SmartBiz Loans® has a robust strategic partner program. Consultants, CPAs, accounting firms and other financial professionals work with the SmartBiz partner team to help their small business clients secure low-cost SBA loans.
We recently partnered with Craig Szabo who founded his full service Certified Public Accounting firm in 1995. Not just a partner, Szabo came to SmartBiz Loans when he needed low-cost funds to fuel business growth. He secured a $200,000 SBA loan and has strengthened the financial position of his firm. We caught up with him to learn more about his SmartBiz Loans experience as a partner and a customer.
Szabo graduated from California State University, Northridge and has been a licensed CPA since 1976. Like many entrepreneurs, he first worked as an employee for a large firm.
“It’s scary of course when you leave the security of a large firm,” he says. “But it just wasn’t fun anymore. I wanted to do a variety of things rather than being pigeonholed. I like the flexibility that comes with our boutique style.”
He founded Szabo Accountancy in 1995 and the business steadily grown with a diverse client base of private companies in industries such as entertainment, medical, real estate, restaurants and legal. The firm performs all phases of accounting, consulting and tax services along with Business Management services. Szabo counts successful entertainment industry professionals and NBA and NFL players among his clients.
Szabo Accountancy has over 1,000 active clients. They don’t need a marketing program as all new business comes from referrals. “We have excellent word-of-mouth referrals from not just current clients but from lawyers and investment advisors,” he says. “I also get a lot of referrals through the charities I’m involved with.”
Szabo is on the board of Variety The Children’s Charity of Southern CA, a division of the largest children’s charity in the world. He’s also a member of the Board of Directors of The Giving Back Fund, a national nonprofit organization that encourages and facilitates charitable giving by high net worth individuals, existing nonprofit organizations, corporations and others.
Szabo is an active advisor as well. He works with Greatpercent.com, formerly Lesspercent.com, a unique Internet platform for homeowners and real estate agents that launched in late 2016.
Szabo was interested in offering low-cost and efficient loans to his small business clients when he came across SmartBiz Loans via social media. “SBA loans tend to be easier to get than traditional bank loans. SmartBiz is very efficient with packaging loans and has a quick turnaround. It’s cost effective. We’ve closed every deal we referred to SmartBiz.”
As his firm expanded, Szabo determined that outside funding could help his own firm keep up with growing demand. “I saw that the SBA loan process was working for others and we needed restructuring to keep up with growth,” Szabo says. The process moved quickly and his SBA loan funded in 2016. In addition to using proceeds for working capital, he bought new computers and hired three new employees. “Some people think that there are a lot of hoops to jump through with an SBA loan but that wasn’t my experience.” Szabo says.
Although Szabo’s business is in Southern California, he recently connected with two members of the SmartBiz partner team in San Francisco. “I was up there for an event of my daughters at a local gallery and spent some time with the partner reps. They are both very professional and responsive.”
Are you a financial professional seeking low-cost funding options for your small business clients? SmartBiz Loans has the answer. We created the first online marketplace for SBA loans to give small businesses the highest approval rates with fast and easy access to the best deal going. Join us as we help even more businesses thrive. To learn more and apply, visit the SmartBiz website here.
Do you need extra funds for your small business? An SBA loan is the best bet for small businesses with low rates, long terms and low monthly payments. Visit SmartBiz Loans® today and discover in about five minutes if you’re qualified to apply for an SBA loan with one of our bank partners.