Skip to main content

Devil Dog Marketplace

Published July 30, 2026 · Updated October 31, 2026 · By Michael Fieger

The capital gap framework: why good deals stall and how to close them

Quick answer: Most deals don’t stall because they’re bad deals. They stall because of a gap between what a business has on hand and what it needs to close. Match the right kind of capital to the specific gap, and the deal moves.

Most deals that stall don’t stall because they’re bad deals. They stall because of a gap: the difference between what a business has on hand right now and what it needs to actually close.

Three common gaps

  • Manpower gaps: you’ve won the work, but don’t have the staffing in place yet to execute it without straining the team you have.
  • Equipment gaps: the contract requires equipment or inventory up front, before the revenue from that contract starts coming in.
  • Working capital timing gaps: your business is fundamentally healthy, but payroll, materials, and vendors are due now while collections are tied to Net 60/90 terms or milestone billing.

None of these is a sign the deal is bad. They’re a sign the timing between cost and revenue doesn’t line up, and that’s a solvable problem, not a disqualifying one.

Matching the right instrument to the gap

  • A manpower or equipment gap tied to a single large opportunity often calls for a term loan or equipment financing.
  • A recurring working capital timing gap is usually better suited to a line of credit or cash flow financing.
  • A gap during an acquisition or expansion, where you already have a primary lender in place, might call for subordinated debt structured behind that existing relationship.

Name your gap first

The businesses that move fastest through this process are the ones that can clearly articulate which gap they’re dealing with. Which gap tends to slow your deals down most? If you’re not sure which category your situation falls into, that’s exactly the kind of conversation worth having before you apply for anything specific.

Not sure which gap you’re facing?

Let’s figure it out together. No pressure and no pitch.

Talk With MichaelRead the Funding FAQ

Or call 561-316-6218

About the author

Michael Fieger is a business owner and Business Funding Advisor, Partner of National Business Capital, through Devil Dog Marketplace LLC. He worked in the airline, insurance and banking industries and has a background in digital, branding and marketing, which gives him a well-rounded view of what companies need, from operations to funding.

This article is for education only. It is not individualized financial or legal advice.