I am looking for first time business loans for womern?

Answer 1

You may want to read about the Minority and Women's Prequalification Pilot Loan Program

http://www.sba.gov/business_finances/prequal/preqgen.html

Under the program
"The maximum amount for loans under the women's program is $250,000; under the minority program, it is generally the same, although some districts set other limits. With both, the SBA will guarantee up to 80 percent. The intermediary then helps the borrower locate a lender offering the most competitive rates."

"Intermediaries (usually small business development centers) may charge a reasonable fee for loan packaging. Fees charged by for-profit organizations will be higher. "

To find the intermediary for this loan program for women, here is a state by state listing of Small Business Development Centers.

http://www.sba.gov/sbdc/sbdcnear.html

Contact the SBDC nearest you and check the procedure for getting this loan

Answer 2

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* Small Business Savvy: A Woman's Guide to Building a Business by Norma J. Rist, Katina Z. Jones
* The Woman's Advantage: 20 Women Entrepreneurs Show You What It Takes to Grow Your Business by Mary Cantando
* The Women's Business Resource Guide by Barbara Littman
* Powertools for Women in Business: 10 Ways to Succeed in Life and Work by Aliza Sherman

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Check the source box for links to sites & articles.

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!