Common Questions &
Deal Structures
Straightforward answers about our process, pricing, and structuring capabilities. If you don’t find what you need, our Principals are available for a direct conversation.
KNOWLEDGE BASE
Common Questions
GETTING STARTED
What's the first step to working with Origin?
Start by telling us about your business and capital needs through our contact form or by reaching out directly. Within 24 hours, one of our principals will respond with either a clear path forward or an honest assessment if it’s not the right fit. There’s no application, no credit pull, and no fee at this stage. We’re just having a conversation.
How quickly can you tell me if Origin is the right fit?
Usually within a single conversation. After an initial 45-minute call to understand your operations, capital needs, and timeline, we can typically tell you within a week whether we can structure something and what the rough terms and timeline would look like. No long discovery processes or multiple rounds of junior analyst calls.
What information do you need to get started?
For an initial conversation, we just need a high-level understanding of your business, your working capital challenge, and your timeline. If we move forward, we’ll request financials, AR/AP aging reports, and details specific to the structure we’re designing. We’ll tell you exactly what we need and why, and we won’t ask for the same information twice.
ABOUT ORIGIN
Is Origin a lender?
We’re structured finance advisors who design and arrange funding. We work with a network of institutional investors, specialty lenders, and capital sources across North America, Europe, and Asia to find the right capital for your specific situation. Think of us as architects who design the structure and connect you to the builders who fund it.
Who will I be working with?
Our principals directly. You won’t be handed off to junior bankers or underwriters in another city. Mark, Don, and Chris are the ones designing the structures, sourcing the capital, and making decisions. The person you speak with on day one is the person who closes your deal.
How is Origin different from a bank, a factor, or a fintech platform?
Banks offer standardized products with strict criteria and long timelines. Factors focus on invoice purchasing but often can’t handle international receivables or concentrated customer bases. Platforms automate underwriting but cap out at certain deal sizes or complexity levels. We design custom structures without those constraints. We’re not trying to fit you into a product. We’re building the solution around your business.
PROCESS & TIMELINE
How long does it take from first conversation to funding?
Typically 3 to 8 weeks, depending on complexity. Simpler receivables facilities can move faster. Multi-product structures or international components take longer. We’ll give you a realistic timeline upfront and keep you updated throughout.
What does the process look like from start to finish?
Initial conversation to understand your situation. Term sheet within one to two weeks if it’s a fit. Diligence and documentation over the following weeks. Funding. Ongoing relationship as you draw and repay. We don’t disappear after closing. If your needs change, the structure adapts.
What if I need funding urgently?
Tell us upfront. We can accelerate timelines when necessary, especially for simpler structures or situations where we already have strong funding relationships. We’ve closed deals in under three weeks when the circumstances required it.
COSTS & TERMS
When do fees start?
No fees until we fund. We don’t charge for exploratory conversations, preliminary analysis, or determining whether we can help. Fees only begin when capital is deployed.
How does pricing work?
Costs vary by structure and risk profile. Receivables finance typically runs 8 to 15 percent annualized depending on customer credit quality. Payables finance is usually 6 to 12 percent annualized. Inventory finance ranges from 10 to 18 percent annualized based on your data and turnover rates. We’re transparent about how pricing is calculated and what drives it.
Are there hidden fees or prepayment penalties?
We lay out the full cost structure in the term sheet. You’ll know exactly what you’re paying before you commit. Whether there are early termination provisions depends on the specific structure and funding source, but we’ll explain any such terms clearly and negotiate on your behalf where possible.
ELIGIBILITY & FIT
What size deals does Origin work on?
Facilities from $1 million to $500 million or more. We work with growing private companies, private equity portfolio companies, and founder-owned businesses. If you’re too small for institutional capital but too complex for platforms, we’re often the right fit.
Do I need to be profitable to work with Origin?
Not necessarily. We focus on your underlying assets, cash flow patterns, and the quality of your receivables, inventory, or supplier relationships. Growing companies often aren’t profitable yet but have strong fundamentals that support working capital structures. We evaluate the business, not just the bottom line.
Can Origin help if my AR is concentrated with a few large customers?
Yes. Concentrated receivables are often why traditional factors say no. We work with businesses where a significant portion of revenue comes from a handful of customers. As long as those customers are creditworthy, concentration is a structuring challenge, not a disqualifier.
Do you work with international companies or international receivables?
Yes. We structure facilities for companies with international operations, cross-border supplier relationships, and receivables from customers outside the United States. Our funding network includes capital sources who understand and underwrite international transactions.
STRUCTURE & FLEXIBILITY
What does 'off-balance-sheet' mean, and why does it matter?
Off-balance-sheet structures are designed so the financing doesn’t appear as debt on your balance sheet. This preserves your existing bank covenants, maintains your borrowing capacity, and keeps your leverage ratios clean. It matters if you’re acquisition-minded, raising equity, or simply want to keep options open.
Will this affect my existing bank relationship?
It shouldn’t. We design structures specifically to work alongside your existing credit facilities. In many cases, banks actually encourage clients to use receivables or payables finance to free up capacity in the core credit line. We can work with your bank directly to ensure everything fits together.
Can I use multiple products together?
Yes, and many clients do. Receivables finance to accelerate collections, payables finance to extend vendor terms, and inventory finance to stock up before peak season, all working together. We design integrated structures from the start so they complement rather than conflict with each other.
What happens if my business needs change after we close?
Structures adapt. If you grow faster than expected, we can often increase facility size. If your supplier base changes, we adjust the payables program. If you acquire a company, we integrate their working capital needs. We build long-term relationships, not one-time transactions.
How do you handle multi-currency or FX risk?
We structure facilities to match the currency of your underlying assets. If you have receivables in Euros but report in Dollars, we can often fund in Euros to create a natural hedge, eliminating the need for complex FX derivatives. We currently support funding in USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, AUD, and SGD.
Can you fund Government or Construction receivables?
Yes. Unlike generalist lenders who avoid these sectors due to “paid-when-paid” clauses or bureaucratic complexity, we have specific expertise in them. We understand the Assignment of Claims Act for U.S. Federal contracts and progress billing milestones, allowing us to unlock liquidity for government contractors and construction firms.
DATA & SECURITY
How is my data secured?
We treat your data with the same security standards as a Tier-1 bank. All data transmission is encrypted, and we utilize SOC 2 compliant data rooms for diligence. We never sell your data to third parties.
Will my customers or suppliers be contacted?
Only with your explicit permission and typically only in a “Disclosed” facility structure. For many clients, we structure Confidential facilities where the customer is unaware of the funding arrangement. If contact is required, it is handled professionally by our team, often functioning as an extension of your own accounts receivable department.
PARTNERS & ADVISORS
I am a PE Sponsor or Banker. How do you work with partners?
We act as a strategic tool for your portfolio. For PE firms, we provide non-dilutive capital to boost liquidity pre-sale or support a portfolio company during a turnaround. For bankers, we help retain clients who have outgrown credit boxes or have non-conforming assets by structuring facilities that sit alongside senior lines via intercreditor agreements.