Guides
Financial projections, loans and startup costs, with sources.
Break-even analysis for a small business: formula and exampleBreak-even analysis for a small business: the formula, contribution margin, monthly break-even revenue, and worked examples for a restaurant and a cleaner.Cleaning Business Startup Costs: What to BudgetWhat it costs to start a cleaning business, from a solo setup under $1,000 to a team with payroll, plus insurance, the cash reserve and a 5-year view.Coffee Shop Startup Costs: A Line-by-Line BudgetHow much it costs to open a coffee shop: espresso equipment, build-out, rent deposits, permits and the cash reserve, with funding options and a 5-year view.Daycare Startup Costs: Budget, Licensing and Staff RatiosWhat it costs to open a daycare center, line by line, including licensing fees, staff-to-child ratios, the enrollment ramp and the cash reserve you need.DSCR for small business loans: what it is and how to calculate itLearn what DSCR is, how lenders calculate it, what 1.25x means, the SBA minimums (1.10 and 1.15), and how to improve a low ratio. Includes a worked example.Food Truck Startup Costs: What to BudgetA line-by-line food truck startup budget with low, typical and high ranges, what owners forget, how to fund it, and how it feeds a 5-year projection.Restaurant Startup Costs: A Line-by-Line BudgetWhat it costs to open a restaurant, line by line: build-out, equipment, deposits, permits and the cash reserve, plus how to fund it and project it.What financial projections does an SBA lender want?What financial projections an SBA lender expects for 7(a), 504 and Express loans: projection length, DSCR minimums, 10% equity, sources and uses, assumptions.How to make a sources and uses table for a business loanHow to build a sources and uses table for a business loan: what to list, a worked example with a 10% owner injection check, and common mistakes to avoid.Trucking Company Startup Costs: Authority, Insurance and TrucksWhat it costs to start a trucking company: MC authority, insurance, truck financing and working capital, with ATRI cost-per-mile benchmarks and a 5-year view.
Free tools
DSCR calculatorWork out your debt service coverage ratio from yearly cash flow and loan terms, and see the most you can borrow at a 1.25x DSCR.Break-even calculatorFind the monthly revenue and units you need to break even from your fixed costs, price and cost per unit. Includes your loan payment.Business loan payment calculatorMonthly payment, total interest and first-year interest and principal for a business loan, from the amount, rate and term.