Question 1

Is Stewards Business Capital legit?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Stewards Business Capital is the small-business financing service of Stewards Inc., a US company whose common stock is listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker SWRD. Stewards Business Capital operates from 4300 N University Drive, Suite D105, Lauderhill, Florida 33351. You can verify this outside this website: Stewards Inc. files annual, quarterly and current reports with the US Securities and Exchange Commission, public in the SEC's EDGAR database (CIK 0001795851); its shares trade on Nasdaq as SWRD; its EIN is 88-0436017; and its corporate site is stewards.com. The business began funding small businesses in 2020 as FAVO Capital, Inc. The company was renamed Stewards Inc. on November 14, 2025, and its common stock began trading on the Nasdaq Capital Market on September 10, 2026. The portal at portal.stewardsbusinesscapital.com is Stewards Business Capital's own application system, not a third-party lead form.

Question 2

Who is Stewards Inc., the company behind Stewards Business Capital?

Accepted Answer

Stewards Inc. is a diversified financial platform focused on private credit, real assets and technology-enabled operations, incorporated in Delaware and headquartered in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Stewards Business Capital is its private-credit business: revenue-based financing for small and midsized businesses through an established origination, underwriting and servicing platform. The corporate facts, each checkable at the source: common stock listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market as SWRD since September 10, 2026; fiscal year ending December 31; SEC filings (annual, quarterly and current reports) on EDGAR; investor relations at stewards.com or IR@Stewards.com. Shares can be bought through any licensed stockbroker or online brokerage that offers Nasdaq-listed securities. Two names, two roles: Stewards Inc. is the company; Stewards Business Capital is the service and the portal you use. The Lauderhill office is where Stewards Business Capital operates; the corporate headquarters is in Fort Lauderdale.

Question 3

Which websites belong to Stewards Business Capital and Stewards Inc.?

Accepted Answer

Three. stewardsbusinesscapital.com is the marketing site of Stewards Business Capital, where the products are described; portal.stewardsbusinesscapital.com, the site you are on, is its application and account portal, where you apply, upload documents and compare offers; and stewards.com is the corporate and investor site of Stewards Inc., the parent company. The three link to each other and nothing else speaks for either company: the marketing site sends you here to apply, this portal is the only place your application data is entered and stored, and stewards.com carries the investor information — the Nasdaq listing, SEC filings, press and contacts. A site or message claiming to be Stewards Business Capital on any other domain is not us.

Question 4

Is Stewards Business Capital a lender or a broker? Who actually funds me?

Accepted Answer

Both. Stewards Business Capital is itself one of the lenders in its network, and your application is always sent to every lender in its database that your business may qualify with, so the offer you accept is the best one available, whether it comes from Stewards Business Capital or from another lender. When another lender funds you, that lender pays the brokerage fee, not you. Lenders are shown to you as anonymized letters (Lender A, Lender B) until you select an offer, so no lender can contact you directly during the process; the funds are wired by the lender whose offer you accept. Stewards Business Capital holds the broker registrations and surety bonds that state law requires. A named advisor at Stewards Business Capital manages the process with you from application to funding.

Question 5

Does it cost anything to apply, and are there hidden fees?

Accepted Answer

No. Using the Stewards Business Capital portal is entirely free of charge, there is no obligation to accept any offer, and no fee of any kind applies unless you formally accept a financing offer and the funds land in your business bank account. Stewards Business Capital works on a success-based model only. Creating an account, completing the application, uploading documents, receiving offers and declining them all cost nothing. Every offer you see states the funded amount, the total payback, the term and the payment on one screen before you decide, and the fees that apply on funding are set out in the offer and in the final contract before you sign. The portal's terms of use say the same thing in legal form: an offer is not binding until a written agreement has been signed and the funds have been disbursed.

Question 6

What happens to my bank statements and ID after I upload them?

Accepted Answer

Your documents are stored privately and are visible only to you, your Stewards Business Capital advisor and their team, and the lenders your application is submitted to. They are used to process your application and are never sold; the Privacy Policy lists exactly who can receive them. Nothing is shared with a lender until your advisor has reviewed the file and you have e-signed the Finance Application. Sign-in is by one-time code to your phone or email, so there is no password to leak.

Question 7

Does my business qualify for business funding?

Accepted Answer

Most likely, if your business is based in any of the 50 US states, has been operating for at least 6 months, has a business bank account with regular deposits, and you are an authorized representative who owns at least 51% of it. Funding through the portal ranges up to $500,000. Lenders weigh recent bank activity and revenue more than the owner's personal credit score. Each lender sets its own floor, so there is no single revenue cut-off, and your advisor tells you where you stand before your file goes to anyone. The only reliable way to know is to apply: the portal is free to use, nothing is submitted to any lender until your advisor has reviewed the file, and no one can guarantee an approval.

Question 8

Do I have to be the owner of the business to apply?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in effect: the person applying must be an authorized representative of the business and own at least 51% of it. That person e-signs the Finance Application and, if an offer is accepted, the financing agreement. If ownership is split between partners, the majority owner completes the application; it asks for your ownership percentage, and you confirm it in the e-signature. Funding is for the business only: Stewards Business Capital provides no personal or consumer financing of any kind, and the portal's terms of use limit it to US-based businesses that are trading and generating revenue.

Question 9

Does a past bankruptcy automatically disqualify me from business funding?

Accepted Answer

No. A bankruptcy that has been discharged or dismissed does not disqualify you. An open bankruptcy — filed but not yet discharged or dismissed, for the business or for you personally — generally does. The reason is mechanical: revenue-based financing relies on a clean claim on your future receivables, and while a court trustee has authority over your cash flow no lender can take that claim. The application asks one question about open bankruptcies; a case closed years ago is answered "No".

Question 10

I already have other loans or a cash advance. Can I still get funding?

Accepted Answer

Often, yes. You list every active funding position your business is paying down in the application, and lenders price around them rather than rejecting you for having them. Being accurate here matters: underwriters see the positions in your bank statements anyway, and a complete list lets them price your offer the first time. How many existing positions a lender will sit behind varies by lender and by how heavy those payments are against your deposits; if your stack is too heavy for the network, your advisor says so before the file is submitted, not after.

Question 11

Can I refinance or consolidate the funding I already have?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. Whether an offer can be sized to pay off the positions you already have depends on the lender and on your file: some lenders in the network fund consolidations, and your advisor tells you before the file is submitted whether yours is a candidate. If paying off existing positions is the goal, say so to your advisor at the start: the offer has to be sized for it, and lenders price a consolidation differently from a fresh advance.

Question 12

When do I qualify for a renewal?

Accepted Answer

Once a meaningful share of your current total payback is complete and your deposits have held steady, your advisor can put your file forward for a renewal. The exact point varies by lender, so it is a conversation with your advisor rather than a fixed date. Your advisor stays on your file after funding, so a renewal starts as a conversation in the portal rather than a new application from scratch; your profile and documents are already there.

Question 13

Can I get funding with bad credit?

Accepted Answer

Yes, in many cases. Revenue-based financing and merchant cash advances are underwritten mainly on your business's recent revenue and bank activity, so a low personal credit score is not an automatic no. Minimum scores, where a lender has one, vary by lender and product, and no credit check happens until hard underwriting, which begins only after you submit your completed Finance Application with your bank statements and ID. Stronger credit generally widens the set of lenders and products that fit, including business lines of credit.

Question 14

My business is new. Is six months enough?

Accepted Answer

Six months of operating history is the usual minimum for funding through the portal. Under that, most lenders cannot see enough revenue to price an offer, and your advisor will say so before anything is submitted. What counts is deposit history, not the date the entity was registered: 6 months of business bank statements showing regular revenue is what lenders read.

Question 15

Does it matter what industry my business is in, or which state? Can a trucker in Montana or a restaurant in Florida qualify?

Accepted Answer

Stewards Business Capital accepts applications from businesses in all 50 US states, and the application is the same wherever you are based. Its office is in Lauderhill, Florida, but you do not need to be in Florida. The industries in the portal's own application list — the ones Stewards Business Capital funds most often — are: Restaurants & Food Service, Bars & Nightlife, Grocery & Convenience Stores, Retail, E-commerce & Online Retail, Trucking & Freight, Couriers & Delivery, Moving & Storage, Passenger Transportation, Construction & Contractors, Auto Repair & Services, Auto Dealers, Car Washes, Beauty Salons & Barbershops, Laundry & Dry Cleaning, Medical & Dental Practices, Home Health Care, Gyms & Fitness, Child Care Services, Professional Services, Staffing & Recruiting, Janitorial & Cleaning Services, Real Estate & Property Management, Education & Training, Manufacturing, Hotels & Lodging, Warehousing & Logistics, Agriculture & Farming, and Landscaping Services. If your industry is not on that list, apply anyway and pick "Other"; your advisor will tell you honestly whether lenders in the network fund it before your file goes anywhere.

Question 16

Does Stewards Business Capital offer business loans or personal loans?

Accepted Answer

No. Stewards Business Capital provides commercial financing to businesses only, never to individuals, and its products are not loans: a merchant cash advance and revenue-based financing are purchases of a share of your business's future receivables for a lump sum today, paid back as a fixed total payback. The three products you will hear compared: a merchant cash advance (a lender buys a portion of your future receivables; you remit a fixed amount daily or weekly until the total payback is covered); revenue-based financing (the same purchase-of-receivables structure, sized and underwritten on your total business revenue and bank deposits rather than card sales alone, with the same fixed total payback); and a traditional business loan (a bank lends a principal amount that you repay with interest over a set term; usually cheaper on paper when you qualify, but it needs stronger credit and more history, takes weeks to disburse, and its payments stay the same when your revenue dips, where an advance can be adjusted). Only the first two are arranged through the portal, alongside business lines of credit and equipment financing. No consumer lending of any kind: no personal loans, no residential mortgages, and the funds must be used for business purposes. The portal's terms of use state this in legal form.

Question 17

When is a merchant cash advance better than a business loan?

Accepted Answer

A merchant cash advance makes sense when you need funds within days, your revenue is strong but your credit or time in business would not pass a bank, and you can carry a fixed payment for a short term. A traditional bank loan is usually cheaper on paper when you qualify for one, but it takes weeks to disburse and its payments do not adjust if your revenue dips. A merchant cash advance is not a loan: a lender purchases a portion of your future receivables for a lump sum today. You repay a fixed amount each period (daily or weekly) until the total payback is covered. The payment is sized from your revenue when the offer is priced, and if your revenue changes significantly you can ask to have it adjusted. A bank term loan charges interest over a longer term, requires stronger credit and more history, takes longer to close, and holds you to the same payment whatever your revenue does. The trade-off is cost against speed, accessibility and flexibility.

Question 18

What is the difference between revenue-based financing and a business line of credit?

Accepted Answer

Revenue-based financing is a lump sum repaid in fixed payments until a set total payback is reached. A business line of credit is a revolving limit you draw from as needed, paying only on the balance you use, with the limit becoming available again as you repay. Revenue-based financing suits a one-time need with a known size — equipment, inventory, a build-out. A line of credit suits recurring gaps: payroll timing, seasonal stock, an unexpected repair. Lines of credit generally require stronger credit and history. Equipment financing is a third option when the purchase is a specific vehicle or machine: the equipment itself secures the funding.

Question 19

How much does a cash advance actually cost me in total?

Accepted Answer

The cost is shown as one number, the total payback: the amount you will have paid when the advance is complete. Every offer in the portal displays the funded amount and the total payback side by side, so the cost is the difference between them. The total payback is fixed at the start; it does not grow if you take longer to complete the payments. Fees exist only on a funded deal. When you accept an offer and the funds are wired, the charges that apply — such as an application fee, bank and wire charges, and any lender-specific charges — are itemized in the offer and in the final contract before you sign. Amounts vary by lender and are stated in your contract, not on this page. Outside a funded deal there are no fees of any kind: nothing for applying, nothing for declining, nothing for using the portal.

Question 20

Can I pay it off early?

Accepted Answer

Usually, yes. Most lenders let you settle the remaining total payback early and give a discount on it for doing so; the exact discount and its conditions are contract-specific and are stated by the lender in the final contract. The general process: you or your advisor ask the lender for an early payoff figure, the lender quotes the remaining balance less the early-payoff discount that applies at that point in the term, and you settle it in one payment. If paying off early matters to you, tell your advisor before you accept an offer, so the offer you choose carries the early-payoff terms you want.

Question 21

How long does it take to get funded?

Accepted Answer

A decision typically comes within 24 hours of your documents being complete. Once you accept an offer and clear any final stipulations, the lender wires the funds, and your advisor gives you that lender's timing at that point; the 24 hours is a ballpark, not a promise, and lender timelines vary. The part you control is the speed of your uploads. The portal shows the status of every document, so nothing waits on you without you knowing.

Question 22

What documents do I need, and what if I do not have them?

Accepted Answer

Three things: your recent business bank statements, your business registration, and a government-issued ID for the owner. You can connect your bank inside the portal instead of uploading statement PDFs. Business basics are typed, not uploaded: legal name, entity type, start date, monthly revenue, and any funding you are currently paying down. A photo or scan of the registration and ID is fine. Missing something? Submit what you have; each requirement shows its own status and your advisor will tell you what is blocking the file.

Question 23

Does applying affect my credit score?

Accepted Answer

Not when you create an account or fill in the application. Hard underwriting, including any credit check, begins only after you have submitted your completed Finance Application together with your bank statements and identity documents. Up to that point your file is reviewed by your advisor only. By submitting, you authorize Stewards Business Capital and the lenders it works with to verify your business and obtain credit reports, as set out in the application and credit authorization in the terms of use. Whether a given lender's check is a soft or a hard inquiry is that lender's own practice, and lenders weigh your bank activity far more than the score itself.

Question 24

Do I have to talk to a salesperson?

Accepted Answer

No. The application, e-signature, document upload and offer comparison are all self-serve in the portal. A named advisor is assigned to your file to review it and answer questions, and you reach them from the portal when you want to. Your advisor may message or call you about your own file, for example to confirm a detail before it is submitted to lenders. Those are the file's questions, not a sales pitch.

Question 25

Can I do the whole thing on my phone?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The portal works in a phone browser: sign in with a code sent by text or email, type the application, photograph your documents to upload them, sign on screen, and compare offers.

Question 26

What happens after I apply?

Accepted Answer

Your application moves through five stages you can watch in the portal: application, received, documents, with lenders, and funding. Each stage shows what, if anything, is waiting on you. 1. Create an account with a one-time code to your phone or email; no password. 2. Build your business profile once; it is saved for every future application. 3. Complete the application, including your current funding positions, and e-sign the Finance Application on screen. 4. Add documents: connect your bank or upload statements; each requirement shows needed, uploaded, in review, accepted or rejected. 5. Your advisor reviews the file and reaches out if anything is missing. 6. The application is sent to every lender in the network your business may qualify with, Stewards Business Capital included; they appear as letters until you choose. 7. Compare offers side by side: amount, total payback, term and payment, with your advisor's pick marked. 8. Accept an offer, complete any final items listed as stipulations, and the lender wires the funds. Your advisor stays on your file.

Question 27

Why was my document rejected, and what do I do now?

Accepted Answer

The portal shows the reason next to the rejected requirement, and you replace just that file; everything else you uploaded stays accepted. The usual reasons are an unreadable photo, a statement for the wrong months, missing pages, or a document in a different name than the business. Your earlier uploads remain viewable so you can compare.

Question 28

How many offers will I get, and can I say no to all of them?

Accepted Answer

It varies by file: one application goes to several lenders and each decides independently, so you may see one offer or several. You can decline every offer with no obligation and at no cost. Offers sit side by side in the portal with the same four figures each: funded amount, total payback, term, and payment. You can mark the ones you lean toward before selecting, and your advisor's pick is labelled.

Question 29

What if I am declined?

Accepted Answer

A decline from a lender is routine underwriting, not a verdict on your business. Your advisor tells you what the lenders responded to in general terms and whether another product or a later reapplication makes sense. Your advisor also tells you what would need to change before reapplying, most often a few more months of bank statements or lighter existing positions. Your profile and documents stay in the portal, so reapplying is not starting over.

Question 30

Can I do everything in Spanish?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The portal, the application, the notifications and this page exist in Spanish at portal.stewardsbusinesscapital.com/es, and the language you sign up in is the language of your account. A large part of the Stewards Business Capital team speaks Spanish, so you can be helped in Spanish from application to funding, not just read the screens in it.

Questions about funding through Stewards Business Capital, answered plainly.

Is this legit?