Guide · Difficult situations
Can a sole proprietor get business funding?
By Alex Makowski Published
Yes. Revenue-based funders underwrite deposits, and a sole proprietorship with a business bank account and consistent revenue qualifies on the same basis as a company. The obstacle is almost never the structure; it is sole proprietors running revenue through a personal account, which underwriting cannot read.
In this guide
- 01What actually matters
- 02Where the structure genuinely changes things
- 03Practical steps before applying
- Won't affect your credit
- Free, no obligation
- Up to $500K
01
What actually matters
A business bank account. This is the requirement that decides most sole-proprietor applications, because deposits into a personal account cannot be verified as business revenue.
Consistent deposits over six months. The same test every other applicant faces.
An EIN helps but is not always essential. Many sole proprietors operate on a Social Security number, and funders accommodate it.
02
Where the structure genuinely changes things
Liability is not separated, so the personal guarantee question is moot — you are personally liable for business debts regardless.
Personal and business credit are more entangled, so your personal file carries more weight than it would for an established company.
Some banks and larger lenders have policies requiring a registered entity. Revenue-based funders generally do not, which is why they are the accessible route.
03
Practical steps before applying
Open a business account today if you do not have one, and route everything through it. Six months of clean business banking is what unlocks every product on this site.
Stop paying personal expenses from it. Mixed accounts are harder to underwrite and reduce what you are offered.
Get an EIN. It is free from the IRS, takes minutes, and it starts to separate the business file from your personal one.
Consider incorporating if you plan to grow. It is not required for funding, but it changes your liability position and eventually your options.
Written by
Alex Makowski, Owner
Alex Makowski owns and runs Business Loans for America and has been placing funding for U.S. small businesses since 2021. Businesses he has worked with have secured $50M+ in financing across 1,200+ placements. He writes and reviews every guide on this site.
FAQ
Related questions.
- Do I need an LLC to get funded?
- No. Sole proprietors are funded routinely. An entity helps with liability and eventually with credit separation, but it is not a funding requirement.
- Can I use my personal bank account?
- In practice, no. Underwriting reads business deposits, and a personal account makes it impossible to distinguish revenue from everything else.
- Will they check my personal credit?
- Usually, and it carries more weight than for an incorporated business — though for revenue-based products deposits still matter more.
Guides
More on difficult situations
UCC filings
A public notice that a funder has a claim on your assets.
Personal guarantees
Nearly always — and it is the term that outlives the business.
With a tax lien
Yes, if there is a payment plan and the lien is disclosed.
After a default
Harder, not impossible — settled beats outstanding, every time.
Sources
- IRS — Small Business and Self-EmployedFederal tax guidance for small businesses, including recordkeeping and deductions.
- U.S. Small Business Administration — LoansFederal loan programmes, eligibility and what the SBA does and does not guarantee.
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