Who you'll speak to after you send an enquiry
If you send an enquiry through Ask Sterling and agree to be contacted, it goes to one funding partner only: Abbey Road Capital / SOJA Ventures. Nobody else receives it from us. Sterling is an illustrated guide, not a person, so the call you get will be from a funding specialist at our partner, never from "Sterling".
Who they are
Abbey Road Capital / SOJA Ventures is our funding partner: a team of funding specialists who look at your business and talk you through the options they can access. We don't describe them as a lender or a broker, and we make no statement about their regulatory status. If that matters to you, ask them directly on the first call. A good specialist will answer plainly.
What happens after you send an enquiry
- We pass your enquiry to the partner. That includes your business answers and your name, email and phone number. It happens only after you agree on the form.
- They contact you about this enquiry. Expect a call, an email or a text from a funding specialist about the enquiry you sent. They should say who they are and that you came through Ask Sterling.
- They ask more questions. Usually about deposits, time in business and what the money is for. They may ask for bank statements.
- They may share your enquiry with funders they work with, with your permission. That is how they find an offer. They should tell you before they do.
- A credit check may come later. Ask Sterling never runs one. The partner or a funder may, and they'll tell you first.
- Any offer comes from a funder. The funder sets the amount, the price and the terms. Run it through our offer checker or the MCA APR calculator before you sign.
You are under no obligation at any point. You can say no on the first call.
Who their programs suit
Our partner's programs work best for established businesses that typically have:
- 12 months or more in business
- about $80K or more a month in deposits
- a personal credit score of 600+
- two or fewer advances or loans running
- an owner with 51%+ of the business
- a need for $50K or more (amounts typically run from $50K to $500K+)
Smaller businesses, from about $15K a month in deposits and 4+ months in business, can still ask: there is a route for them too.
Who they don't cover right now
States: Alaska, Hawaii, Iowa, Maryland, New York, Virginia and Vermont.
Industries: construction, contracting and trades; home improvement; trucking, transport and logistics; real estate; financial services, insurance and tax prep; marketing and advertising; staffing; convenience, vape and phone stores; vehicle rental; cannabis and CBD; firearms; funeral homes; auction houses; bridal and formal wear; food brokers; trade schools.
If that's you, the funnel will tell you before you share any contact details. That's on us, not you. The guides and tools still work for your business.
How to stop contact
- Texts: reply STOP to any text from the partner.
- Calls and email: tell the specialist you no longer want to hear from them. Under FCC rules you can opt out of robocalls and robotexts at any time and in any reasonable manner, even if you agreed to them before.
- Us: email mike@optimax-ai.com with the phone number and email you used. We will pass your stop request to the partner and stop any contact from Ask Sterling.
If anyone contacts you claiming to be from Ask Sterling or our partner and asks for an upfront fee, stop and read funding scams.