Funding & Investors for Small Businesses- When seeking funding for your new business, it is important to make sure that the funding you are seeking is actually from a reliable source. One of the best ways of getting this information is to ask for a referral from a current investor or funding organization. This can be accomplished by asking other entrepreneurs who have already used their services or looking for someone within your industry to refer you to an investor or financing group. Be careful to ask if they are paid kickbacks, commissions or other fees for their services. You may wish to research any company that you are considering as well as those who may have successfully obtained funding for your venture.
There are also several investment groups that have investors that work with them. These groups specialize in lending money to businesses that need capital and are willing to be more hands on. The members of these groups typically have either a long history of investing or at least have the connections needed to connect successful businesses with qualified funding. The members of these groups will discuss your business plan with you and help you determine the amount and type of funding you will require. They also can provide you with the loan terms you are looking for and the time frame you need to complete the loan.
Lenders who specialize in securing small loans for business owners often offer a full range of financing options. These options include commercial loans, business cash advances, merchant cash advances and merchant credit lines. While the rates offered by a lender for one type of financing will vary from company to company, there are several lenders that specialize in all types of business funding including commercial and industrial lenders.
Lenders also offer a number of working capital options including merchant cash advance loans. These lenders will use the funds you provide them to help you manage day to day expenses and streamline the cash flow of your business. Working capital management allows you to maintain adequate levels of cash to meet your daily operations. As you know, cash is king! Having access to a lender that specializes in working capital finance can be very beneficial to your business.
There are many ways to get short-term financing from private funding sources. One way is to have a private investor fund your business for you. However, most private investors are typically experienced investors that have a track record of providing a high return on investment. Unlike banks that typically take a year to see any profits from a venture, private funding can get money to you within a week.
Another option is to work with a local business financing organization. These groups typically meet once a month and meet with you in different sessions to discuss your business plan, available funding resources and possible alternative financing solutions. While these meetings do not typically result in new funding for your business, they do provide valuable information about your company that you may not otherwise have known. Investors typically want to see a presentation and financial projections of your company at the start of the meeting. This information is important because it shows them if the business is growing or stagnant, which is critical to determining their level of risk.
