Sawgrass Finance, the Ponte Vedra-based asset-based lender, has announced a $5-million asset-based loan extended to a major player in a heavily regulated industry based out of Southwest USA .
When a traditional lender reduced their exposure to the legal yet oft-misunderstood cannabis sector, a distributor of plant cultivation equipment and supplies was left in the lurch.
Despite the backing of a strong client base in a legal industry, the company faced a setback not uncommon in the risk-averse world of traditional banking: shifting goalposts from a lender unable to circumvent their rigid criteria. Fifteen other lenders declined before one recommended they connect with Sawgrass Finance.
The team at Sawgrass stepped up, recognizing the distributor’s strengths and understanding its risk basket.
As Sawgrass Finance Founder Marius Dobren explained, “A distribution company with a healthy customer base and legal backing is a quality borrower. But because they don’t fit into some lenders’ boxes, they were in trouble.”
Through Sawgrass’s trusted network of banking partners, the distributor received a $5-million flexible line of working capital without any reputational harm or interruption in operations.
“Which industry is misunderstood changes every day,” explained Dobren. “What doesn’t change is that creative business owners often face unique challenges. The good news? That’s nothing a creative lender can’t solve.”
