Slatemont Capital Group, a small-business funding broker in Bismarck, ND, puts six options next to each other on this page: working capital, term loans, lines of credit, inventory financing, equipment financing and merchant cash advances. Each differs in how it is repaid or collected and in what partners review. Lending partners decide and set terms; we help you choose what to request.
Six options on one table
| Option | What it is | Paid back how | Often used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working capital | A short-term advance of funds for operating costs | Fixed installments, often frequent | Payroll, supplier bills, a tax balance |
| Term loan | A lump sum with a set schedule | Amortizing payments; sometimes a balloon | Build-outs, a second site, consolidating debt |
| Line of credit | A ceiling drawn on as bills arrive | Interest on the drawn balance only | Uneven bills, short gaps |
| Inventory financing | Funds tied to stock you buy | Unit by unit as goods sell, or monthly | Retail and wholesale stock |
| Equipment financing | A loan, lease or agreement for an asset | Payments over the asset's useful life | Excavators, chairs, coolers, vehicles |
| Merchant cash advance | Future receipts bought at a discount; not a loan | A holdback share of receipts until the total is collected | Card-heavy businesses needing cash |
Read the table by the third column first. If your receipts are steady, fixed installments are easier to plan. If they arrive in uneven lumps, a line of credit or a holdback-based structure follows them more closely, though the second costs more to understand.
Short term against long term
Working capital, lines of credit and merchant cash advances are built for short gaps. Term loans and equipment financing spread a larger cost over years, which lowers each payment but adds total interest. Matching the length of the funding to how long the purchase earns money is the oldest rule in business credit, and partners use it too.
A refrigerated case that sells product for a decade does not belong on a six-month repayment. A payroll gap of three weeks does not need a five-year loan.
Secured, unsecured and personal guarantees
Secured funding is backed by something a partner can claim if payments stop: equipment, inventory, receivables or a blanket lien on business assets. Unsecured funding has no specific collateral, but partners usually ask the owner to sign a personal guarantee. Many agreements are recorded with a UCC financing statement; the North Dakota UCC search guide explains how to check what is already on file.
Either way, read the default section of the agreement before signing. That is where the real difference between secured and unsecured shows up.
Where the SBA fits, and where we do not
Owners searching 'north dakota small business administration' are usually looking for an SBA-backed loan. SBA-backed lending is outside what Slatemont arranges. Those run through participating banks and other approved lenders. Our North Dakota business loan guide covers how to prepare for a bank conversation, including the questions owners raise about state-level programs.
Rent, owner pay and 'can I use it for anything?'
Use-of-funds rules come from the agreement, not from the product name. Some partners fund rent and general operating costs; equipment financing pays only for the asset; inventory financing pays for stock. Ask before you apply whether the purpose you have in mind is allowed.
Paying yourself from borrowed funds raises accounting and tax questions that an accountant should answer for your entity type. Tell the partner plainly what the money will cover; vague purposes slow a review down.
Grants are a separate track
'North Dakota small business grants' is a common search, and grants are not something Slatemont offers or arranges. Free advisors can point you to programs that exist.
The Burleigh County, ND mix behind these options
In 2023 Burleigh County's largest sectors by employer establishments were construction (390), retail trade (380) and health care and social assistance (379), according to County Business Patterns. Contractors lean on equipment financing and working capital between progress payments; stores lean on inventory financing; clinics and dental offices lean on equipment financing and term loans for fit-outs.
Those are tendencies, not rules. The right option depends on the business's own cash pattern.
By Slatemont Capital Group · Updated
