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Free tool · Pre-flight check

Growth readiness check

Eight quick questions a good lender — and a good growth plan — will care about. Answer honestly and get your readiness score plus the gaps worth fixing first.

  1. 1Is the business trading profitably in most months?

  2. 2Do you know the gross margin on what the growth will sell?

  3. 3Can you point to real demand — enquiries you turn away, a waitlist, a signed contract?

  4. 4Have you priced the move with real quotes, not round numbers?

  5. 5Have you allowed for a ramp-up before the move reaches full speed?

  6. 6Could the business keep up repayments if the move earned half what you expect?

  7. 7Are your BAS and tax lodgements up to date, or on an arrangement with the ATO?

  8. 8Do you have six months or more of business bank statements, or property you could offer as security?

Answer all eight to see your score.

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    See if you qualify →

    Why these eight questions matter

    Borrowing to grow works when three things line up: the move earns more than it costs, the business can carry it through the slow start, and the paperwork lets a lender say yes. The questions above test each one. Profitability and margin tell you whether there's fuel in the tank. Demand and real quotes tell you whether the plan's numbers are grounded. Ramp-up and the half-strength test tell you whether the business survives if things run slow. Tax lodgements and bank statements or property tell you how smoothly an application will go.

    None of these is a pass-or-fail gate. Plenty of owners are funded with a gap or two, and past credit issues or ATO debt are looked at case by case. What the check does is show where a few weeks of preparation could make the growth move safer and the funding conversation faster. For the numbers themselves, use the Growth ROI calculator, and read what lenders want to see in a growth application.

    Ready when you are

    When the score looks good — or you'd simply like a second opinion — send a 60-second enquiry. There's no credit check when you first enquire, your details aren't passed around a pile of lenders, and a real person reads your plan before calling you. Answer the form as accurately as you answered this check and we'll line up the right option first time. Start your enquiry →

    Readiness check FAQs

    What does the growth readiness check measure?

    It looks at eight things that decide whether borrowing for growth is likely to go well: profitability, margin knowledge, evidence of demand, accurate costings, ramp-up planning, resilience if results come in low, tax lodgement status and the records or security a lender will look at.

    I scored low. Does that mean I can't get growth funding?

    Not necessarily. Many businesses with gaps still qualify for something, and past credit issues and ATO debt are considered case by case. A low score simply points to the areas to strengthen so the growth move itself is more likely to pay off.

    Does taking the check affect my credit file?

    No. The check runs entirely in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere. An enquiry with us doesn't involve a credit check at the first stage either.

    What should I do after the check?

    Run your numbers through the Growth ROI calculator, fix any quick gaps the check flagged, then send a 60-second enquiry. A real person will call to talk through the plan and the funding structures that suit it.

    See what your business could qualify for

    One short enquiry, no credit check when you first enquire, and a real person who calls you back with options that fit.

    Check my options → Call 02 8856 0070

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