Great Oak Funding, a private lending firm with offices in Cincinnati and Dayton, and operating in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, has announced a second fund available to small to mid-size businesses. Financing is available to existing companies with a proven track record of success. The purpose of the fund is to help existing companies grow and expand through short-term financing.
Alexander
“The new fund is similar to our first fund which was entirely subscribed to new borrowers in 2016 and deployed in 2017,” said Tony Alexander, General Manager of Great Oak Funding with counterpart and Fund Manager, Jason Downey. “Like the first fund that we launched, the fund we are announcing today is for primary and mezzanine lending, generally employs asset-based lending criteria, and is designed for companies with short-term needs ranging from financing growth, re-capitalization, acquisitions, or ownership change.”
Great Oak Funding was established in 2016 and is the funding arm of C2M Investments, a private entity focused on providing a variety of funding solutions to attract, maintain and grow businesses. Great Oak Funding is focused on creating successful businesses that are adequately capitalized, and possess strong management skills, while keeping a focus on maintaining strong ownership with the founders/owners.
Great Oak Funding client Ryan Spann, President, DGI Trading USA located near Louisville, KY said, “DGI Trading USA has a unique niche selling used mining industry equipment which can be perceived by traditional lenders as a declining asset. Getting lenders to understand my business can sometimes be difficult. Great Oak Funding understood the business and they got the deal put together quickly. It was a good experience.”
Downey said Great Oak’s first fund was completely loaned out very quickly.
“In fact, it was oversubscribed – which made way for a new fund. We expect the same level of demand with this second fund,” Downey said. “Great Oak Funding offers funding through loans that are specifically designed to support existing businesses by helping them attain their next level of success.
Great Oak Funding offers loans ranging from $75,000 to $1,000,000, with the average loan being around $350,000. Funded projects can range from securing real estate to purchasing equipment. Mezzanine financing helps fill the gap between an owner’s equity and traditional bank financing.
Downey explained that Great Oak Funding is not a private equity fund. Instead, Great Oak Funding is a specialized lender that takes the unique approach of identifying gaps in financing. Great Oak then designs the right layered capital mix of varying types of lenders and investors to provide customized financing when traditional capital may not be a viable option.
“Often, mezzanine lenders tend to do larger deals and we believe there is a void for mezzanine funding for small to mid-size businesses,” said Alexander. “That’s why we are committed to filling that void, so that these companies have the opportunity to achieve their greatest success. We are proud to offer this financing alternative and see this as a win-win-win scenario for borrowers, lenders, and our fund investors.”
Great Oak Funding is actively seeking qualified borrowers in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana who are in need of alternative capital to expand their existing business. Interested business owners are encouraged to visit www.greatoakfunding.com to begin the process of applying for funding.
