Fees arrive in lumps. Salaries leave every month.
Project billing means feast-and-famine cash flow even when the order book is full. One short request brings back competing offers, softly checked so nothing lands on your credit report.
With nothing to secure it against, the ledger does the talking.
Funders look closely at recurring and retained revenue, how long you have been trading, and the recent bank statements or management accounts behind both. A steady, predictable billing pattern tends to count for more than a single big month.
For anything invoice-led the focus shifts partly onto your clients: how creditworthy the businesses that owe you are, and how concentrated the book is. A firm reliant on one large client looks very different from one with fifty, which is exactly why it pays to have several funders read the same request at once.
PEOPLE-HEAVY. ASSET-LIGHT.Timing, not machinery.
Because a service firm holds few physical assets, the products that fit are built around revenue and unpaid invoices rather than collateral. The right choice depends on whether the need is a one-off, such as a hire or a fit-out, or ongoing, such as a permanent buffer against slow-paying clients.
The invoices are raised and the terms have started
Billing other businesses on terms is the single best case for Invoice financing, which releases the cash tied up in unpaid client invoices instead of leaving it in the ledger. Recruitment and staffing firms lean on it most, because it is what funds the payroll run while the client works to their own schedule.
The gap only exists between invoice runs
If the shortfall is a fortnight rather than a quarter, a facility you draw on and repay is usually the honest answer. A business line of credit sits unused until you need it and costs you on what you take, not on a lump sum you did not want in the first place.
You are hiring ahead of a contract that has been won
The cost of a hire lands months before the fees they generate do. A business term loan or working capital covers the run-up without pledging assets a service firm mostly does not have.
The income is recurring, so the repayment can be too
Firms with steady retained or recurring billing can look at revenue advance, where repayment flexes with what you bill rather than landing as the same figure in a month that came in soft. Flexibility is worth paying for only when the months genuinely move.
The cost is a one-off and it is known
A move or fit-out, a systems commitment, an indemnity renewal, acquiring another practice or a book of clients, or funding a partner buy-in. Business term loan spreads a defined cost over a defined period, which usually beats paying for flexibility you will use once.
Many firms combine two of these, a term facility for the investment plus an invoice-led or drawable facility for the day-to-day rhythm. Comparing several partners side by side is the fastest way to see which structure your numbers actually qualify for, alongside every other funding type Capvant covers.
A faster offer can be worth more than a marginally cheaper one when payroll is due. Looking is a soft credit pull either way.
Funding here smooths the timing rather than covering a loss.
Project billing, retainers that pause or churn and seasonal peaks mean a profitable firm can still be short of cash in a given month. In each of these cases the aim is the same: act on the opportunity without draining the cash you run on day to day.
Bridging payroll and payment
Keeping the payroll run comfortable while invoices sit on longer terms. By far the most common reason a service firm looks at funding, and rarely a sign of anything being wrong.
THE MAIN ONEHiring before the fees arrive
Adding people against a won contract or a new retainer, where the salary starts months before the billing that justifies it does.
GROWTHThe lumpy one-offs
A tax bill, a professional indemnity renewal, a software and systems commitment, or an office relocation and fit-out. Known costs that simply arrive together.
ONE-OFFBuying in, or buying out
Acquiring another practice or a book of clients, funding a partner buy-in or buy-out, or smoothing a seasonal dip such as a year-end or filing peak.
STRUCTURALThree documents move this faster than anything else.
With these to hand, comparable offers can come back quickly, and the funding partner’s decision, always subject to approval, follows soon after.
Recent business bank statements
With little to secure a facility against, funders lean on the strength of your income rather than your balance sheet. Statements show real money moving rather than a forecast, and a steady billing pattern counts for more than one large month.
THE INCOMEUp to date management accounts
Recurring and retained revenue, how long you have traded, and existing commitments. Owner or director credit still matters, but for many firms an unsecured or invoice-led facility is more achievable than traditional secured lending.
THE FIRMAn aged debtor list
For anything invoice-led, who owes you and on what terms. The creditworthiness of your clients and how concentrated the book is both move the offer, so a diversified ledger and a contracted pipeline strengthen the case.
THE BOOKWhen the offers land, weigh the amount, the term, how and how often you repay, the total cost, how flexible the facility is and how quickly funds arrive. The full path from first question to funds is set out on how Capvant works.
Pick the range that covers the gap between the work and the payment, and see what comes back.
Frequently asked questions
Can a firm with no assets to pledge still raise funding?
Yes. Products built for service firms lean on revenue and unpaid invoices rather than collateral, which is why invoice-led and unsecured facilities are often more achievable here than traditional secured lending. Availability and terms are set by each funding partner and subject to approval.
Can my professional services business get funding through Capvant?
Yes. Capvant works with funding partners that fund professional services businesses across the United States. One request matches you with the partners most likely to say yes.
What funding suits professional services businesses?
It depends on your goal, common options include business line of credit, working capital, business term loan, invoice financing. Compare them side by side and pick what fits.
Will checking my options affect my credit score?
No. Seeing your options through Capvant is a soft credit pull, so it leaves no mark on your credit report. A lender only runs a full credit check if you decide to accept an offer.
Is Capvant a lender?
No. Capvant is a funding marketplace, we match you with funding partners and you choose the offer that suits you. Funding decisions, rates and terms are set by the lender, subject to approval.
How fast can I get funded?
Once you accept an offer, many businesses receive funds within a few business days, some products fund same day.
Make payroll on your calendar, not theirs.
One request puts your firm in front of a network of funding partners. Comparing what comes back costs nothing and leaves your credit score exactly where it is.
No obligation. Checking your offers won’t affect your credit score.
Disclaimers & footnotes
- 1Capvant is a funding marketplace, not a lender. We match business owners with third-party funding partners; we do not make credit decisions, lend money, or set rates or terms. All funding decisions, rates, terms and approvals are made solely by the lenders in our network, subject to their criteria.
- 2Checking your options through Capvant does not affect your credit score. A lender may carry out a soft or hard credit search depending on the product, stage and your consent. A full hard credit check is only carried out where required by a lender before you proceed.
- 3Funding speed, including any reference to funding in as little as 24 hours, is typical for some products and lenders and is not guaranteed. Actual timescales depend on the lender, the product, and how quickly requested information and documents are provided.
- 4Funding amounts and ranges are indicative only and vary with your business profile, trading history, the lender and the market. Figures shown are not an offer of finance and do not guarantee any particular amount, rate or approval.
- 5Any offers, rates or repayment figures shown in illustrations or examples are for demonstration only and are not real quotes. Your actual offers, if any, are provided by lenders and are subject to approval.
- 6Product availability varies by market. Some products are only available in certain countries. Capvant currently serves businesses in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Capvant is not a lender and does not make credit decisions, we introduce businesses to third-party funding providers. Capvant is not authorized or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).
Capvant does not compare every lender, broker, funding product or offer available in the market. We only show options from funding partners in our network that may be relevant based on the information you provide.
Capvant may receive compensation from lenders, brokers, funding partners or referral partners when a customer is introduced, approved, funded or takes another qualifying action. This compensation does not guarantee that any lender will approve an application or offer specific terms. Capvant does not charge business owners a fee to compare funding options unless clearly stated otherwise.
If you access Capvant through a partner, introducer or embedded funding page, that partner may receive a referral fee or commission if your request results in funding. This does not increase your cost unless expressly disclosed.
Capvant is intended for business-purpose funding only. Eligibility may depend on entity type, location, trading history, revenue, industry and lender criteria. In the UK, Capvant currently focuses on limited companies, LLPs and plcs, and does not currently support sole traders or ordinary partnerships.
Information on Capvant is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. You should consider whether funding is suitable for your business and seek professional advice where appropriate.
Calculators, eligibility checkers and funding-readiness tools are estimates only. They are based on limited information and assumptions, and do not represent a credit decision, quote, approval or recommendation.
Company information may be sourced from public registers such as Secretary of State business filings, or from information you provide. Public register data may be incomplete, delayed or inaccurate and should not be treated as a full credit assessment.
The Business Credit Score by Capvant is an independent statistical assessment based on public register data. It is not provided by a credit reference agency and may differ from scores used by individual lenders.
By submitting an application or funding request, you authorise Capvant to share relevant business, owner, request and document information with funding partners, service providers and introducers where necessary to process your request, subject to our Privacy Policy.
Some US commercial financing offers may be subject to state-specific disclosure requirements. Where required, additional disclosures will be provided and must be accepted before a transaction is finalised.