour a week climbed from 72% in November 2025 to 84%...
You Do Not Have to Export to Qualify for an SBA International Trade Loan
The International Trade Loan is a variant of the SBA 7(a) loan. It funds facilities and equipment used in the United States to produce goods or services, working capital, and debt refinancing under existing program rules. It carries a 90% SBA guarantee, compared with...
Small Businesses Are Borrowing Again, Mostly on Lines of Credit
We have tracked the decline in small business applicant credit quality across 15 straight quarters through 4Q25, and in 1Q26 it declined again, the 16th in a row. What changed is on the demand side. According to the latest Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Small...