Key Takeaways
- About 90% of the lending I arrange is commercial, covering commercial property, equipment and asset finance, invoice finance, working capital, business acquisitions and development finance.
- I ran Geelong commercial banking clients at NAB in the $10M to $80M space, so I know how a bank credit assessor reads a business.
- The panel has more than 60 lenders, including banks, non-bank lenders and private credit, and I match each file to the lenders whose appetite suits it.
- This page is general information and not credit advice.
Before I started Mortgage & Finance Advisory in February 2026, I ran commercial banking clients at NAB in Geelong, in the $10M to $80M space across health, agri, professional services and diversified businesses. Earlier I worked in commercial banking at ANZ, and I started my career as an accountant at Deloitte in accounting and audit. That is 13 years in finance across accounting, audit and banking.
Geelong business owners now get the benefit of that from the other side of the table. I know what a credit assessor needs to see, where a file gets stuck, and which lenders are likely to want it.
What a Banker’s Eye Adds to Your Application
A lender’s decision is made on a credit paper written by someone who has never met you. Whether the paper is strong depends on how clearly the application explains your business, your cash flow, your security and the purpose of the funds. I prepare the file with that paper in mind: the financials are reconciled, the ATO position is understood, existing debts are mapped and the reason for the borrowing is stated plainly. Then I choose the lenders, because a file that suits one lender’s appetite can be declined by another for reasons that have nothing to do with the strength of the business.
Why Business Applications Stall
Most delays come from a short list of causes, and nearly all of them can be dealt with before the lender sees the file.
- Financials that have not been finalised, or that do not match the management figures the lender is given.
- Overdue ATO lodgements or an unmanaged tax debt, which most lenders want addressed first.
- A product that does not match the purpose, such as a term loan used to fund a cash flow gap.
- Existing facilities, security and guarantees that nobody has mapped, so the lender finds conflicts late.
- An approach to a lender whose appetite does not suit the industry or the size of the request.
Commercial Property Finance
Buying your own premises, buying an investment property or refinancing an existing commercial loan are assessed differently. For an owner-occupier, lenders look at the trading business as well as the building. For an investor, they look at rental income, tenant quality and lease terms. Signed leases are not always required for approval, as some lenders accept a real estate agent’s rental appraisal letter as support for expected rent. Valuation, zoning and the type of building also affect which lenders are interested. See our commercial property finance page.
Equipment and Asset Finance
Trucks, earthmoving plant, medical equipment, workshop machinery and fit-out can usually be financed against the asset itself. The main structures are chattel mortgage, finance lease and hire purchase, and they differ in ownership, tax treatment and end-of-term options, so it is worth checking the structure with your accountant. Lenders look at the asset, the supplier, the age and type of equipment and your trading history. I ask about your existing finance terms before I suggest a structure, because those terms decide what will work. Our equipment finance page explains the options.
Invoice Finance
A lot of my invoice finance work is for transport, car repair and civil construction businesses that wait on larger customers to pay. The lender advances funds against issued invoices and is repaid when the customer pays. Lenders assess your debtor book, including how concentrated it is, how old the invoices are and whether retentions or progress claims sit inside it. Advance rates and fees vary by lender and by debtor quality, so they are confirmed against your actual ledger. Read our invoice finance guide for more.
Working Capital and Cash Flow
Working capital needs come from seasonal trade, large jobs paid late, stock purchases and growth that outpaces cash. Overdrafts, lines of credit, term loans, invoice finance and trade finance all address different parts of the cash cycle, and using the wrong one is a common reason a facility feels expensive or restrictive. I look at when cash goes out and when it comes in before choosing a product. Details are on our working capital finance page.
Business Acquisition
Buying a business adds questions that a normal loan does not have. The lender assesses the target’s earnings, how dependent they are on the current owner, the price relative to those earnings, and whether you have the experience to run it. Goodwill is hard to secure, so lenders often want other security or a larger contribution from you. Early work with your accountant on due diligence and the earnings picture makes the credit case stronger. See our business purchase finance page.
Development Finance
Development lenders look at the feasibility, the experience of the developer and builder, pre-sales or exit strategy, the land and the construction budget. Funding is usually released in stages against progress. A feasibility that is realistic about costs and timing gets further with lenders than an optimistic one. The panel includes banks, non-bank lenders and private credit, so there are options when a bank is not the right fit. See our development finance page.
Industries I Work With in Geelong
Geelong’s economy includes health and education employers such as Barwon Health and Deakin University, along with agri, professional services, manufacturing, construction and transport. My Geelong banking portfolio covered health, agri, professional services and diversified businesses, and at MFA a lot of my work is for transport, car repair and civil construction operators. Each sector has its own credit conventions, which I factor in from the start. For example, a health practice is assessed on practitioner income and goodwill, a farm on land and seasons, a professional firm on earnings and work in progress, and a civil contractor on contracts, progress claims and retentions.
How I Work
We start with a call about what you are trying to do, your current facilities and your timing. I then prepare the application, take it to the lenders likely to suit it and manage the process through to settlement, keeping you and your accountant informed as lenders ask questions. Our business lending page lists the full range. I am based in Torquay and also work with business owners in SA, QLD and NSW. For home loans, visit our Geelong mortgage broker page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of business finance can you arrange in Geelong?
Commercial property loans, equipment and asset finance, invoice and debtor finance, working capital facilities, business acquisition funding and development finance, from a panel of more than 60 lenders.
Can you help if my bank has declined me?
Often a decline reflects that lender’s appetite and not the strength of the business. I review why it was declined and whether another lender suits the file better, and I will tell you if the fix is in the application first.
Do I need property security for a business loan?
Not always. Equipment finance is secured against the equipment, and invoice finance against your receivables. Larger or longer facilities often use property security. It depends on the lender and the product.
Do you work with businesses outside Geelong?
Yes. I am based in Torquay, serve Geelong, the Surf Coast and Bellarine, and work with business clients in SA, QLD and NSW by phone and video.
Talk Through Your Funding With Someone Who Has Sat in the Credit Seat
Book a call and tell me what you want to buy, build or fund. I will say which structure and lenders suit it.
Melanie McNaughton
DirectorMelanie has 13 years in finance across accounting, audit and banking. Mortgage & Finance Advisory is at 1/4-6 Gilbert Street, Torquay VIC 3228, and was a finalist for Best New Business at the 2026 Torquay Business Awards.
This page is general information and not credit advice, and it does not take into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Melanie McNaughton is a Credit Representative (575841) of Connective Credit Services Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 389328.