How it works when one file moves through the Afterfirst marketplace
Owners, brokers, funders: one file, read once, matched to fit.
Not a lender.
We work the file, not a single product.
Shopped for fit.
Sent only where it matches, and nowhere else.
You make the call.
Funders' terms in writing. Nothing moves until you choose.
- Cost to apply
- Nothing. Applying asks for no payment.
- Credit
- Ask how any credit review works before you sign.
- Speed
- We make no timing promise. Each funder sets its own review time.
- Offers
- Each one shows total payback and terms from the funder.
Who does what in the marketplace?
Each side does one job, and the desk does the reading and matching in the middle.
| Side | What they do | Where they start |
|---|---|---|
| Merchant | Applies once with business, funding and owner details, then shares statements | Call 877-FUND-654 |
| Broker | Submits a merchant file and keeps the merchant relationship | Partner program |
| Funder | Gives the desk its buy box and underwrites the files it receives | Funder network |
| Afterfirst desk | Reads statements and the stack, matches files to boxes, collects offers | This page |
What are the steps from application to offer?
This is how it works in five steps, and the merchant can stop at any of them.
- Apply. Send one application with business details, the amount and use of funds, any open positions and owner details. The apply page lists the fields, and statements wait until the desk replies.
- Share statements. Once the desk has replied, it agrees with the merchant how recent bank statements will be sent, so account numbers stay out of an ordinary inbox.
- Read. The desk reads deposits, balances and every recurring debit, and lays out the existing stack.
- Match and submit. The read is compared with each funder's buy box. The file goes only to funders it fits.
- Compare offers. Offers come back with the amount, the total repayment and the pull schedule, shown together so they can be compared line by line.
In some states an offer arrives with a standard disclosure of its cost and terms. California's rules are described by the California DFPI.
What happens at the match step?
The match step is where a marketplace earns its place, so it is worth describing plainly. The desk does not score the merchant; the funders do that. The desk checks fit.
Comparing the read with each buy box
Each box holds hard rules (states, industries, positions, dollar range) and softer preferences (paper grade, time in business). A file that breaks a hard rule is not sent to that funder.
Files that fit several funders
When a file fits more than one box it goes to each of them. Sending to several funders at once is what lets the offers be compared.
Order when a funder asks for exclusivity
Some funders ask to see a file before others. The desk records the request and tells the merchant or broker before agreeing to it.
Withdrawing a file after submission
A merchant or broker can ask the desk to pull a file at any point before signing. The desk then tells every funder that received it that the file is withdrawn.
What does the merchant need to have ready?
A merchant needs recent business bank statements, the month to date, a list of open advances and a photo ID. Most funders ask for the last three to four months of statements, and every open advance should show its pull amount. Brokers submitting a file send the same items.
FAQ
Does applying commit a merchant to anything?
No. Applying lets the desk read the file and shop it. A merchant commits only by signing a funder's contract.
Does a merchant pay anything to apply?
No. Applying asks for no payment. The cost of an advance is the total repayment on the funder's offer, and each offer shows it.
Will applying through the marketplace affect owner credit?
Each funder that receives the file sets its own steps. Before you sign, ask how any credit review works.
When do offers come back after a merchant applies?
No timing is promised. Offers come back at each funder's pace, and a file sent complete, with statements and the month to date, avoids a round of questions.
Can a business that already has an advance apply?
Yes. List every open advance with its pull amount. The file goes only to funders whose box accepts that position, and some may offer a consolidation.
Who makes the funding decision?
The funder makes every decision. Afterfirst checks fit and presents offers, and each offer is subject to that funder's own underwriting.
Next step
Owners can Call 877-FUND-654Email info@afterfirstmca.com. Brokers can read the partner program, and funders the network page.A person replies within one business day.
Call 877-FUND-654Send one file.
See what fits.
Start a merchant cash advance application, or write to the desk. Afterfirst MCA is not a lender.
Or write to the desk at info@afterfirstmca.com
A person replies within one business day.