Since the financial crisis, small business owners have had greater challenges getting loans. Traditional banks don’t really lend small amounts, and the community banks that typically serviced those loans have shrunk significantly. A financial product called a merchant cash advance has been fast growing out of that lending gap. Business owners can quickly get the money they need, but it can come at a very high price. WBEZ’s Susie An explains how these work, and Steve Hall from Accion details how his group enters the picture. Photo: Flickr/401(K) 2013