Many startups and small businesses in the United States shut their doors yearly. The reasons are varied, from market misalignment to operational inefficiencies. One of the most critical barriers to survival and growth is access to capital. Levered Up, a capital access consulting firm, was founded to fill the growing gaps in the business landscape and empower entrepreneurs and business owners to secure the resources they need to thrive.
Zac Safron, founder, has extensive experience in the field that provided him with an in-depth understanding of capital markets and shaped his desire to level the playing field for business owners. His journey in the capital access world began in the volatile, high-stakes world of Bitcoin mining. At 22, he built a mining company that generated substantial annual revenue and private funding.
These experiences enabled Safron to learn quickly, engaging with investors, lenders, and regulators. He built relationships with investment funds, equipment financiers, and venture capitalists while fine-tuning an approach to funding. When he launched a consulting firm to help other crypto entrepreneurs do the same, he discovered that many struggled to access capital through conventional avenues. This realization molded his mission to help improve the business lending space.
“After making an impact in the Bitcoin world, I realized I wanted to help entrepreneurs across all industries, not just tech or crypto,” Safron says. “I saw how many people were being turned away by banks. It’s not because their ideas weren’t valid. They just didn’t fit into an outdated lending system.” These are the gaps Levered Up aims to address.
Levered Up has observed that traditional methods might not meet modern entrepreneurs’ needs consistently. The application processes can be slow, the criteria can be rigid, and the approval rates, particularly for younger businesses or those in unconventional industries, can be low. Statistics attest to this. Approximately 40% of small businesses report not receiving the full financing they sought. Meanwhile, over 60% cited access to capital as a primary operational challenge.
Levered Up recognizes that traditional lenders might deny loans to businesses with limited operating history, minimal collateral, or less-than-perfect credit. These factors can disproportionately affect startups, minority-owned businesses, and sole proprietors. The denials aren’t only due to a lack of qualification. They stem from a lack of understanding. “Many business owners don’t know what financial products are available to them, how to structure their credit profiles, or how to present themselves in ways that banks understand and value,” states Safron.
The sluggish pace of traditional financing further complicates matters. Traditional bank loans usually take weeks or months to process. Small businesses usually need capital fast, whether to cover payroll during a cash flow crunch, seize a time-sensitive growth opportunity, or launch a new product. Delays in funding can mean missed chances or, worse, business closure.
Levered Up aims to help entrepreneurs unlock business funding faster and more strategically than traditional lenders allow. For instance, Levered Up focuses on rapidly deploying capital, typically under 30 days, to address the pain point of the slow process of traditional financing.
Besides its comprehensive services, from 0% interest personal and business credit cards to low-interest loans and business lines of credit, Levered Up stands out for how it delivers them. The firm employs a consultative approach grounded in data, relationships, and real-world expertise. It leverages a proprietary database of financial products from various institutions to match clients with the optimal mix of funding vehicles.
Essentially, each funding sequence is tailored based on the entrepreneur’s specific goals and credit profile. The process entails deep-dive credit file reviews, white-glove sequencing, and credit repair and optimization strategies to maximize approval rates and funding amounts.
Safron and his team constantly communicate with business bankers, tracking internal policy shifts and underwriting criteria across institutions. “Most business owners walk into a bank and have no idea what to say,” Safron explains. “But we speak the bank’s language. We know what credit scores matter, how to structure your business profile, even what keywords not to use because they trigger automatic rejections.”
The impact of Levered Up’s approach is reflected in clients’ words. One CEO shares, “I recently worked with Zac and his team and was blown away. Not only did they help me get the funding I needed, but they also wiped off some inquiries from my credit, making a huge difference. Their systems work, and they actually deliver.” Another client, an experienced entrepreneur, described the service as a game-changer: “They helped me secure six figures in business funding through a few high-limit credit cards. I didn’t realize how much I could unlock until Zac walked me through it.”
The industry can feel like a black box to newcomers and even seasoned entrepreneurs. Levered Up emerges as a trusted partner for those seeking clarity, control, and confidence. It helps individuals become smart about funding to make informed, leveraged moves that accelerate business growth rather than stunt it.
