1383. #TFCP - Smarter Finance: Avoiding the Lending Traps Killing Small Fleets!

If you're locking in the wrong contracts or risking your business with bad financing, this episode with Rob Misheloff of Smarter Finance USA explains why you need a smarter freight pricing strategy, cautious contract bids, and strong carrier relationships to stay profitable in today's volatile transportation market.

Rob covers the current trucking financing challenges, from equipment costs doubling and tighter credit markets to the reality of personal guarantees, common predatory lending scams, and the financial mistakes first-time owner-operators make when they don't know their true cost per mile.

We also discuss the best truck financing practices, including why OEM dealers should be your first stop, when banks make sense, and how trusted brokers can help when options get tight—so you can protect your cash flow, avoid risky contracts, and build a trucking business that actually lasts!

About Rob Misheloff

Robert is the founder of Smarter Finance USA (Smarter Equipment Finance LLC). After spending 10 years running a marketing company that served equipment finance and small-business finance brands, he built Smarter Finance USA to address a recurring problem he saw across the industry: when small businesses couldn't access bank loans, many were pushed into opaque financing processes where critical details were unclear until late in the deal.

Robert's work centers on helping business owners and commercial sellers understand the real terms behind equipment and commercial vehicle financing - how offers are structured, where costs hide, and how to protect against common traps such as rate/term misrepresentation, conditional approvals, fee stacking, and deposit scams. His insights have been featured in industry outlets including Manufacturing.net and Overdrive Online.

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