Michael Johns - How to Finance Growth Without Giving Up Your House

Subscribe/Follow and click here for further information and the downloadable resources:

https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/Michael-Johns-Aquila-corporate

Please let me know if I’m on the right track with the podcast. It means the world to me to know I’m adding value.

? Do you feel like you’re growing, but your bank account doesn’t show it?

? Are you putting off major investments because your bank keeps saying “no”?

? Do you know how to structure debt without risking your house, your business, or both?

If you’re growing fast but cash feels tight, or your growth plan depends on bank funding, this episode is for you.

In this episode, I sit down with Michael Johns, commercial finance expert and long-time advisor to mid-sized businesses, to uncover why CEOs of growing businesses must rethink how they approach debt.

With over 20 years’ experience helping business owners access smart, flexible funding, Michael brings a no-nonsense view on what’s wrong with the traditional bank-first approach and what to do instead. If you’ve ever felt stuck between your bank’s limitations and your business’s growth ambitions, this conversation is your roadmap.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why profitable growth can still break your business; if cashflow isn’t aligned
• The difference between growth and scale, and why it matters to lenders
• What banks won’t tell you; and how second-tier lenders are changing the game
• How to prepare your business and story before you approach any lender

⏱ Highlights

00:00 Challenges in Business Financing

01:58 Client Example: Navigating Debt Finance

06:40 Understanding Bank Limitations

09:36 Exploring Secondary Lenders

12:53 Preparing for Debt Financing

27:46 The Application Process

37:03 Understanding Transactional Work and Capital Facilities

37:42 The Importance of Directors' Guarantees

41:01 Navigating Due Diligence and Indicative Term Sheets

43:33 The Role of Credit Checks in Business Lending

53:29 Bank vs. Non-Bank Lenders: Pros and Cons

56:33 The Growing Private Credit Space

57:53 The Complexity of Finding the Right Lender

01:03:57 The #CriticalFewActions™ to get started on right now

✅ The #CriticalFewActions™ You Can Do Today:

• Prepare a finance-ready pack with two years’ financials and a clear funding purpose

• Shortlist lenders based on your actual needs; not just your existing bank relationship

If you found this conversation valuable, please Subscribe / Follow this channel, leave a comment, and share this episode with your peer business leaders to let them know you are thinking of them. Your support helps us reach more CEOs who want to improve their organisation's performance and value, and it keeps the conversation going.

📩 Stay in the loop with show updates and exclusive content:

https://www.criticalfewactions.com.au/podcast/

🎓 Sponsor: The CEO Masterclass in Strategic Planning and Implementation

Are you a business owner or CEO striving to elevate your business to new heights? But right now… you’re not hitting the targets or objectives your business needs to achieve. Or maybe you’ve hit a roadblock you can’t move past, a major challenge with no clear solution; and there’s no one in your world you can talk to about it.

This isn’t another generic leadership course. It’s a highly focused, small-group programme where you’ll work alongside your peers, on your business, break through barriers, and implement real-world strategies; not just to solve the problems holding your business back, but to...