“Finally, someone who actually listened.”

CPG Founder

“They clearly understood the cash gap.”

Wholesale Founder

“Someone finally asked the right questions.”

E-commerce Founder

“They weren’t just checking boxes.”

DTC Brand Owner

47 founders in. You’re next.47 founders have shared their story. Yours is next.

The lending system wasn’t built for you. Help us fix it.

We’re a team of industry experts building a better capital experience for SMB founders. We need 45 minutes of your time to hear what’s broken — directly from the people living it.

100% confidential. Your insights stay anonymous. No sales pitch.

What We Keep Hearing

Founders tell us the same three things.

Across dozens of conversations, the same patterns keep emerging. These aren’t edge cases — they’re the norm.

Cash gaps that choke growth

CPG and eCommerce founders face 4–9 month cash conversion cycles. You pay suppliers months before customers pay you — and traditional lenders don’t understand that timeline.

Arbitrary thresholds that exclude you

Good POs from major retailers get rejected because your revenue is below an arbitrary minimum. The lender’s risk model ignores the actual quality of your buyer.

Treated like a product, not a partner

Aggressive sales tactics. Data you didn’t consent to share. Brokers who trade your information. Many founders describe an “allergic reaction” to the lending experience.

Why This Matters

We’ve spent years inside this system.
We know it can be better.

We’re a team of lending operators, fintech builders, and capital markets specialists who’ve sat on both sides of the table — the lender’s and the founder’s.

We’ve seen how the current system fails SMBs: opaque pricing, one-size-fits-all underwriting, and a power dynamic that treats founders as leads to convert rather than customers to serve.

We’re building something different. But we refuse to do it in a vacuum. The founders who live this problem every day need to shape the solution.

That’s why we’re conducting in-depth research conversations with SMB founders across industries. Your experience isn’t just helpful — it’s essential.

“

I had an allergic reaction to the way lenders approached me. Aggressive emails, cold calls — I felt like a number in someone’s pipeline.

— Wholesale founder, CPG

“

My HomeGoods PO got rejected because my revenue was under $500K. The buyer was creditworthy. The lender just didn’t care.

— Specialty food brand founder

What to Expect

A conversation, not a questionnaire.

No scripts. No surveys. Just a real 45-minute discussion about your experience accessing capital.

Book a time

Pick a 45-minute slot that works. Video or phone — your choice. We work around your schedule.

Share your story

Tell us about your lending experiences — what worked, what didn’t, what you wish existed. We listen more than we talk.

Shape the future

Your feedback directly influences the solution we're building. Every insight gets incorporated. We'll share our summary of findings with all participants once the study wraps.

Who We’re Looking For

Founders who’ve been through the capital search.

Whether you found funding or got denied, your experience matters. We’re especially interested in founders who’ve felt the friction firsthand.

CPG & eCommerceWholesale & DTCSMBs seeking capitalDenied foundersFrustrated foundersCurrently seeking financing

Our promise to you

100% confidential. Nothing you share will be attributed to you or your company without explicit consent.
No sales pitch. This is research, not a funnel. We’re here to learn, not sell.
First access. Participants get early access to whatever we build based on this research.
Your time matters. We stick to 45 minutes, always prepared, and deeply respectful of your schedule.

Voices From The Field

What founders told us after their call.

Every conversation makes the picture clearer.

“Finally, someone who actually listened. I’ve talked to dozens of lenders — this was the first time someone wanted to understand the problem instead of pitch a product.”

Sandeep K.

CPG Founder

“I was skeptical, but the questions were thoughtful and specific. They clearly understood the supply chain cash gap — most lenders don’t even know what that means.”

Grant Y.

Wholesale Founder

“It felt like therapy for my lending trauma. I didn’t realize how much frustration I’d been carrying until someone actually asked the right questions.”

Rachel M.

E-commerce Founder

“I’ve done my share of user research calls. This one stood out. They weren’t just checking boxes — they were building conviction about a real problem.”

Jessica R.