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Broker Placement Guide

Where to Place Business Loan Deals You Can't Fund

A practical routing guide for ISOs and business loan brokers when a file falls outside your lender box — MCA, term, SBA, line of credit, equipment and refinance paths, plus what you earn when the deal funds.

Answer first

Where should you send a deal you can't place?

Route it to a multi-lender placement desk (a "super broker"). The desk evaluates the borrower across multiple products and lender profiles, you stay the face of the deal, and you're paid a commission share when it funds. The strongest use case isn't "send everything" — it's send the files your own stack doesn't place efficiently: stronger credit that deserves term/SBA/LOC, larger requests, equipment purchases, stacked files needing restructure, or industries your lenders decline.

When to route

Eight deal types worth routing

The best files to route usually aren't bad deals — they're files where your lender stack is incomplete for the merchant's profile or objective.

01

Strong borrower asking for longer terms

A 24–60+ month request is poorly served by an MCA-only stack — forcing it loses the merchant.

Likely pathsTerm · SBA · LOC
02

Existing MCA positions

Already has advances and needs additional capital, restructure, or a cleaner path.

Likely pathsRefi review · Additional position
03

Equipment purchase

Financing the asset itself often beats putting the whole request into working capital.

Likely pathsEquipment finance · Term
04

Large-ticket request

The ask exceeds your funders' caps. Programs across the network generally range from about $10K to $5M; availability varies by product and qualification.

Likely pathsSBA · Term · Larger RBF
05

Thin or imperfect credit

Operating strength is there but your preferred lenders decline the credit profile.

Likely pathsRevenue-based · Alt-credit term
06

Seasonal or irregular cash flow

Healthy business, but traditional underwriting doesn't fit the revenue pattern.

Likely pathsRevenue-based · LOC
07

Business acquisition

A purchase needs transaction-level structure: SBA, equity injection, seller-note considerations.

Likely pathsSBA 7(a) · Acquisition term
08

You simply don't know the route

Sometimes the highest-value use of a desk is a second opinion before declining.

Likely pathsProduct matching
Placement matrix

Match the problem to the likely funding path

A starting framework, not an underwriting decision. Actual fit depends on the complete business and owner profile — requirements vary by lender and product.

Merchant needFirst route to evaluateAlso considerWhyDocumentation
Fast working capitalMCA / revenue-basedLOCCash-flow-weighted structures prioritize speed.Light–moderate
Predictable monthly paymentTerm loanSBAFits when the borrower profile supports fixed-term repayment.Moderate–full
Lowest-cost long-term capitalSBATerm loanStrong borrower with time for fuller underwriting.Full
Recurring short-term cash needsBusiness LOCWorking capitalRevolving access beats repeated term requests.Moderate
Vehicle / machinery / equipmentEquipment financingTerm loanMatch financing to the productive asset.Moderate
Multiple existing advancesRefinance reviewAdditional WCPayoff and cash-flow analysis before adding debt.Moderate–full
Business purchaseSBA 7(a)Acquisition termTransaction structure matters as much as cash flow.Full
Interactive

Route a sample deal

Change the profile to see how the recommended review order shifts. Illustrative routing logic only — final eligibility depends on complete underwriting.

Educational illustration only. Not an offer, approval, or underwriting decision.

Multi-product fit
Start with Term + LOC
Economics

What you earn when a routed deal funds

Economics depend on the partner model and the product. Full ISO partners earn 6–12 points on eligible funded revenue-based transactions; commissions vary by product, deal size, and partner type. Term, SBA-type, and equipment placements pay on their own schedules — ask for the current schedule for the products you send. Renewals on files you placed stay credited to you.

The comparison that matters isn't placement points versus direct points — it's placement points versus the zero you earn on a file you can't place, plus keeping the merchant relationship alive. Relationship protection belongs in writing: at Elite Funders, partner submissions are tagged to the submitting partner in the portal, and merchant outreach on partner files is never automated.

ISO commissions
6–12 points
eligible funded revenue-based transactions; varies by product, size, partner type
Cost to submit
$0
no fee, no obligation for you or the merchant
Products placed
14 funding products
revenue-based, term, SBA, LOC, equipment and more

Reviewed August 2026 — commission figures describe the Elite Funders partner program; exact terms are set in the partner agreement.

Documents

What should you send with the deal?

The right package depends on the product. Use the tabs as a starting checklist — lender-specific requirements vary, and the desk tells you exactly what's still needed.

Direct vs desk

Direct lender stack vs. placement desk

Not either/or. Keep direct relationships for deals you already place well; use a desk selectively for the rest.

Maintain every relationship yourself

Separate onboarding and agreements per lender
Different submission formats and portals
You maintain every product box yourself
Low-volume relationships go stale
+Maximum control over your core relationships

Use a placement desk as an extension

One submission, multiple product paths
Covers edge cases and non-core products
Centralized status in one portal
Keep your direct relationships for what you place well
Add breadth without rebuilding your operation
Direct answers

Business loan placement FAQs

Where can I place a business loan deal I can't fund?
If the merchant is still potentially fundable but doesn't fit your current lender network, route it to a multi-lender placement desk. A good desk tells you which routes are viable rather than forwarding the file everywhere, and puts your economics and relationship protection in writing.
Should I send every deal to a placement desk?
Usually not. Keep direct relationships for the deals you already place well and use a desk selectively for hard-to-place files, larger requests, specialized products, and second looks.
Can an MCA broker submit SBA, term or equipment deals?
Yes, when the placement partner covers those products and the merchant meets the relevant qualification requirements. This lets an MCA-focused broker serve stronger or more specialized borrowers without building every lender relationship internally.
What if the merchant qualifies for something better than an MCA?
Then that's what gets pursued. Files are matched to structure, not pushed to one product — a strong-credit merchant may fit a term loan, LOC, SBA loan or equipment product better than short-duration capital.
What happens to the merchant relationship?
It should be documented in the partner agreement. At Elite Funders, submissions are tagged to the submitting partner, merchant outreach on partner files is never automated, and renewals credit back to you. If a desk won't put that in writing, don't send them files.
What does it cost to submit?
Nothing — $0 to submit, no obligation for you or your merchant. Some programs can fund in as little as 24 hours for qualifying files; timing varies by lender, product, and file completeness.
Do I need a license to co-broker deals?
Requirements vary by state and are changing — several states have commercial financing disclosure laws and broker registration rules are emerging. Confirm your own state obligations with counsel.

Don't decline the file until you've checked the other routes.

Send a test deal. It costs nothing, the file stays yours, and you'll see how the desk works before committing to anything.

Send a Test Deal