Let's open more doors.
Bonside provides growth capital to brick-and-mortar businesses, partnering with concept to support long-term expansion.
High-Touch Support
Hands-on enablement and white glove operator servicing.
Connected Portal
Submit leads, see status and get paid, all on a seamless platform.
Private Ecosystem
The Bonside affiliate network is private and by-invitation only.
You do not need to be a finance expert to refer Bonside. Your role is to recognize when an operator may be a fit, provide context on the Bonside solution, and connect the team. We will take it from there.
What is Bonside?
Bonside is a growth platform that provides access to fast, flexible capital for scaling brick-and-mortar businesses.
Historically, physical businesses have had limited access to capital. We built Bonside because scaling retail concepts need flexible, functional solutions that meet their pace.
An overview of the solution is here.
What businesses are a good fit?
Bonside works with service-powered brick-and-mortars, including restaurants, fitness, wellness, beauty and care businesses.
A strong Bonside prospect generally has:
2+ open and operating brick-and-mortar locations
$1.5M+ in total annual revenue across the business
An established operating history, generally 18+ months
Positive four-wall economics
A reason to invest in continued growth
A need for 200K+ in growth capital
If you're unsure whether a business qualifies, register the lead and we'll let you know if it looks like a strong fit.
When should I introduce Bonside?
Our team is always willing to talk to operators, even if they don't have an immediate need for capital or do not meet our requirements today. However, the best time to introduce Bonside is typically when a concept is actively scaling, or has aspirations to. Common scenarios include:
Opening or refreshing locations. Security deposits, tenant-improvement gaps, contractors and buildouts, pre-opening staffing and training.
Investing in the business. Equipment, technology, marketing, executive hires, branding and other infrastructure needed for the next stage of growth.
Refinancing expensive capital. Bonside may also be useful when an operator already has a more expensive source of capital and wants to explore refinancing it.
You don't need to know exactly what financing structure they need. A conversation as simple as “How are you thinking about funding the next location?” can uncover the opportunity.
Why Bonside?
Bonside has backed businesses including José Andrés Group, Great White and Innovative Dining Group, and many others. For reference, our portfolio can be found here.
Bonside's edge, is three-fold:
Speed. Bonside is built to move quickly and can work with businesses that have more complex ownership structures and capital stacks, unlocking capital in 2-3 weeks.
Flexibility. There are no personal guarantees, no equity dilution, no operational oversight and no restrictions on spend. Bonside also subordinates to debt.
Long-term alignment. Bonside isn't necessarily a one-time source of capital. More than 35% of our portfolio businesses have received two or more investments from Bonside, with some receiving 5+ financings.
How is Bonside different from equity or debt?
Most Bonside businesses already have some form of financing, and Bonside can be a compelling complement to existing capital.
Traditional debt can be a great fit for an operator, but it can take time to secure, comes with restrictions, and is generally less flexible. Equity offers more flexibility, but requires owners to give up a portion of the business and often comes with ongoing investor involvement.
Bonside is neither traditional debt nor equity. It can sit alongside other forms of capital, making it particularly useful for operators with more complex financing needs.
So if it's not equity or debt, how does Bonside work?
Bonside is structured as a revenue-based agreement. Instead of a fixed monthly payments, Bonside collects an agreed upon percentage of the business's monthly revenue until a total collection is met.
The structure depends on what the operator is optimizing for, check size and what the business can support.
Revenue shares are pulled monthly, are calculated across the corporate entity.
Shorter-duration instruments have a lower total multiple but a higher revenue-share percentage because collections happen over a shorter period. Revenue shares are typically 5% or below.
Longer-duration instruments spread collections over multiple years, so the revenue-share percentage is lower but the total multiple is higher. Revenue shares are typically 3% or below.
Bonside's 1.4x and 1.5x structures also have an early-out at 18 months.
Please do not quote an operator terms, as offers can widely range. After reviewing the business and optimizing for desired outcomes, Bonside will determine the appropriate structure and terms.
Okay, I have a good fit. Now what?
You have two easy options.
Direct introduction. Connect the operator directly with the Bonside team. Email [email protected] and the team will take it from there.
Send application. If the operator is ready to move, they can complete Bonside's initial onboarding directly. It takes approximately 15 minutes and Bonside will be in touch with an update in about 1-week.
Once Bonside has the information, we will assess the business, complete diligence and discuss potential terms. Make sure you register the business on the Affiliate Portal so you can track progress and stay involved when your relationship is helpful.
Bonside owns the financing process after the introduction and progress will be tracked and visible on the Affiliate Portal.
How does the affiliate program work?
When you identify a business that seems like a fit, submit the referral on the Affiliate Portal and make the introduction.
Bonside handles the financing process from there.
For qualifying funded referrals, affiliates can earn up to $1,500 per funded business. Affiliates who reach five funded referrals earn an additional $5,000 bonus. The best way to think about the program is: Know what a good Bonside opportunity looks like, and keep Bonside in your back pocket for when the right conversation comes up.
Helpful Resources
Contact Us
To introduce a business: Brooke Ambler, [email protected]
For questions and inquiries: Rachel Pietrangelo, [email protected]