Posts Tagged ‘Funding’
7 Ways Your Small Business Can Thrive Without Venture Capital
As you read about one startup after another scoring a round of funding, you may have pondered what it means for you to say “enough with the bootstrapping.” The world may call it a bold dream. But in reality, is it achievable? Citing data from Small Business Administration in 2013, Forbes reported that there are…
Read MorePurchasing a Franchise: What Are Your Financing Options?
For individuals seeking the rewards of entrepreneurship but looking for a safer bet when launching into the business space, purchasing a franchise is a great route to go. Some even refer to franchises as a paint-by-number business. You get the proven game plan from the franchisor and then implement their rock-solid system. This route is…
Read MoreSmall Business Funding Options: A Comprehensive Overview
Like loans to individuals, small business loans are designed to provide needed capital to companies. However, with loans to small businesses, there are many more options and loan types. At a high level, business loans are generally categorized by the length or duration of the loan repayment period, long-term loan versus short-term funding. Small business…
Read More4 Reliable Financing Tips for Women Business Owners
Women are now majority owners of 38% of businesses in the United States. And yet, when we look at funding, there is a disparity. The loan approval rate for women is 15-20% lower than it is for men, and women receive only 7% of venture capital investment money. But financing for women business owners is…
Read MoreTop 10 Funding Sources for Your Franchise Venture
Many people dream of owning a business at one time or another but determining what products or services to offer can be difficult. Franchise businesses are an excellent option as these business ventures are already branded so that most customers are already familiar with the franchise and the product or service has been proven to…
Read MoreThe Business Model That Can Get Your Startup Funded
New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. An effective tool I see used more and more, as a prelude to a more detailed business plan, is the Business Model Canvas, first introduced by Alexander Osterwalder back in 2008. It…
Read MoreWhere is the Best Source of Early Stage Investment?
If you have been following our recent insights, you’ll be up to speed knowing that professional investors negotiate tough terms, from provisions of control over asset acquisition, eventual sale of the company, future investments, forced co-sale when others attempt to sell their shares and more. And yet, in an earlier post, we spoke of the…
Read More10 Strategies to Cover New Product Development Costs
The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. I often get asked about the real alternatives to bridge this valley, and…
Read More7 Tips for Raising Capital as a Solo Founder
I’ve played a role in founding three startups, but I’d never tackled the trials of fundraising until Roomi. Within a year, I raised $2 million. Convincing someone to invest in your brainchild is one of the biggest challenges a founder faces, and solo founders are often perceived by investors as an unsafe bet. In theory,…
Read MoreWhat Do You Give Up When Taking Outside Investors?
Taking in angel or venture money requires a setting of an entrepreneur’s expectations that may come as a shock at least at first. From the moment such an investor looks seriously at your company, the investor or VC partner is thinking of the end game, the ultimate sale of the company or even of an eventual…
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