Business Funding - How To Raise Finance

By Author: Carolyn Clayton
Total Articles: 174
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When going into a new business venture you need to keep a close watch on your money and keep in mind when and how you are going to pay back the resources that you lent money off. Many businesses grow fast and the debts that come with them grow even faster. If you're going to be a success you need to be smart and have a plan for your expenditures.

However as the famous statement goes; It takes money to make money. So how are you going to find the cash that is needed to get a new business venture off the ground? There are many avenues that are open to you but finding the right one to suit you and your business needs is the hard part.

If you got another job to fuel your venture you run the risk of burning out. You could hurt your health and the relationships of those around you as all your time will be given to work.

Another option open to you is lending money off family and friends but just like the idea of getting a part time job, lending off family and friends has serious flaws, even if you are lending off people you have total trust and comfort with. If you did lend money off loved ones and your venture ...
... become an ultimate success then great, you have no need to worry and your relationships are untouched but if your venture fails so do your relationships, is it really worth the risks?

Credit cards are a great resource to fund your business and to get it off the ground. For Visa the number of small business credit card transactions grew by 29% last year alone. You need to be careful though, can you really afford to get in that much debt and start paying it back pretty much straight away?

More professional and even reliable forms of business funding come from places such as Venture capital/equity funding. Venture capital is a widely used phrase. A venture capitalist provides assistance and expertise with business planning as well as providing your business with money. They have industry knowledge but you should be aware that their primary motive is to make a lot of money. Most venture capitalists are only interested in businesses that are guaranteed to grow to be a large company. If you're a small store don't waste your time on venture capitalists.

One way to gain money for your business is to try and apply for a Grant. Normally never repaid; grants are a one off payment to companies who are doing specific projects. A grant helps towards the cost of a specific area of business. They are given by local authorities/Government/European Union. They can be a great help to your business, however if you pin all your hopes on gaining a grant and then fail to receive one you are back to where you started, trying to find capital to start your business up.

What remains the best source of money for new business ventures is a business angel. A business angel is a wealthy individual who has already made their fortune. They involve their time, money and experience into a company. Business Angels are very important to new and growing businesses but they are still a under utilised source of money.

Business Angels invest in all different types of businesses across many industry sectors and they invest especially in businesses that are in there early stages. The commitment of a Business Angel is often very strong and a business angel will do everything they can to get your business to be a success. They are the best and most reliable way of getting money into your business in the early, make or break stages.