In Part 2 of the ProfitShare Partners Mythbusters series, we examined three beliefs that often make SMEs cautious about seeking funding, including the fear of risking the business, the concern that funders only care about repayment, and the idea that a business needs years of trading history before it can qualify.
In Part 3, we look at three more assumptions that can delay business owners from exploring funding when a real opportunity is already in front of them.
Hesitation is understandable. Most entrepreneurs are careful about debt, repayment terms, and business relationships. But when hesitation is based on the wrong assumptions, it can leave a business carrying pressure that the right funding structure could help ease.
Here are three more funding myths worth rethinking.
Myth 7: I would rather borrow from family and friends than use business funding
Many entrepreneurs turn first to people they trust. Family and friends may feel more accessible, more flexible, and less formal than a funding application.
That instinct is human, but it can place strain on relationships when business pressure increases.
Borrowing informally may work for small short-term needs, but business opportunities often involve timing, supplier commitments, margins, delivery dates, and customer payment cycles. If the deal takes longer than expected or the customer pays late, the pressure does not stay within the business. It can move into personal relationships.
Business funding is designed to keep that boundary clearer.
When funding is structured around a confirmed opportunity, the discussion can focus on the deal itself, the buyer, the supplier, delivery costs, and the expected payment flow. That does not remove risk, because no responsible funding does. But it does mean the business is not relying only on personal networks to finance commercial work.
For growing SMEs, protecting relationships can be just as important as protecting cash flow.
Myth 8: Only large, established contracts and orders qualify for business funding
Many SMEs assume that funding is only worth exploring when the contract is very large or the business is already well established.
What matters is not only the size of the opportunity, but whether it is real, assessable, and commercially workable. A smaller purchase order or contract can still be worth funding if the buyer is credible, the supplier arrangement is clear, the margins make sense, and the business can deliver.
At ProfitShare Partners, funding starts at R250,000, so SMEs do not necessarily need a massive contract to start a conversation. The opportunity still needs to be properly assessed, but size alone should not stop a business from exploring whether funding is suitable.
For many SMEs, growth happens through manageable steps. One funded order can help the business deliver, build confidence, and prepare for the next opportunity.
Myth 9: Funding always comes with fixed monthly repayments
One common reason business owners avoid funding is the fear of fixed monthly repayments that continue regardless of how the deal performs. That concern is understandable. A monthly debit order can put pressure on cash flow, especially when the business is waiting for a customer to pay.
But not all funding works through fixed monthly repayments. Some transaction-linked funding models are structured around the deal itself. Instead of expecting the business to service a fixed monthly repayment from general cash flow, the funding is linked to the confirmed order, contract, invoice, or payment flow.
This can make a meaningful difference for SMEs that need capital to deliver work before customer payment arrives.
The important point is to understand how the funding is structured before deciding whether it fits your business. Funding should support the timing of the opportunity, not create a new cash-flow problem.
At ProfitShare Partners, funding is structured around confirmed business opportunities and the practical realities of delivery. For SMEs with real work to execute, the right funding can help reduce pressure, protect relationships, and keep growth moving.
If your business has secured an opportunity but funding concerns are making you hesitate, it may be worth exploring whether transaction-linked funding would work for the deal in front of you.
In Part 4, we will close the series by examining the final three funding myths that often hold SMEs back, including common concerns about eligibility, speed, and application complexity.
