The short answer
At a glance
| Common uses | Second location, buildout and renovation, buying a business, marketing, hiring, multi-location growth |
|---|---|
| Typical amounts | $5,000 to $5,000,000 at MFE; based on current revenue |
| Working capital guideline | Commonly from about $17,500 a month, often 6+ months, commonly 600+ credit |
| MCA guideline | Commonly from about $7,500 a month, often 3+ months, flexible credit |
| Equipment for the new site | Often 6+ months in business; vendor quote needed; terms up to 60 months at MFE |
| Speed | Same-day decisions common on complete files; not promised |
| Documents | 3 to 4 months of bank statements, ID, voided check; larger requests can need financials and tax returns |
| Best for | Owners with steady revenue and a clear plan for the new money |
| Avoid if | The first location is already struggling to make its payments |
Before you apply: checklist
- Write a one-page budget: rent deposit, buildout, equipment, inventory, staff, marketing
- Estimate the ramp-up period before the new location or campaign breaks even
- Confirm the payment fits on current deposits alone
- Split equipment out, since equipment financing can run longer terms
- For an acquisition, get the seller's bank statements and a list of liabilities
- Keep a cash reserve of at least one month of the new site's costs
- Pull recent business bank statements and have financials ready for larger asks
- Ask for total payback in writing before signing
Check what your business qualifies for
Merchant Fund Express reviews expansion and acquisition funding requests from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Scores from 500 are considered, and same-day decisions are common on complete files.
Check funding options with Merchant Fund ExpressMatching the money to the growth move
| Move | Common fit | Watch |
|---|---|---|
| Second location | Working capital or revenue-based financing | Ramp-up months with two rents |
| Buildout or renovation | Working capital, plus equipment financing for fixtures | Contractor delays |
| Buying a business | Working capital; larger deals may need a bank or SBA loan | Hidden debts of the seller |
| Marketing push | Short-term working capital | Track cost per new customer |
| Hiring | Working capital or a line of credit | Training time before staff are productive |
The second-location funding guide and the guide to funding customer growth go deeper on each.
For campaigns, read funding for marketing and a new website.
Multi-location businesses
Owners with several locations often have combined deposits that support a larger request. Funders usually want to see how each location performs, so keep separate statements or a clear breakdown. One weak location can pull down the whole file if its losses are hidden in a combined account.
Illustrative example: second location payback
| Assumption | Figure |
|---|---|
| Current monthly revenue (first location) | $80,000 |
| Funding requested | $90,000 |
| Assumed total payback multiple | 1.30 |
| Total payback (90,000 x 1.30) | $117,000 |
| Assumed term | 12 months |
| Monthly payment (117,000 / 12) | $9,750 |
| Payment as share of current revenue (9,750 / 80,000) | About 12.2% |
| Months new site may run at a loss | 4 |
If the first location's margin can carry a 12% payment plus four months of losses at the new site, the plan holds. If not, a smaller request or a slower opening may be safer.
These figures are illustrations, not offers. Real terms depend on the full file and are set by the funder at review.
Funding brings customers. Is your website ready for them?
Funding usually pays for growth: more stock, staff, equipment or marketing. Make sure the customers that growth brings find a website that explains what you do and makes it easy to call, book or buy. Cheap Cheap Websites builds professional sites from $399, with Website Care at $30/month.
Common mistakes
- Sizing the request on what the new location might earn, not what the business earns now.
- Using short-term money for a buildout that will take a year to pay off.
- Buying a business without checking for existing advances on its accounts.
- Spending the marketing budget with no way to track results.
- Draining the first location's reserve to open the second.
How Merchant Fund Express handles this
Merchant Fund Express reviews expansion requests based on the business you have today. Many owners start with working capital from Merchant Fund Express, which commonly fits businesses with about $17,500 a month in revenue, 6+ months in business and around 600+ credit. These are planning guidelines, not approval rules.
Equipment for a new location can be reviewed separately with terms up to 60 months. Larger requests can need financial statements and tax returns. When the budget is ready, apply with Merchant Fund Express.
Related
Cheap Cheap Websites builds websites. It does not lend or make funding decisions. Funding is offered by our funding partner, Merchant Fund Express, and every request is subject to its review and approval. Figures on this page are illustrations, not offers. Updated October 16, 2026.