Puzzled about how to get a business loan? The SBA may be able to help!(Small business administration)

• Author: Swingle, Scott

Puzzles. Way back when I was a lad, puzzles were one of my favorite pastimes. Jigsaws, mazes, brain-teasers; I spent hours immersed in solving them. Then, I got to be a little older and discovered an even more intriguing challenge-making money. I quickly discovered that the job market even for an enterprising 10 year old is pretty slim and promptly decided that if I ever was going to make enough money to buy that dirt bike, I was going to have to make my own opportunities.

I pestered the neighbors until I got a few lawn-mowing jobs and Scott's Lawn Service was born. Of course, like any budding entrepreneur, I wasn't able to do it all on my own. I needed to secure a loan-first the loan of a push lawn mower and later some cold, hard cash to finance a riding mower. There aren't many banks willing to risk a loan to the pre-teen businessman, so I was forced to unearth some alternate financing (in this particular case, the Bank of Dear Old Dad!).

Remarkably, my lawn-boy stint developed into a "real" business, prospering enough to actually carry me through college. Along the way, I learned a lot about running a small business and obtaining loans from an actual lending institution-an invaluable education that has served me well with all of my business and professional endeavors. One critical notion I've kept in mind throughout this progression is that the whole process of obtaining financing and ultimately operating a successful business is the ultimate puzzle.

THE AMERICAN DREAM

In my current capacity as a small-business resource mentor, I have enjoyed being surrounded by one of the tenets that makes this country great-entrepreneurship. A tree entrepreneur's general outlook and attitude tend to be addictively refreshing-a true example of "thinking outside the box."

Although few would turn down the opportunity to be independently wealthy, it is the thrill of the fight and the enigma of solving the puzzle that drives so many entrepreneurs. However, a common stumbling block often appears when the issue of financing arises. We all know that the old adage is true: it really does take money to make money. Personally, I wouldn't ever have to worry about financing again if I had a penny for every time I've heard a prospective business owner say, "If I only had some money to get started/expand, I know it will work!"

Many people yearn to quit their jobs and go out on their own to work for themselves. Unfortunately, not all of those people have what it takes...