Commercial Lenders Group

What Commercial Lenders Group does

Commercial Lenders Group (CLG) is a privately held commercial finance lender and broker founded in 1985 and based in Southern California, with an additional Loan Production Office in O'ahu, Hawaii. The firm originates and brokers commercial credit in the $1 million to $25 million range, serving small and mid-sized businesses that do not fit traditional bank underwriting criteria — including companies that have outgrown existing banking relationships, been declined elsewhere, or require flexible or non-standard structures. Its product suite spans SBA loan programs, accounts receivable and invoice factoring, purchase order advances, equipment leasing and financing, short-term bridge loans, revolving lines of credit, commercial real estate loans, workout loans from banks, debt restructuring, and mergers and acquisitions financing.

The firm operates a relationship-led, sales-driven model, with new business sourced through direct outreach, referrals, and its institutional correspondent network. CLG is co-led by Founder and Managing Partner Ted Villaluz (based at the Hawaii Loan Production Office) and Managing Partner Harold Stadler, supported by a team described as corporate and commercial banking professionals with over 80 years of combined experience. Revenue is generated through loan origination fees and brokerage commissions on transactions placed with multiple banking and finance partners, with the ability to transition borrowers into larger credit lines as needs grow.

CLG is licensed under the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation as a Commercial Finance Lender and Broker (License #603-2093), registered with NMLS (#861498), and holds a California Real Estate license (CalRE #01735257), enabling it to broker or co-lend across both credit and real estate transactions. The firm has not disclosed any proprietary technology platform, digital origination channel, or AI tooling; operations rely on manual underwriting, expert lending partners, and direct client relationships rather than a scalable software layer.

Name

Commercial Lenders Group

Legal name

Commercial Lenders Group

Website

https://commerciallendersgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Commercial Lenders Group is a Southern California-based commercial finance lender and broker founded in 1985, originating and brokering $1M-$25M loans for small and mid-sized businesses via a network of banking partners and expert lenders.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Commercial Lending

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231), Commercial Banking (522110)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

SME Business Lending (Term Loans, Lines of Credit, Overdrafts) (FSABABAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

SBA/USDA Government-Backed Loan Intermediation (FSAEAEAI), SME Trade Finance & Working Capital (LCs, Guarantees, Receivables) (FSABABAF)

Keywords

• Commercial lending
• Business loans
• SBA financing
• Commercial real estate loans
• Equipment financing

Headquarters

HQ city

Glendora

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Loan Origination and Brokerage: Commercial Lenders Group operates as a commercial finance lender and broker, facilitating loans in the $1 million to $25 million range through affiliations with multiple financial institutions and banking partners. Revenue is generated through loan origination fees, brokerage commissions, and potentially ongoing servicing relationships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Commercial Lenders Group operates as a commercial finance lender and broker, facilitating business loans ranging from $1 million to $25 million. The firm works with Southern California businesses that don't fit traditional bank criteria, structuring SBA loans, equipment financing, commercial real estate loans, factoring, bridge financing, and M&A support through affiliations with multiple financial institutions.

Product overview

Commercial Lenders Group operates as a commercial finance lender and broker offering a comprehensive suite of financing products and services. Their portfolio includes Accounts Receivable/Invoice Factoring, Advances on Purchase Orders, SBA Loan Programs, Debt Re-structuring, Equipment Leasing/Financing, Short-term Bridge Loans, Revolving Lines of Credit, Commercial Real Estate Loans, Work-out Loans from Banks, and Mergers & Acquisitions services. The company specializes in serving Southern California businesses with loans ranging from $1 million to $25 million, positioning itself as an alternative to traditional commercial lenders by offering customized financial solutions and flexible loan structuring for businesses that may not fit standard lending criteria.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accounts Receivable/Invoice Factoring Financing service that provides immediate cash flow by converting outstanding invoices into working capital for businesses.
• Advances on Purchase Orders Financing that provides funds in advance against confirmed purchase orders to fulfill manufacturing or fulfillment needs.
• SBA Loan Programs Small Business Administration-backed loan programs designed to help businesses access government-supported financing.
• Debt Re-structuring Loan restructuring service that reorganizes existing debt obligations to improve cash flow and financial stability.
• Equipment Leasing/Financing Financing solutions for acquiring business equipment through leasing arrangements or asset-backed loans.
• Short-term Bridge Loan Temporary financing solution designed to bridge gaps in cash flow during transitional periods.
• Revolving Lines of Credit Flexible credit facilities that allow businesses to draw, repay, and redraw funds as needed up to a set limit.
• Commercial Real Estate Loan Financing products for acquiring, developing, or refinancing commercial properties.
• Work-out Loans from Banks Restructured loan arrangements negotiated with banking institutions to resolve financial difficulties.
• Mergers & Acquisitions Financing Advisory and financing services supporting business combinations, acquisitions, and integration activities.

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• SmartBiz: SmartBiz is a fintech lender specializing in SBA loan origination and brokerage for small businesses — overlapping significantly with CLG's SBA loan programs and broker-assisted origination flow.
• Biz2Credit: Biz2Credit operates an online SMB lending marketplace connecting borrowers to multiple lenders for working capital, SBA, and term loans — directly comparable to CLG's lender-intermediation model targeting SMBs.
• Currency Capital: Currency Capital is a commercial real estate and SBA-focused lender/broker serving SMBs with $1M–$25M transactions — directly overlapping with CLG's CRE and SBA loan offerings.
• Currency: Currency is a small-business-focused commercial lender and broker offering SBA loans, term loans, and working capital products to SMBs — directly comparable to CLG's SME commercial lending and brokerage model.
• Credibly: Credibly provides working capital, term loans, and lines of credit to SMBs that are underserved by traditional banks — directly comparable to CLG's underserved-borrower niche.
• BlueVine: BlueVine offers SMB lines of credit and invoice factoring through a digital platform — comparable to CLG's revolving credit and AR factoring offerings, though delivered via a fintech model.
• Kapitus: Kapitus provides SMB financing solutions including working capital lines, invoice factoring, and equipment financing — closely matching CLG's product mix of AR factoring, lines of credit, and equipment leasing.
• Strategic Capital: Strategic Capital is a commercial lender specializing in SBA 504/7(a) loans and CRE financing for SMBs — closely comparable to CLG's SBA and commercial real estate loan products.

Broad incumbents

• Live Oak Bank: Live Oak Bank is an SBA-focused commercial bank that originates and services small business loans — comparable to CLG's SBA lending line but operating as a chartered depository institution rather than a broker.
• Newtek Business Services: NewtekOne is a business services and SMB-lending-focused bank holding company offering SBA loans, working capital, and equipment financing — comparable in product breadth to CLG's full commercial finance suite.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/commercial-lenders-group

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Commercial Lenders Group