FOURTH AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT


                  THIS FOURTH AMENDMENT TO LOAN AGREEMENT  ("Fourth  Amendment")
is entered into as of December ___,  1998, by and between  BUSINESS LOAN CENTER,
INC., a Delaware  corporation  ("Borrower"),  BLC  FINANCIAL  SERVICES,  INC., a
Delaware corporation,  and TRANSAMERICA BUSINESS CREDIT CORPORATION,  a Delaware
corporation ("Lender"), with reference to the following facts:

                                    RECITALS

         A. Pursuant to the Loan  Agreement  dated as of March 25, 1998 executed
by  Borrower,  Parent and  Lender,  as amended  by the First  Amendment  to Loan
Agreement  dated as of June 24, 1998,  the Second  Amendment  to Loan  Agreement
dated as of September 15, 1998, and the Third  Amendment to Loan Agreement dated
as of October 1, 1998  (collectively,  the "Loan  Agreement"),  Lender agreed to
make certain financial accommodations to or for the benefit of Borrower upon the
terms and conditions set forth therein.  Unless  otherwise  noted in this Fourth
Amendment,  (i) capitalized terms used herein shall have the meanings attributed
to them in the Loan  Agreement,  (ii)  references  to  Sections  shall  refer to
Sections of the Loan Agreement or Schedules  thereto,  as applicable,  and (iii)
references to Schedules shall refer to Schedules to the Loan Agreement.

         B.  Borrower has  requested,  and Lender has agreed,  to amend  certain
provisions  of the Loan  Agreement,  all on the terms and  conditions  set forth
below.

             NOW, THEREFORE,  in consideration of the continued performance by
Borrower of its promises and obligations  under the Loan Agreement and the other
Loan Documents,  and for other good and valuable consideration,  the receipt and
sufficiency of which are hereby  acknowledged,  Borrower and Lender hereby agree
as follows:

                                A G R E E M E N T

         1. Incorporation of Loan Agreement and Other Loan Documents.  Except as
expressly modified under this Fourth Amendment,  all of the terms and conditions
set forth in the Loan  Agreement and the other Loan  Documents are  incorporated
herein by this  reference,  and  Borrower  hereby  acknowledges,  confirms,  and
ratifies its obligations under the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents.

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         2.  Amendments to Loan  Agreement and other Loan  Documents.  As of the
date of this Fourth  Amendment,  the Loan Agreement and the other Loan Documents
are hereby amended in the following manner:

                  2.1 Amendment to Add New Defined Term. Section 1.1 of the Loan
Agreement  is amended by adding the  following  new  definition  in  appropriate
alphabetical order:

                           "Fourth Amendment" shall mean the Fourth Amendment to
                  Loan  Agreement  dated as of December __, 1998,  amending this
                  Agreement.

                  2.2 Amendment to Increase  Maximum Credit Line. The definition
of "Maximum  Credit Line" in Section 1.1 is amended by  substituting  the phrase
"$50,000,000" for the amount "$35,000,000"  therein. The same substitution shall
be deemed made by this Fourth  Amendment with respect to all other references in
the Loan  Agreement  or the other Loan  Documents  to the maximum  amount of the
credit  facility  under  the  Loan  Agreement  or the  principal  amount  of the
Revolving Credit Note.

         3. Amendment Fee. In consideration of Lender's  agreement to enter into
this  Fourth  Amendment,  Borrower  agrees to pay to Lender a fully  earned  and
non-refundable  fee in  the  amount  of  $200,000  (the  "Amendment  Fee").  The
Amendment Fee shall be due and payable by Borrower to Lender as follows:

               (a)  $100,000  shall be due and  payable  on the date  that  this
Fourth  Amendment  becomes  effective  pursuant  to  Section  4 of  this  Fourth
Amendment;

               (b) $50,000 shall be due and payable on the earlier of (i) August
27, 1999, and (ii) the Termination Date; and

               (c) $50,000 shall be due and payable on the earlier of (i) August
27, 2000, and (ii) the Termination Date.

If not paid as and when due,  such  payments of the Amendment Fee may be charged
by Lender to Borrower's account as Revolving Loans.

         4. Conditions to  Effectiveness.  The amendments set forth in Section 2
of this Fourth  Amendment are subject to  satisfaction  of each of the following
conditions:

               (a)  receipt by Lender of a copy of this Fourth  Amendment,  duly
executed by Borrower, Parent, and Lender;

               (b) receipt by Lender of an amended and  restated  version of the
Revolving  Credit  Note,  in the  form  attached  as  Exhibit  A to this  Fourth
Amendment, duly executed by Borrower;

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               (c) receipt by Lender of such  officer's  certificates,  board of
directors'  resolutions,  or other  evidence  satisfactory  to Lender of each of
Borrower's  and  Parent's  corporate  authority  and legal  ability to  execute,
deliver and perform this Fourth  Amendment  and to  consummate  the  transaction
contemplated hereunder;

               (d)  payment by  Borrower of that  portion of the  Amendment  Fee
payable on the effective date of this Fourth Amendment; and

               (e) the absence of any Defaults or Events of Default.

         5. Entire  Agreement.  This Fourth  Amendment,  together  with the Loan
Agreement  and the other Loan  Documents,  is the entire  agreement  between the
parties hereto with respect to the subject matter hereof.  This Fourth Amendment
supersedes  all  prior  and  contemporaneous  oral and  written  agreements  and
discussions  with  respect to the subject  matter  hereof.  Except as  otherwise
expressly  modified  herein,  the Loan Documents  shall remain in full force and
effect.

         6.  Representations  and Warranties.  Borrower hereby confirms that the
representations  and  warranties  contained in the Loan  Agreement were true and
correct in all material  respects when made and, except to the extent (a) that a
particular  representation or warranty by its terms expressly applies only to an
earlier  date,  or (b)  Borrower  has  previously  advised  Lender in writing as
contemplated  under the Loan  Agreement,  are true and  correct in all  material
respects as of the date hereof.  The Loan Agreement shall continue in full force
and effect in accordance with the provisions thereof on the date hereof.

         7.       Miscellaneous.

                  7.1  Counterparts.  This Fourth  Amendment  may be executed in
identical  counterpart  copies,  each of which shall be an original,  but all of
which shall constitute one and the same agreement.

                  7.2 Headings. Section headings used herein are for convenience
of  reference  only,  are not part of this Fourth  Amendment,  and are not to be
taken into consideration in interpreting this Fourth Amendment.

                  7.3 Recitals.  The recitals set forth at the beginning of this
Fourth Amendment are true and correct,  and such recitals are incorporated  into
and are a part of this Fourth Amendment.

                  7.4 Governing Law. This Fourth Amendment shall be governed by,
and construed and enforced in accordance with, the laws of the State of Illinois
applicable to contracts made and performed in such state,  without regard to the
principles thereof regarding conflict of laws.

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                  7.5 No Novation. Except as specifically set forth in paragraph
2 of this Fourth  Amendment,  the execution,  delivery and effectiveness of this
Fourth  Amendment  shall  not (a)  limit,  impair,  constitute  a  waiver  of or
otherwise  affect any right,  power or remedy by Lender under the Loan Agreement
or any other Loan Document, (b) constitute a waiver of any provision in the Loan
Agreement or in any of the other Loan Documents,  or (c) alter, modify, amend or
in any way  affect  any of the  terms,  conditions,  obligations,  covenants  or
agreements  contained  in the Loan  Agreement,  all of which  are  ratified  and
affirmed in all respects and shall continue in full force and effect.

                  7.6  Conflict  of  Terms.  In the  event of any  inconsistency
between the  provisions  of this Fourth  Amendment and any provision of the Loan
Agreement,  the terms and provisions of this Fourth  Amendment  shall govern and
control.


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               IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  this Fourth Amendment has been duly executed
as of the date first written above.


                                          BORROWER:

                                          BUSINESS LOAN CENTER, INC.,
                                          a Delaware corporation


                                          By:______________________________
                                                 Jennifer Napier
                                                 Chief Financial Officer


                                          PARENT:

                                          BLC FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC.,
                                          a Delaware corporation


                                          By: ______________________________
                                                  Robert F. Tannenhauser
                                                  President


                                          LENDER:

                                          TRANSAMERICA BUSINESS CREDIT
                                          CORPORATION, a Delaware corporation


                                           By:______________________________
                                                  Russell L. Bonder
                                                  Senior Account Executive



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