Business loans & commercial finance broker
70% of businesses that go direct get turned down. Mine get accepted 84% of the time.
I’m Mark Smillie. I’ve been arranging business loans and commercial finance for over 30 years, and I’ll tell you the same thing I tell every business owner who calls me.
The problem isn’t you. It’s that you went to the wrong lender.
There are hundreds of finance companies out there, and every single one has its own criteria, its own sweet spot, its own reasons to say no. If your application doesn’t fit their box on that particular day, you don’t get a polite explanation. You just get a rejection. And that rejection leaves a mark on your credit file that follows you to the next lender you try.
That’s the part nobody tells you before you apply direct.
Why use a business loan broker instead of going direct?
Because I know which lenders will say yes to your situation before we even submit anything.
I talk directly to decision-makers at over 100 finance companies. I know what their underwriters want to see, I know which ones are comfortable with your sector, your credit history, your turnover. When you tell me your circumstances, I already know who to call.
I tailor your application to fit the lender, not the other way around. That means a cleaner submission, a better chance of approval, and often a better rate than you’d get walking in off the street.
It costs you nothing. I’m paid by the lender when a deal completes.
Business loans I can arrange for you
Whether you need cash in 24 hours or a structured facility to fund long-term growth, I can find the right product for your situation.
Short term business loans (3 to 12 months)
Fast decisions, quick payouts. Ideal if you need working capital now and you know you can repay it within the year.
Mid term business loans (1 to 5 years)
Structured repayments, fixed terms, no nasty surprises. Good for businesses investing in growth or bridging a specific funding gap.
Secured business loans
Use an asset as security and you’ll usually access better rates and higher amounts. Funds can often be released within 24 hours of a valuation.
Unsecured business loans
No asset security required. Based on your trading history and cash flow. Approval often same day.
Business loans with no personal guarantee
Yes, these exist. Not every lender needs you to put your house on the line. I have access to facilities where the loan is secured against the business itself, not you personally.
Emergency business finance
Sometimes you need money today, not next week. I have lenders who can turn this around in hours.
Invoice finance: get paid without waiting 60 days
If your problem is cash flow rather than capital, a business loan might not even be what you need.
Invoice finance lets you draw against the money already sitting in your unpaid invoices. Raise the invoice, access up to 90% of its value the same day, and repay when your client settles. No personal guarantee required. No monthly commitment if you go down the selective route.
It’s one of the most flexible facilities I arrange, and for a lot of businesses it solves the problem a loan never quite would.
Construction finance
If you’re in construction, you’ll know the standard finance market doesn’t really understand you. Retentions, JCT contracts, uncertified applications for payment, slow councils. I grew up in a construction family and I’ve spent decades working with contractors and developers. I know the language, I know the lenders who get it, and I know how to structure a deal that actually fits the way your business works.
Bad credit? Been turned down before?
Don’t assume the answer is no.
One rejection doesn’t mean every door is closed. It means you went to the wrong door first. Businesses with CCJs, a previous failure, or a thin credit file get funding through me every week, because I know which lenders look at the full picture rather than just a credit score.
The worst thing you can do is keep applying direct after a rejection. Every hard search makes the next application harder. Call me first and we’ll work out the right route before anything goes on your file.
Ready to talk about your business loan?
One call is all it takes. Tell me your situation, I’ll tell you what I can do. No credit checks, no commitments, no cost.
I’ve got an 84% acceptance rate because I only go to lenders I know will say yes. Let me do the same for you.
Or call me directly: 07710 466166
Business finance broker reviews
“Mark Smillie came up trumps and delivered a finance package in very challenging circumstances. It’s easy to think his success stories are too good to be true, but I now know from experience that he is an approachable, real person that you can speak to directly. His service is excellent and he knows his stuff. We worked with one of his trusted, specialist contacts as part of securing the deal and they scored 10 out of 10 too. Highly recommended.”
We approached 4 brokers with the same proposition, but it was obvious we should engage with Mark Smillie at Ringrose Business Finance. He was frank and honest about what he could achieve and had a real can-do attitude. With his knowledge and network, we were introduced to a top-notch specialist and our application was successful. Mark’s personal touches before, during and after the process is something you rarely get these days. I can’t recommend Mark highly enough.
“Mark totally exceeded my expectations. He was amazingly responsive to every phone call and email, gave great advice without judgement, and was very honest about my position and how he could help. He introduced me to a wonderful specialist, Leanne, who was very good and delivered the finance I needed. I felt supported by Mark every step of the way, I just don’t have a bad word to say – it was all super smooth!”
“Mark Smillie is very positive and straightforward to work with. He knew exactly who to put us in touch with to get the business finance product we needed. It was a painless process and we are very pleased with the product that was put together for us. We are already recommending his refreshingly personalised service to other businesses.”
Group of Engineering Companies
“So good we recommend him to other Companies”
“Mark Smillie is very good at what he does – you can’t fault his helpfulness and inside knowledge on finance companies. We would definitely go back to him again with any business finance requirements and do recommend him to other companies.”
“We went to Mark for business finance after being let down by other brokers who promised the world and never delivered. Mark was the first genuine specialist we met, and the only broker who actually did what he said he would. He gets the finer details right. We were introduced to an expert for our particular scenario and successful with finance for our eCommerce business. Mark will listen and advise on the best solution – it may even be one you didn’t know existed. Mightily impressed that he even arranged an independent follow-up call for feedback on his service. No hesitation in recommending Mark.”
“We’re very pleased with the financial solution Mark delivered for us and we still keep the direct relationship with our clients as a result. As a young and growing business, we hadn’t held out much hope of being able to find the support we needed, but having done some research, Mark was confident he could help. He’s definitely the go-to person for invoice finance.”