Private lending is only made available only when the lender is convinced that a business and the people who run it are professional, knowledgeable and reputable enough and all have the staying power. While each investor has his or her own set of guidelines, there are some features and qualities that all private lenders rely on. One of them is the full commitment of the entrepreneur towards the business venture he or she is about to start. This may mean long hours, sleepless nights, lost holidays, absence of weekend breaks, little or low earnings, absence of any benefits, no time off. These restrictions may continue for an extended period of time.

The businessman has to show that his heart and soul believes in the venture, whether it be related to a product or service and work towards getting others, especially clients and customers, to believe in it too.
Besides the commitment, private lenders look to see whether the entrepreneur has the drive, determination, desire and discipline required to ensure that the business will endure. Tenacity is another quality they look for and the ability to think out of the box. Since all businesses have their ups and downs, it is only those people who can endure such fluctuations financially, emotionally as well as physically who are likely to succeed in the long run. Knowledge, comprising various aspects of the venture is another quality that is placed at a premium - and without which any business endeavour is doomed to failure.