flow sufficient to make the loan payments.     For a new business, an owner who has a track record of profitably owning and operating the same sort of business.     An owner with a sound, well-thought-out business plan.     An owner with financial reserves and personal collateral sufficient to solve the unexpected problems and fluctuations that affect all businesses.     Why does such a person need a loan, you ask? He or she probably doesnt, which, of course, is the point. People who lend money are most comfortable with people so close to their ideal loan candidate that they dont need to borrow. However, to stay in business themselves, banks and other lenders must loan out the money deposited with them. To do this, they must lend to at least some people whose creditworthiness is less than perfect.     2. Measuring Up to the Bankers Ideal     Who are these ordinary mortals who slip through bankers fine screens of approval? And more to the point, how can you qualify as one of them? Your job is to show how your situation is similar to the bankers ideal.     A good bet is the person who has worked for, or preferably managed, a successful business in the same field as the proposed new business. For example, if you have profitably run a clothing store for an absentee owner for a year or two, a lender may believe you are ready to do it on your own. All you need is a good location, a sound business plan and a little capital. Then, watch out Neiman-Marcus!     Further away from a lenders ideal is the person who has sound experience managing one type of business, but proposes to start one in a different field. Lets say you ran the most profitable hot dog stand in the Squaw Valley ski resort, and now you want to market computer software in the Silicon Valley of California. In your favor is your experience running a successful business. On the negative side is the fact that computer software marketing has no relationship to hot dog selling. In this situation, you might be able to get a loan if you hire people who make up for your lack of experience. At the very least, you would need someone with a strong software marketing background, as well as a person with experience managing retail sales and service businesses. Naturally, both of those people are most desirable if they have many years of successful experience in the software marketing business, preferably in California.     3. Use the Bankers Ideal     Its helpful to use the bankers model in your decision making process. Use a skeptical attitude as a counterweight to your optimism to get a balanced view of your prospects. What is it that makes you think you will be one of the minority of small businesspeople who will succeed? If you dont have some specific answers, you are in trouble. Most new businesses fail, and the large majority of survivors do not genuinely prosper.     Many people start their own business because they cant stand working for others. They dont have a choice. They must be either boss or bum. They are more than willing to trade security for the chance to call the shots. They meet a good chunk of their goals when they leave their