Do you believe the process of acquiring financing for your business was overly difficult or appropriately demanding?
(percent of respondents)

   

Overly Difficult

Appropriately Demanding

Sample Size

 

Entire Sample

31.4

68.6

360

Location

Rural

31.5

68.5

143

Urban

31.6

68.4

212

Loan Type

SBA guarantee

52.2

47.8

23

Not a SBA loan

25.4

74.6

189

Largea (over $43,500)

29.5

70.5

105

Small (under $43,500)

27.7

72.3

101

Bank

Locally Owned

28.1

71.9

153

Multi-State/National

27.6

72.4

58

Gender

Female

35.7

64.3

70

Male

31.6

68.4

263

Business Plan

Had a written plan

35.9

64.2

159

Did not have one

27.6

72.4

199

Experience

Their first business

31.9

68.1

216

Started more than one

29.8

70.2

141

aThe size of the loan is defined here by whether it is greater or less than the median (or $43,500).
Source: Survey of Small Business Owners, Kentucky Long-Term Policy Research Center, 1997