Key Takeaways
- Marketing spend that generates measurable ROI is fundable working capital, not a luxury expense
- L-1 visa holders qualify for marketing capital based on existing business revenue — no green card required
- Digital advertising, SEO, content, trade shows, and brand campaigns are all eligible uses
- Revenue-based repayment options mean repayment scales with the revenue your marketing generates
- Approval in 48 hours; funds available within 5 business days
Marketing is the engine of revenue growth, but it requires capital before it generates returns. For L-1 visa holders running US businesses, the timing mismatch between marketing spend and revenue return is a significant constraint. You know that $50,000 in Google Ads spend will likely generate $200,000 in new revenue — but you need the $50,000 now, and the revenue arrives over the following 90 days. Traditional banks rarely finance marketing expenses, viewing them as intangible and unrecoverable. Bankable takes a different view.
Our working capital for marketing is underwritten on your historical revenue and the documented ROI of your existing marketing channels. If you can show us that your paid advertising returns $3–$4 for every $1 spent, we can size a facility that lets you spend more on what is already working.
What Marketing Capital Covers
Bankable's marketing capital facilities can fund: paid digital advertising (Google, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn), search engine optimization retainers, content production and creative development, influencer and affiliate program launches, trade show booth fees and attendance costs, direct mail campaigns, outdoor advertising, PR agency retainers, email marketing platform upgrades, and brand refresh or website rebuilds. The common thread is marketing spend that connects to measurable revenue outcomes.
Revenue-Based Repayment for Marketing
Our revenue-based financing option is particularly well-suited to marketing investments because repayment scales with the revenue your campaigns generate. If a campaign underperforms in month one, your repayment is lower. When it hits stride in months two and three, your repayment accelerates naturally. This alignment between marketing performance and repayment obligation is something no traditional fixed-payment loan provides.
Documentation for Marketing Capital
Because marketing ROI can be demonstrated quantitatively for most digital channels, we accept Google Ads or Meta Ads account data as part of the underwriting documentation. If you can show your historical cost-per-acquisition, customer lifetime value, and conversion rates, we can underwrite your marketing plan as if it were a cash flow projection — which, for data-driven marketers, it essentially is.
Start with our Bankability Score tool and review how marketing capital compares to other growth financing options on our product comparison page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Bankable provides working capital for marketing and advertising expenses to L-1 visa holders based on existing business revenue. No green card or citizenship is required. Marketing capital ranges from $25,000 to $500,000.
Eligible marketing uses include paid digital advertising (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok), SEO retainers, content creation, trade show participation, PR campaigns, email marketing, influencer programs, direct mail, brand development, and website rebuilds. The expense must be connected to measurable revenue outcomes.
We review your historical digital advertising account data, cost-per-acquisition metrics, customer lifetime value, and conversion rates. Businesses with documented 3:1 or better marketing ROI can typically access larger marketing capital facilities.
Revenue-based repayment aligns well with marketing investments because payments scale with the revenue your campaigns generate. If campaigns underperform initially, payments are lower. As campaigns hit stride, payments accelerate. This is more forgiving than fixed monthly payment structures during campaign ramp periods.
Yes. New product launches are eligible uses for marketing capital. We underwrite new launches based on your existing business's revenue and the product's market opportunity. Pure startup marketing with no existing business revenue is harder to fund but may qualify for smaller amounts.
Approval decisions take 48 hours. Full funding typically completes in 5 business days. Given the time-sensitive nature of advertising campaigns, we can expedite funding for active campaigns where delay means losing ad inventory or campaign momentum.
There is no fixed minimum, but businesses generating $10,000 or more in monthly revenue typically qualify for marketing capital facilities. The facility size is correlated to your monthly revenue — typically 1–3 months of revenue is available as marketing capital depending on your profile.
Yes. Agency retainers are eligible marketing expenses. If you are signing a 6-month or 12-month agency contract, Bankable can fund the full retainer amount upfront, which often qualifies you for better agency rates than month-to-month agreements.
No. Marketing your US business does not affect your L-1 visa status. In fact, growing your US business revenue through marketing can strengthen your case for L-1 renewal by demonstrating the business's growth trajectory and the importance of your managerial role.
Bankable requires 6 months of business bank statements, a description of your marketing plan and channels, and for digital marketers, access to or exports from your advertising platforms (Google Ads, Meta Business Manager). Tax returns are helpful but not always required.