Firleaf Lending Group, a small-business funding broker in Bowling Green, Kentucky, works with Franklin, KY owners by phone and online. ZIP 42134, which contains all of Franklin, had 389 employer establishments in 2023, led by retail trade with 70 and food service with 57 (Census ZBP). Approval, the rate and each term are left to the lending partner.
| County | Simpson County, KY |
|---|---|
| Distance | Roughly 20.1 straight-line miles south-southwest of Spring Alley |
| ZIP 42134 employers | 389 in 2023 (Census ZBP) |
| Largest sector | Retail trade, 70 establishments |
| Under five employees | 43.7% of ZIP 42134 employers |
Franklin, KY, not Franklin, TN
This page is about Franklin in Simpson County, Kentucky. Franklin, Tennessee is a different city in a different state, so add "KY" or "Simpson County" when you search for local records. Simpson County is not Warren County, and the Warren County figures elsewhere on this site do not describe Franklin.
ZIP 42134 in 2023
ZIP 42134 had 389 employer establishments in 2023, with 8,218 paid employees and about $379.7 million in annual payroll; 43.7 percent of those establishments had fewer than five employees (U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023). All of Franklin lies inside 42134, but the town covers only about 6.9 percent of the ZIP's land (Census 2020 ZIP code relationship file), so these are figures for the postal area, not the town limits.
| Sector | Establishments | Share under five employees |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 70 | 41.4% |
| Accommodation and food services | 57 | 26.3% |
| Construction | 42 | 40.5% |
| Other services | 39 | 56.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 36 | 41.7% |
| Manufacturing | 32 | 15.6% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns 2023.
Food service and retail around Franklin, KY
Two features stand out. Retail and food service together account for 127 of the ZIP's 389 employers, and food service establishments are mostly not tiny: only about a quarter had fewer than five people. A kitchen with a real payroll tends to ask about equipment and the weeks between wages and deposits, not about one-off purchases.
Contractors are the third group, and fewer of them are one- or two-person outfits than in many rural ZIPs. A crew of six or eight usually needs a machine, a truck or material money for the next job before the last one pays. Equipment financing covers machines and service vehicles.
Self-employment in Franklin, KY
About 7.7 percent of employed Franklin residents work for themselves, with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points (U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates). That range is wide, so read it as a rough level rather than a precise share.
Local records for a Franklin, KY business
Partners may check that a business is current with the state and with local offices. A Franklin business deals with Simpson County and city offices, not Warren County's.
Reaching Firleaf from Franklin, KY
Firleaf's only address is 436 Spring Alley, Bowling Green, KY 42101; Franklin owners can work with us by phone at (270) 364-2504 and online. The Bowling Green, KY page covers the office side, and every area we serve lists the other towns.
Franklin, KY 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 Firleaf Lending Group works with businesses like these in Franklin, KY. Each partner still decides case by case.
Documents to have ready
- Recent business bank statements (partners often ask for three to six months)
- Last year's filed tax return for the business
- Current financial statements: profit and loss plus a balance sheet
- Government-issued ID for each owner
- Your articles of organization or incorporation and the EIN letter
- A written quote or invoice if the money is for equipment
No two partners ask for exactly the same file, so use this as a checklist rather than a rule. See the document guide for what each item shows a partner.
The steps after your first call
- It starts with a call to (270) 364-2504 or the short contact form. On the phone we cover the purpose of the funds, time in business and approximate monthly revenue.
- We explain which funding types fit that use and what partners usually need to see. Nothing is submitted without your go-ahead.
- With your permission, we take the request to lending partners that offer that kind of funding. Each partner reviews it and makes its own credit decision.
- 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 436 Spring Alley, Bowling Green, KY 42101.
By Firleaf Lending Group · Updated