Tim Roach is doing his part to help small business owners bring jobs back to Maine.

Click to Hear Radio Interview with Tim Roach

Morrill, Maine – Jobs are coming back to Maine…slowly. According to the Department of Labor’s Center for Workforce Research, Maine lost 29,000 jobs during the recession, and 6,000 have since come back. Keeping those jobs, creating new jobs and continuing the recovery is paramount to the state’s economy. However, lending institutions are reducing loans to small businesses, the backbone of the economy. Thanks to Tim and Lynn Roach’s IFG Morrill franchise, they are able to provide working capital to growing small businesses that may not qualify for traditional lending, using the unique IFG invoice discounting program.

The Roaches made a nice life for their family with careers in corporate America. As they approached their 60th birthday, their kids were no longer at home, the stresses of corporate life and long commutes around New York City began to wear on them. So, they decided at age 60 they were going to make a big change. The couple left their jobs, moved to Maine where they had vacationed numerous times, and started their IFG franchise.

To continue to grow, small companies need working capital. While a loan from a bank or an economic development agency is most companies’ best funding alternative, many small businesses do not meet lender’s lending criteria. IFG provides working capital to small businesses that may not qualify for traditional lending by working with the banks and economic development agencies of Maine.

Tim Roach explains, “Maine has a good number of businesses that fit the IFG model very well. We have a lot of companies that are doing $500,000 in sales to 1 and 2 million dollars. I have clients that will do 10 to 12 million dollars, but the vast majority is in the 1, 2 and 3 million dollar range.”

The couple makes a great team. Tim loves the marketing and sales side while Linda handles the inside operations; funding, rebates, diligence and accounting; from the home office. Tim goes out and networks to build referral sources from, among others, banks and economic development agencies – getting out there and letting them know about the benefits of the IFG product. When the lenders and agencies come across a small business that does not fit their lending criteria, they recommend them to IFG.

As Tim says, “the lenders and the small businesses rapidly see the value of turning invoices into COD sales. They use the accelerated working capital to build and strengthen their businesses. Soon the businesses fit the bank’s or government development agency’s lending criteria and the lender says ‘yes’ to a new loan or an expansion to an existing facility. This is a win for the company, the lender and jobs in Maine.”

One challenge the couple encountered when they started their IFG franchise was they were not originally from Maine. They were behind the curve and needed to establish their network of contacts from scratch, but they received tremendous support from the IFG franchise system. As Tim explains, “IFG provided a great deal of support, especially in the beginning. Working with the IFG marketing team we put together sales programs, customized marketing materials, discussed what was and was not working, but most importantly we learned how other IFG franchises successfully ramped up their businesses.”

Tim says about their big life change, “We made a decision to get out of big corporate America and move to Maine. Best decision we have ever made! We love where we are and we love what we do with IFG. I do not know who first said this, but for Linda and me it is very true, ‘if you find a job you love, you will never work a day in your life.’ If we look at ourselves five years from now, we will be doing the same thing. Why not…we enjoy working with the banks and government development agencies, we enjoy working with our clients and we love being a part of creating jobs in Maine.”

About The Interface Financial Group
The Interface Financial Group (IFG) is North America’s largest alternative funding source for small business. IFG provides short-term working capital funding in the form of a unique Invoice Discounting service. The company serves clients in the manufacturing, service, and construction sectors. Interface operates from a base of more than 140 franchise offices in the United States, Canada, the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand.  IFG’s innovative Invoice Discounting service is a fast and easy way to turn receivables into cash.  For more information, visit //www.interfacefinancial.com.