Anyone have experience with private lenders?

I’m looking to build relationships with private lenders — both senior and mezz — who are actively lending into sub-$5MM acquisition deals. In my experience, there are plenty of SBIC and non-SBIC funds that will write checks north of $5MM, but very few who consistently play in the $250K–$5MM range. Curious if anyone here has had success finding groups that reliably show up for these smaller transactions. Related: I’ve been considering launching a fund to fill this gap. With recent SBA rule changes (especially around seller notes), these deals are getting tougher to finance, and I’m seeing an increasing need for flexible private capital to bridge the gap. Would appreciate intros, ideas, or just perspectives from folks who’ve had similar observations. Thanks in advance!