Nancy, government and banks are not famous for speed. A couple of years ago it would take 60-90 days. Banks and SBA has more recently been successful in shorten this time to 30-60 days.

Depending on the bank, there are several layers it has to go through for approval. The bigger the bank, the more layers. Once it is approved by the bank, it is sent to SBA for processing. There are a few layers it goes through there as well. Some district offices are faster at processing loans than others. If it sits on anyone's desk throughout the process, for any reason, final approval is delayed.

However, if your bank has a history of processing SBA loans, they could probably give you the best estimate of timing. Yet, my best estimate is you will have your answer in a week or two. I hope this helps.

Good luck with your business and don't forget to check out SCORE (http://score.org) if you need additional assistance as they offer a free service to help small businesses.

I agree with your point Nanette. In a small group credibility is everything. And becoming actively involved in discussions is always the best way.

However, if you are using many of the Web 2.0 elements, there just is not enough hours in the day and you need to find whatever shortcuts you can find. Yet, if what you are doing destroys your credibility, it can be more harmful than helpful. So I think each individual will have to decide What will work for them.

Thanks for commenting.