Preparing for Funding in 2026: What Investors and Lenders Actually Look for in Your Financials

Investors and lenders care about three documents: your profit and loss statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. But they're asking one question: can this business repay the loan or return the investment? Sydney Smart, CPA shows you exactly what they scrutinize — gross margins, debt ratios, cash runway, unit economics by business model — and why mid-year preparation gives you time to fix problems, test your numbers, and walk into conversations from a position of strength rather than desperation.