Definition
What is a placement desk?
Placement desknoun
A placement desk is a deal-routing service an established broker uses to place files that fall outside their own lender coverage — the wrong product, too many existing positions, the wrong size band, or a restricted industry. The broker keeps the merchant relationship and the choice of which files to send; the desk supplies the lender access and does the placement work.
An established MCA broker can use Elite Funders selectively for overflow or products outside the broker’s normal lender coverage. The broker does not need to route every file through Elite Funders.
Elite Funders runs its placement desk inside its ISO partner program: one agreement, used selectively. There is no separate contract, no exclusivity, and no minimum share of your book. The desk exists because misfit files are a structural fact of brokering — no funder panel covers every product, position depth, size band, and industry at once.
For — shops that should use the desk
- MCA shops with steady flow whose funder panel stops at certain products, positions, or deal sizes
- Commercial loan brokers whose clients ask for equipment finance, factoring, term loans, or other products they don’t carry
- ISOs who see restricted-industry files — trucking, construction, healthcare — stall out every week
- Brokers who want overflow monetized without adding funder relationships or underwriting staff
Not for — better starting points
- New brokers without active deal flow — start with the full ISO program and the guide to starting an MCA brokerage
- Payments and merchant-services ISOs monetizing a processing book — see the merchant-services partner page
- Accountants, consultants, and one-off referrers — the referral program is the lighter-touch fit
Fit table
Which files should you send?
Send the files you cannot place at economics you like: product misfits, position-heavy files, size-band misses, and restricted industries. Keep the files your own lenders fund well — the desk is additive, not a replacement for your book.
| File profile | What it looks like in your shop | Desk fit |
|---|---|---|
| Product misfit | Merchant wants a term loan, SBA, equipment finance, a line of credit, or factoring — and you run a revenue-based book. | Strong fit. The network spans 14 funding products, so one submission path covers the products you don’t broker. |
| Position depth | The file already carries one or more advances and your funders stop at first or second position. | Case-by-case. Some programs in the network consider later-position files; appetite varies by lender, position depth, and file strength. You get a realistic read before anything goes out. |
| Size band | The ask sits above — or below — the box your funders will write. | Strong fit within range. Programs across the network generally range from about $10K to $5M; availability varies by product and qualification. |
| Industry misfit | Trucking, construction, healthcare, restaurants — categories your funders restrict or price out. | Usually workable. The network covers 45 industries; restricted-category appetite still varies by lender and file. |
| Paper strength | Revenue is real but credit or documentation is thin for your usual funders. | Case-by-case. Some revenue-based programs weigh cash flow over credit score; requirements vary by lender and product. Send current statements and let the desk scope it. |
What not to send
- Files you can place yourself at better economics — the desk is for overflow, not a detour.
- Merchants who haven’t authorized you to shop their file. Get permission before sharing merchant information; it’s a condition of the partner agreement.
- Files in active default or mid-workout. The desk places fundings; it is not a debt-restructuring service.
Workflow
How the desk works
One agreement, then file-by-file: you send a package, the desk scopes it against the network, offers come back through you, and you are paid on funded deals per your agreement.
Partner setup — once
Apply through the partner application. Your agreement states compensation, attribution, and renewal rights before you send a single file. There are no setup fees.
Send the file
The application, the most recent business bank statements, and product-specific documents where relevant. Flag what you’ve already tried and what the merchant actually wants — it saves a round trip.
Desk review and targeted placement
The desk scopes the file against network appetite and comes back with a placeable path or a straight no. Files route to the programs that fit the profile — a placement strategy, not a blast to every funder with an inbox.
Offers come back through you
You present the offer to your merchant, or we co-close alongside you on your instruction. Merchant-facing contact defaults to you either way.
Funded, then paid
Eligible compensation is paid per your executed agreement following funding, with renewals credited per that agreement.
On timing: some programs can fund in as little as 24 hours for qualifying files; timing varies by lender, product, and file completeness. Complete packages move fastest.
Economics
What does the desk pay?
Full ISO partners earn 6–12 points on eligible funded revenue-based transactions; commissions vary by product, deal size, and partner type. Exact terms live in your partner agreement — and compensation should be confirmed before the merchant signs.
Program-level range on eligible funded revenue-based transactions. Varies by product, deal size, and partner type; other products compensate per your agreement.
One point equals 1% of the funded amount. For per-deal math — points against deal size, realistic costs, clawback and reserve mechanics — use the broker commission guide.
- What we publishThe program-level commission range, the product set, and the network’s general funding range — on this page and the partner pages, in plain sight.
- What we don’tPer-lender pricing, buy rates, or any lender’s specific appetite. That protects the merchants, the network, and your deals — no public page should teach your competitors your economics.
- Where exact terms liveYour partner agreement, provided for review before activation. Confirm compensation on each deal before the merchant signs.
Data boundaries
Your merchant stays your merchant
The desk works your file; it does not work your book. Attribution and renewal rights are set in your partner agreement, merchant contact defaults through you, and declined files are returned — not recycled.
- Attribution & renewals
- Defined in your partner agreement before your first submission. Review the terms, then send files — not the other way around.
- Merchant contact
- Deal-related only, and it runs through you by default. Elite Funders does not send marketing to your merchants — every merchant touch is tied to the file you submitted.
- Declined files
- Returned with the plain-English reason we can share — product, position depth, size, or documentation. Not added to marketing lists. Resubmit when the file changes.
- Your lender relationships
- Untouched. No exclusivity, no minimum share of your book. Keep placing your own paper exactly where you place it today.
- White-label expectations
- You front the merchant relationship by default; the desk stays behind the scenes or co-closes on your instruction. One honest caveat: funding contracts carry the funding partner’s name at signing — you will know the structure before your merchant does.
Before you send a file, read how we research the market: 72 independent lender reviews published in our directory, in the open. A desk that publishes its research is easier to judge than one that asks for trust.
Partner models
Placement desk, full ISO program, or referral?
Same marketplace, three usage patterns. The placement desk is selective routing for established shops; the full ISO program is the complete platform relationship; the referral program is introductions only. One partner application covers all three.
| Placement desk | Full ISO program | Referral program | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Established ISOs and brokers with their own funder relationships | Brokers building on one platform — new or experienced | CPAs, consultants, agencies, and other light-touch referrers |
| How it’s used | Selective: overflow and out-of-box files only | Primary submission path across all 14 products | Introduce the merchant; no packaging or follow-up |
| Who works the merchant | You — the desk supports behind the scenes or co-closes on request | You, with Elite deal support through underwriting and closing | Elite’s team, closer-led, after your introduction |
| Compensation | 6–12 points on eligible funded revenue-based deals; varies by product, deal size, partner type | Same program-level range and terms, per your agreement | Varies by product, deal size, and partner type; stated in your agreement |
| Start here | Send a test deal | Explore the ISO program | See the referral program |
Deciding whether brokering is worth building into a business at all? The economics are laid out honestly — points, costs, clawbacks, first-year math — in the broker commission guide and the MCA brokerage startup guide.
Straight answers
Placement desk FAQ
No. The placement desk is built for selective use. An established MCA broker can use Elite Funders selectively for overflow or products outside the broker’s normal lender coverage. The broker does not need to route every file through Elite Funders.
Not for marketing, and not around you. Merchant contact is deal-related and runs through you by default; you decide whether we stay behind the scenes or co-close alongside you. Attribution and renewal rights are defined in your partner agreement before you send your first file.
You get a straight answer, not silence. If no program in the network fits, we say so and return the file with the plain-English reason we can share — product, position depth, size, or documentation. Declined files are not recycled into marketing lists, and you can resubmit when the file changes.
Full ISO partners earn 6–12 points on eligible funded revenue-based transactions; commissions vary by product, deal size, and partner type. One point equals 1% of the funded amount. Exact terms are stated in your partner agreement, and compensation should be confirmed before the merchant signs.
Same partner agreement, different usage pattern. The full ISO program is the complete relationship: portal access, every product, and deal-by-deal support at any volume, whether you are new or established. The placement desk is the selective lane inside it — for brokers who keep their own lender relationships and route only overflow or out-of-box files.
Some programs in the network consider later-position files; appetite varies by lender, position depth, and file strength. Send the file with current statements and existing balances disclosed, and the desk will tell you whether a realistic path exists before anything goes out.
The application, the most recent business bank statements (how many varies by product), and product-specific documents where relevant — an equipment invoice, accounts-receivable aging, or similar. Complete files move faster; timing varies by lender, product, and file completeness.
No. There are no setup fees to partner with Elite Funders, and sending a file costs nothing. Compensation works the other way: you are paid on funded deals per your partner agreement. There is no exclusivity requirement.
Judge the desk on a real file
Send one file. Grade the response.
Pick the file stalling in your shop right now — the wrong-product ask, the third-position balance, the restricted industry. The desk will come back with a placeable path or a straight no, and you’ll know exactly what a partnership would feel like.