Will Your Business Benefit From Venture Capital?

Not all businesses can attract venture capital. Venture capital is provided by a firm of professional investors that are generally seeking high growth business opportunities to invest in. They provide funds to help you grow your business but in return they often want shares in the business.

If you have a brilliant idea that has huge growth potential and are struggling to raise money through the normal channels then this route might be ideal for you. Be prepared to give away a large chunk of your business and remember that most venture capitalists will also want a say in how your business is run!

This method of raising funds is also a great way to get some fresh minds looking at your business idea. Venture capital investment companies have been investing in great ideas for many years and know how to turn great concepts into reality.

Do not approach a venture capital company if all you are seeking is money to clear your existing debts. They will not be interested! They are also not interested in providing funds so that you can buy your dream car or luxury house.

They are in the business of providing funds so that they can make money for themselves with the funds they provide you to assist your growth. Got the idea?

A well researched and carefully crafted business plan will definitely help you. How are you going to use their money? They will want to see it being used for growth, sales, marketing and creating value for them. They will not be happy if you use their funds to make a beautiful office! Remove any expenses that are not critical for growth and show them how you can generate profits and a return from their investment.

When a venture capitalist firm looks at your idea, they are also examining you. Millions of people have great ideas and to be honest, the majority of these people do not have a clue how to execute a plan.

If they like your idea, then they will want to get to know you in detail. What are your work ethics like? Why should they back you over the hundreds of other people that are competing with you for their money? Remember that they are most likely to be seeking a brilliant person with a great idea that can deliver them a "home run."

It also costs a lot of time and money presenting your idea to venture capitalists! They do not give anybody any money at the first meeting. In fact they might even meet you a dozen times only to completely reject your idea at the end! Be prepared for this and possibly try out your business plan with a more than one firm at the same time.

The costs will not be that much greater to present your case to two different companies at the same time! Remember that you are also dealing with personalities and one wrong word and they will kick you out before you can count to ten. I never said that it was going to be easy, did I?

Businesses Need Money To Grow. Is Venture Capital Right For You?

The goal of every business is to be successful in their efforts and continue to grow. However, they often come to a crossroads where they are going to have to invest more money if they want to experience growth and additional profits. It may be money needed for new equipment, a larger building, or a number of other items that can be found to keep a business operating at its very best.

Many business owner’s turn to venture capital in order to finance the such ventures for their business. This is a type of loan that comes from a private investor rather than a traditional lending institution. The lender offers the necessary cash and in return they receive shares of ownership in the business.

They often ask for 2% of the profits during the time it takes to repay the funds as well so venture capital lending can be very profitable. In addition you will still be paying the principal balance and the interest on it. However, this 2% is to cover their risk on such an investment.

Business owner’s may have no choice but to look into venture capital options if they are considered to be too high of a risk for a traditional lender to offer them the funding they need. It could be due to the business being new, the business owes too much money to other lenders, or they have a poor credit history that traditional lenders can’t accept.

There are also times when a business needs funding in order to purchase items that aren’t tangible. Since the lender can’t use them as collateral they find the venture to be just too high of a risk. Some common items that may be involved are software programs for operating computers in the business and research that is necessary for the business to successfully grow.

However, it is important to realize that venture capital may not be a good option for your particular business and financial needs. You are going to have to be able to present information that shows there is a very high chance that your business will be quite profitable if you are allowed to access the funds necessary for your business to expand.

Keep in mind that your information also has to show that these additional earnings will be evident in the allotted time frame. In most instances the investors of venture capital will give you a minimum of three years and a maximum of seven years for that growth to occur and be profitable.

Venture capital should always be a last resort when all other options of securing funding have failed. In those instances it can be a very valuable tool which can decide whether you get the funding you need to expand your business or not. It is estimated that more than $6 trillion in loans under the category of venture capital take place each year in the United States. The process is available in many other countries as well but not nearly to the same extreme as in the United States.

Business Angels Vs Venture Capitalists

Have you these amazing ideas which you’re sure you can put into practise and make a living out of your ideas. If so you’re more than likely looking into financial help to put these ideas into practise. You may think bank loans, credit cards and loans off family and friends are the only options but Business Angels and Venture Capitalists are also a good option to consider.

Business Angels what are they you may ask, they often work as individuals who themselves are entrepreneurs and have made their dream come true in whatever business sector they chose. They have now have the experience and financial backing to help other entrepreneurs to start their own business just like themselves years ago.

Venture Capitalists are very similar to Business Angels they are often from an entrepreneur background have made a successful business and now would like to give back to other entrepreneurs and help them with finance for their new start-up business.

So you’re asking what is the difference between them both, they are:

Business Angels – Give you the financial help you need when you need it, and invest their own money in your business. If a business angel works within an angel network the angels will pool together with their investment as well as sharing research they each do. Angels understand the needs of a new business as they have been there themselves and therefore they not only offer financial help but they can offer good advice when no one else will.

Venture Capitalists – Give you the financial help you require when you need it but uses pooled money the venture capitalist and others have in a professionally managed fund. Venture Capitalists like to take an active role in the business they are investing usually being a director or on the management board of the business.

So if you’re looking for some financial help for your new start-up business or even your struggling business you don’t just have the options of:

• Family

• Friends

• Banks

• Loans

• Credit Cards

You have the option of using a Business Angel or a Venture Capitalist. Which ever one you decide to use the only way you’re going to show your serious in wanting their help is to have a well planned and thorough business plan.

A business plan will not only be used to show your investor what you planned ideas are and your predicted returns in the next few years will be it will also be used for you to run your business well. Your business plan will show others what your initial goals were and if you succeeded in these as well as any risks you planned for and if any of these actually occurred and if they did, did you cope ok with rectifying the risk.

Your business plan shouldn’t just be placed in a drawer and forgotten about it should be regularly updated. Your business will continue to change and usually out of your control and you should reflect on these changes within your business plan. You should have contingency plans to deal with any external influences that would affect your business and the way in which you run it.

You should now be a little wiser of the facts of the difference between Business Angels and Venture Capitalists and how they can help you.

Borrowing For A Business Venture

Starting a business is a lot like having a baby. In the initial years it will require constant attention. As the years go by, you will have to nurture and sustain it. You have to aim at making it self-reliant within the span of a few years. Yet, as I have already mentioned, the initial years are tough work. You cannot afford to shirk your duties as an entrepreneur in the first few years. You will have to work very hard, sometimes round the clock, to meet targets and objectives. Deals will not come easily and you will have to cut down on costs. This will require you to spend much time and effort in finding great bargains for your business.

The initial years will also require you to invest a great deal. At times the money that you require may have to come out of your pocket. You will feel the pinch irrespective of whether your business is a sole trading concern or a partnership.

Sometimes, when cash is required urgently, the fastest way to meet that need is to get a loan from the owner himself. Thus, the business person will advance the required amount from his own savings. This will be treated as a business loan which the organization will have to repay when the money comes in. This is a popular choice that is resorted to by many smaller businesses when money is needed. However, the convenience of this method has a disadvantage. If the business continues to borrow from the owner, there could come a time when the owner's reserves are exhausted. This might spell doom for the business.

Alternatively, you could apply for a term loan for your business. The advantage of this is that it has a limit. This would require the business to stay within a particular budget. On the other hand, a major negative of this mode of borrowing is that it can be rather costly. And one point to remember is that the interest that you pay on the loans is subject to taxes.

Yet another way of providing for your business in the early years is by securing a business credit card. If you find a cheap credit card, you could end up saving on a lot of money. Moreover, with the hundreds of credit card rewards that are available today, you could actually save on your business expenses in the long run. So, if your nascent business needs cash, some 0% credit cards might solve the problem.