Working Capital Built for Women-Owned Businesses

Women-owned businesses often face a documented gap in access to traditional bank credit, not because underwriting standards differ but because relationship banking and collateral requirements historically favored longer-tenured borrowers. Valhalla addresses the access gap directly: we underwrite against bank deposits, time in business, and cash flow rather than requiring years of banking relationships or hard collateral. That means a women-owned business with six months of operating history and consistent monthly deposits can qualify on the same terms as any other applicant of comparable financial strength.

It is important to be clear that this is not a demographic discount program. Pricing, factor rates, and terms are set by the same underwriting model applied across our entire portfolio, based on risk indicators like average daily balance, deposit consistency, and existing debt load. What we offer instead is speed and simplicity of access: a single bank-statement based application, a decision within hours, and funding within a day. For businesses that also qualify for SBA-backed or state-level grant programs designed specifically for women entrepreneurs, we will say so and point you there first when it is the better fit.

Offers are priced using either a fixed factor rate applied to the funded amount, or, for term structures, an annualized rate driven by your risk profile. A factor rate of 1.30 on $50,000 means total repayment of $65,000 regardless of how long repayment takes, while a term loan accrues interest over time and can cost less if repaid on schedule. The variables that move your rate most are average daily bank balance, number of negative-balance days, existing debt stack from other advances or loans, and industry risk category. Businesses with clean statements and low existing debt load typically see rates at the lower end of our range.

The trade-off between speed and cost is real and worth weighing deliberately. A 24-hour funding decision generally carries a higher effective cost than a multi-week SBA process because the underwriting relies on fewer data points and the funder assumes more short-term risk. For a women-owned business facing an immediate opportunity, like a bulk inventory discount or a payroll gap ahead of a receivable, the speed premium can be worth it. For a planned expansion with a six-week runway, it usually is not, and we will tell you that directly during underwriting.

• Factor rates or annualized pricing based on risk, not demographic category
• Average daily balance and negative days are the biggest rate drivers
• Faster funding generally costs more than SBA-timeline products

This product fits women-owned businesses that need capital faster than a bank or SBA lender can deliver it, and that have at least six months of operating history with $15,000 or more in average monthly deposits. It works well for bridging a receivable gap, covering payroll during a seasonal dip, or funding inventory ahead of a confirmed order. It is not designed as a substitute for long-term, low-cost capital when time is not the binding constraint, and we say that plainly rather than upselling a product that does not fit.

Before applying, gather four months of bank statements and have a clear number in mind for what you need and why, since specific use of funds helps us structure the right product rather than defaulting to a generic advance. If your business is newer than six months or your monthly deposits fall below our threshold, ask about alternative paths; we would rather refer you to a better-fit resource than approve a structure that strains your cash flow.