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Asset-based lending involves providing loans secured by collateral, typically used by businesses to cover short-term cash flow needs. Collateral for these loans can include inventory, accounts receivable, equipment, or other owned property.

In the Explore stage, a business owner learns the benefits and options of different exit options and decides where to invest further time and resources. The essential question is whether a given exit option will meet the outcomes desired by the seller.

Money owed for a good or service purchased on credit. Accounts payable are a current liability for a company and are expected to be paid within a short amount of time.

A CDC is a nonprofit, community-based organization with one-third of board typically composed of community residents focused on low-income, underserved neighborhoods.

CLTs are nonprofit, community-based organizations designed to ensure community stewardship of land.

The accounts receivable turnover ratio assesses how efficiently a company collects its average accounts receivable balance. Calculated by dividing net credit sales by average accounts receivable, this ratio reflects how quickly credit sales are converted into cash

A chart of accounts is a list of categories that bookkeepers and accountants use to classify all accounting transactions. All accounts in the chart of accounts fall into one of the five categories: Income, Expense, Asset, Liability, or Equity.

a financial services company that acts as an intermediary in large and complex financial transactions; usually involved when a startup company prepares for its launch of an IPO and during strategic M&A; or as a broker or financial adviser for large institutional clients

A C corporation (C corp) is a legal structure where the corporation and its owners (shareholders) are taxed separately, leading to double taxation on profits at both corporate and personal levels.

CMF awards competitive grants to CDFIs for affordable housing and economic development projects.

A commercial loan is a debt-based funding arrangement between a business and a financial institution such as a bank.

A Zebra Company represents a humane alternative to traditional tech unicorns. Unlike unicorns that prioritize maximizing shareholder value, zebras focus on principles like mutualism, shared property, and multi-stakeholder value.

A leveraged buyout (LBO) is when one company acquires another using mostly borrowed money, often secured by the assets of both companies.

Net profit margin, or net margin, expresses a company's net income as a percentage of its revenue. This metric provides insight into how efficiently sales translate into actual profit after accounting for all expenses, including COGS, operational costs, interest, and taxes.