Don’t Wait Until You’re Desperate: What a £4.1 Billion Founder Can Teach Irish SMEs About Business Finance

Richard Harpin, the British entrepreneur who built and sold HomeServe for £4.1 billion, recently shared a simple but powerful lesson:

"Never raise money when you’re desperate. Raise when you have momentum, not when you’re running out of cash."

At BusinessLoans.ie, we see this play out every day.

Irish business owners often wait until things are tight—cash is low, payments are late, and pressure is mounting—before seeking finance. But that’s the worst time to negotiate a good deal.

Instead, smart businesses secure funding when things are going well—when they have traction, confidence, and options.

Why timing matters

Raising finance when you’re in a strong position gives you three key advantages:

1. Better terms and more lender options
Lenders respond well to confidence. When your accounts are healthy and you’re trading steadily, you’ll qualify for faster approvals, lower rates, and higher loan amounts.

2. Flexibility to repay early
Many unsecured loans we arrange come with no early repayment penalties. That means you can borrow for 36 months and pay it off early if your cash flow improves—saving interest along the way.

3. Freedom to seize opportunities
With cash in place, you can act quickly on growth opportunities—whether that’s bulk-buying stock, hiring staff, expanding premises, or investing in equipment.

Use funding as a tool, not a last resort

Too often, Irish SMEs view finance as something to turn to only when things go wrong. But in reality, funding should be used proactively to protect cash flow and support growth.

That’s where we come in.

At BusinessLoans.ie, we help business owners across Ireland access unsecured loans, revenue-based finance, and asset finance—with no upfront fees and fast decisions.

Our job is to show you what’s possible—before you need it.

Find out how much your business could borrow today.
No pressure. No commitment. Just straight answers and funding options that work for you.

Call the BusinessLoans.ie team on 01 55 636 55 or APPLY HERE.

Bad Credit? Business Loan Options in Ireland

Running a business comes with its challenges, and managing cash flow is one of the biggest. If you’ve had a few missed payments and your bank statements show referral charges, you might worry about your financing options. The good news? Business loans are still possible—even if your credit history isn’t perfect.

Our lending partners assess your business by reviewing your accounts and bank statements, assigning a risk grade from A to D. Based on this, you’ll receive a loan offer with interest rates typically ranging from 6% to 12%. While more missed payments can increase your risk grade, we can provide approval information within 24 hours. Best of all, we never charge a fee for a quote, so there’s no cost to explore your options. If the offer doesn’t suit you, there are alternative solutions to consider.

4 Alternative Financing Options

1. Secured Finance

If your business owns valuable assets such as machinery, vehicles, or equipment, you may be able to secure a loan against them. This can help mitigate the impact of missed payments. For businesses that own land or property, secured finance is an option—but it’s generally only viable for loan amounts of €250k because of significant fixed due diligence costs in building such deals.

2. Invoice Finance

If you have outstanding invoices and are waiting on payments from customers, invoice finance could be a solution. Lenders offer both one-off funding and ongoing credit lines based on your receivables, allowing you to access cash flow when you need it.

3. Merchant Cash Advance

Does your business process payments via card machines, PayPal, Stripe, or similar platforms? A merchant cash advance could be a viable funding route. Instead of fixed repayments, a small percentage of your daily revenue is automatically deducted, making it a flexible option even if you have missed payments.

4. Asset Finance

Need to acquire new equipment, vehicles, or machinery? Asset finance can help you invest in essential business tools without the need for upfront capital. Lenders typically retain ownership of the asset until the loan is fully repaid, reducing their risk and increasing your chances of approval—even with a few credit blemishes.

Get a Fast Quote – No Upfront Fees

If you’re considering business finance, we’re here to help. Contact the BusinessLoans.ie team today for a fast, no-obligation quote: Call us on 01 55 636 55 or APPLY HERE.

As always, consult with your accountant or business adviser to ensure debt finance is the right fit for your situation.