Five ways to fund your business. One that fits.
Every funding path has a right moment and a real cost. Here's an honest side-by-side, and where a capital strategist changes the outcome.
Trovo Capital is a capital strategy and consulting firm, not a lender or broker. We advise on and help you execute across these paths, we don't issue the funding.
The five paths, side by side
Scan the trade-offs at a glance, then read the full breakdown of each path below.
| 0% Intro-APR Business CreditWhere we focus | SBA Loan (7(a) / 504) | Bank Term Loan / Line of Credit | Equity / Investors | Do It Yourself | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical range | $20K – $150K+ | Up to $5M – $10M | Varies by revenue & credit | No hard ceiling | Whatever you can access |
| Cost of capital | 0% during the intro period, then standard APR | Lower rates, longer terms | Interest-bearing from day one | No repayment — you trade ownership | Free in dollars, costly in mistakes |
| Time to funding | Days to a few weeks | Weeks to months | Weeks | Months | As fast as your research |
| Effect on ownership | No equity given up | No equity given up | No equity given up | You give up equity and some control | Depends on the path you pick |
| Talk it through | See if you qualify | Ask us | Ask us | Ask us | Ask us |
Figures are general market ranges for orientation, not quotes. Full detail on each path below. Last reviewed July 2026.
Each path, in depth
0% Intro-APR Business Credit
Sequenced business cards with an interest-free intro window.
- Typical range
- $20K – $150K+
- Cost of capital
- 0% during the intro period, then standard APR
- Time to funding
- Days to a few weeks
- Effect on ownership
- No equity given up
Best when: You have a fundable profile and a clear plan to deploy and repay inside the intro window.
The catch: The intro period ends. Miss the payoff runway and the standard APR turns a cheap tool into an expensive one.
How Trovo helps: We assess fundability, sequence issuers, and build the payoff plan so the window works for you.
SBA Loan (7(a) / 504)
Government-backed loans through approved lenders.
- Typical range
- Up to $5M – $10M
- Cost of capital
- Lower rates, longer terms
- Time to funding
- Weeks to months
- Effect on ownership
- No equity given up
Best when: You need larger, patient capital and can carry the documentation and timeline.
The catch: Paperwork-heavy, slower, and underwriting is strict. Not built for speed.
How Trovo helps: We help you gauge readiness and organize the profile before you approach lenders.
Bank Term Loan / Line of Credit
Conventional financing from a bank or credit union.
- Typical range
- Varies by revenue & credit
- Cost of capital
- Interest-bearing from day one
- Time to funding
- Weeks
- Effect on ownership
- No equity given up
Best when: You have established revenue and want predictable, structured repayment.
The catch: Often needs collateral or a personal guarantee, and approval leans on time-in-business.
How Trovo helps: We help you understand what banks look for and where you stand before you apply.
Equity / Investors
Raising capital in exchange for ownership.
- Typical range
- No hard ceiling
- Cost of capital
- No repayment — you trade ownership
- Time to funding
- Months
- Effect on ownership
- You give up equity and some control
Best when: You're building something venture-scale and want partners, not just money.
The catch: It's the most expensive capital long-term. Ownership sold early rarely comes back cheap.
How Trovo helps: We help you weigh whether you need equity at all, or whether credit gets you there without dilution.
Do It Yourself
Navigating all of the above on your own.
- Typical range
- Whatever you can access
- Cost of capital
- Free in dollars, costly in mistakes
- Time to funding
- As fast as your research
- Effect on ownership
- Depends on the path you pick
Best when: You have the time, the credit knowledge, and the appetite to learn on live stakes.
The catch: A misordered application or a hard-inquiry misstep can close doors for months.
How Trovo helps: This is the path we exist to make unnecessary. Strategy first, so you don't learn the expensive way.
We don't sell you a path. We help you pick the right one.
The best funding decision depends on your profile, your timeline, and what you're building. That's a strategy question, not a product pitch, and it's the one we answer.
Map your path- SBA loan limits and terms: U.S. Small Business Administration — sba.gov/funding-programs/loans. The cumulative 7(a)/504 cap rose to $10M in 2026.
- 0% intro-APR business credit: intro length, limits, and standard APR vary by issuer and by applicant profile. Ranges shown are typical, not guaranteed.
- All figures: general market ranges for orientation only, current as of the last-reviewed date above. Not an offer, quote, or guarantee. Trovo Capital is a consulting firm, not a lender or broker.
No single path is “best.” The fit is.
A term loan can be smarter than credit. Equity can be a mistake you can't undo. The right move is the one matched to where you actually are, which is exactly the call we help founders get right before the applications go out.
Not sure which
path is yours?
Bring us your situation. We'll walk the options with you and point to the path that fits, no obligation.