Access to credit helps people pursue dreams, continuously improve and lessen unavoidable and often unplanned-for “hiccups” in their roadmap to success. And yet, with a growing share of the U.S. population needing more credit, tightening of bank lending has resulted in fewer credit options for consumers. Not to mention, many banks in the country have stopped offering personal loans and other national financial institutions have forced their customers to meet standards that are often out of reach. The bottom line is: Credit is not accessible for everyone in the U.S., but it should be.

That’s why Advance Financial is here – to open up credit availability for more people and to help fill the hole that banks have left. Started over 22 years ago as a family-owned and operated financial services organization, Advance Financial has grown rapidly to over 90 stores and serves customers in 11 states online (and growing). We attribute this growth in part to what has been our mission from day one: do everything we can to empower fellow Tennesseans to reach financial success.

Our services have been critical to a range of people from low-income individuals with little to no credit history, to successful business owners who simply need more readily available and convenient credit. Our flexible loan product (FLEX Loan) – offered online and in Tennessee stores – allows customers to access up to $4,000 and provides repayment flexibility with no late fees.
I was excited to join Advance Financial because my mission was the same as that of the company. The company has a genuine passion to bring world-class customer service and access to credit to people who really need it. Before my time with Advance Financial at other companies, I witnessed first-hand how little credit people have access to and how limiting its availability can be to people who already have few financial options. It’s clear that people rely on similar services, considering that the number of personal loans has been growing since about 2012, resulting in approximately 14 million new loans in 2017.

While our industry is highly regulated, the key to our success has been our focus on our customers’ needs while being upfront about what we’re offering. We are always very clear about what borrowers should expect with our lending process and product. We differ from other companies by having the ability to fund customers instantly (bank participation required) with more money available to them than most lenders. We want to help our customers regain and maintain their financial standing.

I believe our obsession with our customers’ experience and their long-term needs has helped Advance Financial become a positive force in Tennessee and the states we serve, directly addressing the credit crunch issue we face.

Credit should be available where it’s needed, and right now, that’s everywhere.
For more information about FLEX Loan services through Advance Financial, visit https://www.af247.com/tennessee-flex-loans.

Joseph Hagan is the senior director of online operations for leading multi-state fintech company Advance Financial. For more information, visit https://www.af247.com/.