Bellgrove Lenders, a small-business funding broker in Appleton, Wisconsin, works with Hortonville, WI owners by phone and online. ZIP 54944 had 187 employer establishments in 2023, and 66.3 percent had fewer than five employees; construction led with 34 (Census ZBP). Each credit decision, rate and term belongs to a lending partner.
| County | Outagamie County, WI |
|---|---|
| Distance | About 12.4 straight-line miles west-northwest |
| ZIP 54944 employers | 187 in 2023 (Census ZBP) |
| Under five employees | 66.3% of ZIP 54944 employers |
| Largest sector | Construction, 34 establishments |
Hortonville, WI and its ZIP code
Hortonville is an Outagamie County village about 12.4 straight-line miles west-northwest of Appleton, WI. The whole village is in ZIP 54944, but it covers only about 4.9 percent of that ZIP's land (Census 2020 ZIP code relationship file). Most of the ZIP is the countryside around the village, so its business counts reach well beyond Hortonville itself.
Small firms, by a wide margin
ZIP 54944 had 187 employer establishments in 2023, with 1,451 paid employees and about $68.9 million in annual payroll. 66.3 percent had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023), against 46.5 percent across Outagamie County (County Business Patterns 2023).
| Sector | Establishments | Share under five employees |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | 34 | 73.5% |
| Administrative and support services | 20 | 85.0% |
| Retail trade | 19 | 57.9% |
| Manufacturing | 17 | 58.8% |
| Professional services | 17 | 70.6% |
| Other services | 17 | 70.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023.
One owner, a handful of staff
In a business with one to four people, a partner's review leans heavily on the owner. Expect it to read:
- The owner's personal credit history, alongside the business bank statements
- Personal tax returns, if the business is not incorporated
- Whether the owner will sign a personal guarantee
- How business and personal money are kept apart
Keeping a separate business account and clean records is the single most useful step before applying. Self-employment among employed Hortonville residents is about 5.4 percent (plus or minus 2.2) (American Community Survey 2020-2024), a figure with a wide margin.
Smaller tickets, the same questions
A three-person crew buying a used trailer, a sole proprietor's shop restocking, a consultant covering a slow quarter: the dollar amounts may be modest, but partners ask the same questions about purpose, repayment and existing debt. Comparing working capital with a credit line or an equipment deal is still worth doing, because the total cost can differ a lot.
Before you call from Hortonville, WI
- Open a separate business bank account if the business does not have one.
- Pull your personal credit report and check it for errors.
- Write one sentence on what the money pays for, with a quote or invoice.
- List every loan, card balance and advance the business carries.
Working with Bellgrove from Hortonville, WI
Bellgrove's only address is 123 S Appleton St, Appleton, WI 54911, about 12 miles away, and Hortonville owners work with us by phone and online. See county figures and local contacts or other nearby towns.
Hortonville, WI businesses we help
Our lending partners have confirmed they fund contractors and construction trades, restaurants and food service, medical and dental practices and retailers and wholesalers that carry stock, and Bellgrove Lenders works with businesses like these in Hortonville, WI. Each partner still decides case by case.
What to gather before you call
- Business checking statements covering roughly the last quarter or two
- Last year's filed tax return for the business
- Current financial statements: profit and loss plus a balance sheet
- Photo ID for every owner of the business
- Formation documents and your EIN
- A written quote or invoice if the money is for equipment
Partners differ in what they request; this list covers the usual ground.
The steps after your first call
- It starts with a call to (920) 260-3971 or the short contact form. On the phone we cover the purpose of the funds, time in business and approximate monthly revenue.
- You hear which options match the need and what a partner will likely want to review. We submit nothing without your approval.
- Once you agree, the request goes to partners that provide that type of funding. The credit decision belongs to each partner.
- If a partner makes an offer, you compare the total cost, payment schedule and terms. You are never obligated to accept.
Our office is at 123 S Appleton St, Appleton, WI 54911.
By Bellgrove Lenders · Updated
