What are the do's and dont's for how to talk about my Steward loan?
Updated
by Steward Team
We appreciate that Steward's framework may be unfamiliar to many, so to ensure we continue to align with regulations around this type of private commercial lending, we’ve prepared a simple list of DO’s & DON'Ts.
DON'T SAY | DO SAY |
Don’t lead with the financial benefit, interest rate, or promise of a guaranteed return. | Lead with purpose; set the stage with why regenerative agriculture matters to you, your business, and the community. |
Don’t convey that someone is loaning you/your business money directly. Your loan is from Steward and they are lending money to Steward in order to participate. | Share why your business is seeking a business loan and how you will use the funds to expand your operation. |
Don’t use the words invest, investor, or investment. This is not an investment. | Refer to your campaign as an opportunity to participate in a loan. |
Don’t refer to this “lending campaign” as crowdfunding, crowdlending, crowd-sourcing, crowdfarming, or peer-to-peer (P2P) lending. | Refer to Steward as a private lender issuing loans to regenerative agriculture businesses (like yours). Direct them to our website to learn more about our model. |
Don’t use the terms annualized return or ROI (return on investment). Any loan repayment is just that—not a dividend. | Note that this is a “secured, interest-bearing loan” (all Steward loans are secured by business assets). |
Don’t go into detail on loan terms in your communications—instead direct people to your project page where all pertinent financial details are shared. | Invite prospective lenders to visit your project page for details on loan terms, duration, and interest rate. They can always contact us directly with questions. |
Don’t say donate or refer to this as a donation. | This is an opportunity to participate in a loan, where the lender can anticipate getting their money back with interest. |
