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Related Articles

12 Tips for Getting Your Bank Loan Approved
Find Yourself an "Angel"
The Six-Step Process to Raising Capital
The Six C's of Credit
Can Your Small Business Attract Venture Capital Financing?


Recommended Books

Finding Money : The Small Business Guide to Financing
Financing Your Business Dreams With Other People's Money : How and Where to Find Money for Start-Up and Growing Businesses
Small Business Financing : How and Where to Get It
Where to Go When the Bank Says No : Alternatives For Financing Your Business
Guerrilla Financing : Alternative Techniques to Finance Any Small Business


ab

How to Raise Money to Start a Business
Capital is hard to come-by, especially if: (a) you do not have a good business idea or business plan that will make rich backers run to you in the hope of multiplying their savings exponentially.

by Isabel M. Isidro
Managing Editor



Personal Savings
Family Members and Friends
Venture Capitalists
Angel Investors
Banks
Industrial Banks
Advertising
Credit Cards
Small Business Investment Companies
Business Development Commissions
Life Insurance
Money Broker or Finder
(article continued below ...)


One key to a successful business start-up and expansion is your ability to obtain and secure appropriate financing. Raising capital is the most basic of all business activities. Remember, it takes money to make more money.

Flip open trade publications and business newspapers, and you will be bombarded by reports of abundance of available capital for entrepreneurial start-ups, particularly for the dot.coms. The financial news would have you believe that more money is available for new business ventures than there are good business ideas.

However, while venture capital may be overflowing for the Internet start-ups, the real scenario for small businesses (and worse, home-based businesses) is far different. Capital is hard to come-by, especially if: (a) you do not have a good business idea or business plan that will make rich backers run to you in the hope of multiplying their savings exponentially; and (b) you may have a good business idea, but you do not know anyone who matters. The problem is that most beginning "business builders” doesn’t know what to believe or which way to turn for help.

Then again, business means risk, and success comes to those who focus on their goals and actually do something. Who knows, you may be lucky and dispel stories of “tight money.” You first step should be to start making phone calls -- talking to people, and making appointments to discuss your plans with the people who have money to invest. When you're looking for money, it's essential that you get the word out to as many potential investors as possible.

There are several sources to consider when looking for financing. Don't make the mistake of thinking that the only place you can find the money you need is through the bank or finance company. Explore all of your options before making a decision. These include –


Personal Savings.

The first place to look for financing is right at home and personal savings and assets are the easiest source of capital. If you have money set aside, you use it instead of borrowing or rounding up investors. Or, you can take an inventory of items you do not need and have a garage sale. Most people are pleasantly surprised how much cash they can raise in a single weekend. You can also use your stocks, bonds, pension plans, life insurance policies and real estate to raise the needed capital. Those who own homes oftentimes secure equity loans and use the proceeds to start a business.

However, most beginning entrepreneurs don’t have adequate personal savings to fund a business start-up. Others, on the other hand, have savings but refuse to dip into their piggy bank for a variety of reasons. It may be their retirement money or for emergencies; while others would rather use their savings as collateral and borrow against it at a low interest rate.


Family Members and Friends.

Next, turn to members of your family or close friends who have faith in you and want to see you succeed. Borrowing from a friend or relative is generally the most readily available source, especially when the capital requirement is smaller. Relatives and people you know need fewer assurances and are more open to your ideas than professional investors. They are also more patient if your business takes longer than expected to get off the ground. Offer to repay them through profit sharing.

If you are borrowing from family members instead of asking them to invest, maintain a very businesslike and impersonal procedure. To avoid putting strain on the relationship, it is better to draw up a formal agreement in order to put the terms of the loan in writing. It is important to view the participants as business associates.


Venture Capitalists.

Venture capitalists are professional investors who may be in charge of a large pool of capital gathered from a range of sources. These firms invest in new, even high-risk or speculative businesses without a proven track record, with the potential for rapid growth and high returns in a short time. They generally want equity or part ownership of a business in exchange for substantial returns (25 to 40 percent or more) when they exit typically in three to seven years. Particularly in the Internet sector, several venture capital firms have achieved capital gains of 300 to 500 percent, which are used to offset by a wide margin any losing ventures. These firms are mostly interested in potential projects that require $500,000 or more because of the high cost of investigation, evaluation and administration. While a venture capital firm may receive as many as 1,000 business proposals a year, it will typically investigate less than 10 percent and may actually invest in only 3 or 4 percent.


Angel Investors.

Angels are private investors interested in making more on their capital than they can make through traditional markets such as mutual funds or publicly traded stocks. These “angels” can be your accountant, attorney, doctors or other individuals who seek out new businesses to invest in return for equity ownership. Usually providing additional capital in the range of $25,000 to $500,000, expect angel investors to demand high returns for their investments. Relative to venture capitalists, though, angel investors are less demanding and can also be expected to provide expert guidance and mentor the start-up.

As you explain your plan to them, and ask for their advice, casually ask them if they'd mind letting you know of, or steer your way any potential investor they might happen to meet. Do the same with your banker. Give him a copy of your prospectus and ask him if he'd look it over and offer any suggestion for improving it, and of course, let you know of any potential investors. In either case, it's always a good idea to let them know you're willing to pay a "finder 's fee" if you can be directed to the right investor.

Professional people such as doctors and dentists are known to have a tendency to join occupational investment groups. The next time you talk with your doctor or dentist, give him a prospectus and explain your plan. He may want to invest on his own or perhaps set up an appointment for you to talk with the manager of his investment group

Note, however, that most angels and venture capitalists do not invest in home businesses.

Continue to Part 2





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Find Yourself an "Angel"
How to Raise Money to Start a Business


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Grant Seeker's Budget Toolkit
Ten Steps to Fundraising Success: Choosing the Right Strategy for Your Organization (With CD-ROM)
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Copyright © 2010>
ab

Free Money for Your Business
You've heard claims and seen ads about "free money" available to business owners. Is there really free money available for small businesses and entrepreneurs? The answer is both "Yes" and "No."

by Isabel M Isidro
Managing Editor



Many individuals are looking for grants or "free money" to start their business. They may have read or heard that free money for business owners exists, and how easy it is to get hold of these monies. Some have read ads, in print or on the Web, offering them information as to where to get free grants. With these ads making it look like there is money out there for the taking, who wouldn't dream to get a part of it?
(article continued below ...)

But, is there really free money out there for small and home-based businesses? The answer is "Yes" and "No."

There are hundreds of millions of dollars in grant funding available free to entrepreneurs and small business owners. These grant monies come from the government, non-governmental organizations, and private institutions. The grant amount ranges from $5,000 up to some in the six figures. Best of all, absolutely none of them requires a pay back. You, too may have seen or read advertising in this regard.

However, the myth of "free money" intended for starting or expanding a small business needs to be dispelled.

Most funding institutions do not provide grants or "free money" for starting or developing a business. The Small Business Administration, Bank of America Foundation, and other grant funding sources do not give capital to start a day care or clothing design business, etc.. Nor do they provide grants to individuals who will use the proceeds to start their own "for profit" small business.

Rather, funding organizations generally target their assistance towards specific groups, types of organizations or activities. The grants provided by SBA are normally given to nonprofits or educational institutions. The Bank of America Foundation considers charitable requests from nonprofit organizations in geographic areas where the company has a business presence. These funding institutions provide funds mostly in a "project" context, consistent with their organization's goals and objectives.

There are a few grant sources that provide money directly to individuals. However, the use of the grant proceeds must be consistent with the objectives of the funding institution. Since most grants are project-based, many funding organizations require that the applicant provide counterpart funding. Grants may cover only a fraction of the project cost; very rarely do grants cover 100% of the total cost.

Take for example the Indian Grant Program given by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This program gives up to $100,000 to American Indian individuals. However, the grant stipulates that the funds must be used for "development of profit-oriented businesses that will have positive economic impact on Indian Reservation." Furthermore, the grant must be no more than 25 percent of project costs - meaning that the individual must provide 75 percent counterpart money for the project.

Resources on Grants

Entrepreneurs and would-be business owners seeking grant funding for a project can check out the following books and web sites in the US and other countries. Note that some of the sites are free, while others require subscription.

Books

"The Complete Guide To Getting A Grant: How to Turn Your Ideas into Dollars "by Laurie Blum

"Free money for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs" by Laurie Blum

Winning Grants Step by Step: Support Centers of America's Complete Workbook for Planning, Developing, and Writing Successful Proposals by Mim Carlson

Free Money to Change Your Life by Matthew, Lesko, et al

"Free money from the federal government for small businesses
and entrepreneurs" by Laurie Blum

Databases

Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance http://www.cfda.gov
An easy-to-use database of all grants and assistance provided by the United States federal government. You can search by functional area, by agency, by keywords, etc. Use of the site is free.

Grants Canada http://www.grantscanada.com/
A paid database service that lists programs and contact information on federal, provincial and regional assistance programs in Canada. Their online database lists hundreds of programs offering financial assistance for Canadian businesses and individuals including grants, low-interest loans, technical assistance and more. Access to the database requires an annual subscription payment of $99 (Canadian dollars).

J4B http://www.j4b.co.uk
A free repository of information businesses in the United Kingdom seeking grants, soft loans, financial assistance, and help-in-kind. The database contains loans and grants for business start-up, research and development, export and trading, training and education, among others. Access of the database is free, but registration is required (and you must have a UK post code).

Links

U.S. Small Business Administration http://www.sba.gov/expanding/grants.html

This site is a listing of grant programs supported by the SBA. Note that SBA does not offer grants to business starts-ups; rather they give grants to non-governmental organizations, intermediary lending institutions, and state and local governments. Use this list to check out some of the programs that SBA supports and find one that you may qualify.

CanadaOne: Grants and Loans for Young Entrepreneurs in Canada http://www.canadaone.com/magazine/loan_programs.html

This site lists the available grants for young entrepreneurs in the Canadian provinces/regions of Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Yukon, Atlantic Canada, and Western Canada. It also includes a list of national programs for young entrepreneurs.

Looking for funds to finance a small business is a difficult process; with the process made more confusing by the abundance of myths and scams in searching for free money.

Tips from the Federal Trade Commission

* Be very wary of anyone who promises or guarantees they can get you a grant or a loan, particularly if you must pay in advance for the service.
* If you are tempted to respond to one of these offers because of a money-back guarantee, be aware that they may impose so many conditions it could be difficult to ever get your money back.
* If you are experiencing financial problems and believe you may qualify for some kind of aid, check with your city or state unemployment or social assistance office.
* Check the Better Business Bureau for complaints about a company before sending money.
* Advertising in recognized media outlets or on the Internet does not guarantee the legitimacy of the company behind the ad.



=====


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Business Plan Basics 58 Ways To Find Money For Your Business is crammed with tips, information, and help for entrepreneurs and small business owners who need money for their company. From joint venture partners, grants, and bartering to venture capital and small business SBA loans, you’ll find a way to finance your company, whether you need $500 or $500,000.

The authors, Brian Hill and Dee Power, put their combined 30 years of experience with early stage companies, and working with hundreds of businesses in nearly every industry, into

58 Ways To Find Money For Your Business.

Small Business Start Up Loans, Business Financing, Venture Capital Funding and More

The Capital Connection is a Portal for Entrepreneurs. It's better than a search engine and more than a directory. We not only list and link services and sources but also give you a description. If you're looking for small business loans, business financing, or venture capital funding you've come to the right place. The categories are listed on the left hand column.

Protecting your current investment in your business is just as important as finding additional capital. An unexpected death, natural disaster or lawsuit can devastate a small firm. Protect all your hard work and minimize financial risks with business insurance.

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Categories
Acquisition Financing
For management buyouts or acquiring an established business acquisition financing can provide the necessary funds. Many small business loan sources, including SBA loans, also will provide funds to acquire a business so check loans too. The amount of funding provided depends on the assets of the business, and the income. Bankers look at the credit worthiness of both the business and the individual buying the business. It may be necessary to personally guarantee the loan as well. If the business owns real property it may be possible to mortgage the property and use the proceeds to purchase the business. When acquiring a business don't automatically assume that insurance is part of the transaction. Review all claims against the business for potential future liability. Then compare different insurance companies like UIA Insurance.
Asset Management

Protecting your assets is one way to open up different financing methods in the future. Learn more about hedge fund asset management firms like GoldenTree Asset Management firm.
Alternative Financing

This includes sources for purchase order financing, trade and barter, factoring like Fast Upfront Business Loans, asset based financing, and joint venturing.

Invoice Factoring does not depend on the credit worthiness of the business in most cases requesting to factor. It does depend on the size of the receivable, or total of invoices, and the customer who owes the money. Terms vary. Sometimes the customer is asked to pay the factoring company directly, who then passes on the money to the business. In other cases there's no notification. SME Finance help companies with factoring. Go to Alternatives
Private Equity Investors

Angel networks and clubs to help you find a private investor. Individual accredited investors provide much more capital for entrepreneurs and start up companies than venture capital firms. There are roughly only about 1500 venture capital firms in the United States and some 3 million private equity investors. So while individuals invest a smaller amount per company, about $75,000 they invest in many more companies than venture capital firms do.
Business Incubators
sometimes called business accelerators provide mentoring services, office space, administrative assistance and sometimes capital. Most incubators are nonprofit but that doesn't mean they're free. The charge for the office space is somewhat higher than leasing commercial space or an executive office and the incubator requires an equity position in the company it assists. Find Private Incubators which are run on a for profit basis, and Nonprofit incubators
Capital Networks

Capital networks seem to be making a comeback. In the heyday of venture capital investing, 1998 to 2000, the Internet saw quite a few networks. When the VC bubble burst the majority folded. Capital networks include on-line and off-line "matching services", "screening services", and "publications". Fees vary from a token monthly amount to thousands of dollars. Most of the networks charge the entrepreneur. Go to capital networks for an overview of each type of service and then links to the specific kind of network.
Catalog Store

Books, booklets, guides and directories to help you find capital. Develop a business plan. Set goals and objectives Business Finance Books
Debt Negotiation
There are times when it's necessary to renegotiate debt the company may be carrying. If that happens it's necessary to carefully compare debt management options, debt settlement, debt consolidation, and bankruptcy. More on debt negotiation
Grants for Businesses

There are grants for businesses but most of them are competitive or for non-profit organizations. Find a list of grants for businesses.
Investment Bankers, Intermediaries

Investment Bankers, Corporate Finance Consultants, Advisors and Intermediaries to assist you in your search for capital, private investors, loans and venture capital. A word of caution most venture capitalists don't like to pay finder's fees. They want their money invested to grow the company. This also means they don't want the founder of the company using the money to payback any loan he or she may have made to the company.
Investor Databases

Listings and databases of venture capital companies, private investors, small business investment companies, loan sources, leasing, and factoring companies. Some are searchable, some are just hard copy lists. In most cases investors want to live within a two hour plane ride of the companies they've invested in. Many want the company to be accessible in the same city. Look at the financing sources where you live before exploring out of state sources.
Leasing

Leasing isn't usually thought of as a source of funds, but rather as an expense. There is more than one type of leasing: venture leasing, equipment leasing, building and land leasing sources. Just because you're leasing an office or property doesn't mean you don't need insurance. Rented property insurance covers your property inside a leased facility.
Loans
Traditional loans, small business start up loans, conventional loans, SBA (Small Business Administration), Loan packaging services and online loan application services Loan sources. Loans are based on the asset value of the company, or individual, and the ability of the company, or individual to repay the loan principle and interest. Start-up companies have a difficult time obtaining loans because they have no track record. They often don't have much in the way of an asset base either. Bankers or loan providers don't care that the company may be on the fast track to growth.

Personal loans can be used to start a business as well. Be careful using credit cards to fund your business, the high interest rate can be a burden to you personally. If the company doesn't do well you'll be out of a job and you'll have maxed out your credit cards.

Keep in mind when considering a loan that bad credit, or poor credit will be a barrier. Those factors also affect whether an investor, whether an individual, or a venture capital firm will consider investing in your company. If you can't manage your own money, their conclusion will be that you can't manage theirs.
Venture Capital

There are about 1500 venture capital firms in the United States and the Capital Connection has links to over 600 of them organized by state. Venture capital isn't appropriate for the majority of businesses. Only a small percentage, between 10-15% is invested in early stage companies. The majority is invested in established companies. Go to Venture Capital And now up to the minute venture capital news headlines.
Survey of Venture Capital Companies
We asked venture capitalists all over the country the questions entrepreneurs want the answers to. Find out how long it takes a VC to close, do you need a referral, what's the most critical mistake entrepreneurs make in their business plan, how do VCs value a company, and more. Read the Profit Dynamics Inc. Venture Capital Survey.
Copyright 1998-2010, Profit Dynamics, Inc,.
Dee Power & Brian E. Hill
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4 AvaFX Forex $250 CPA Review
5 Party Poker Poker $150 CPA Review
6 Global Live Casino Casino 35% CPO Review
7 EasyDate Dating $80 CPA Review
8 Victor Chandler Casino $160 CPA Review
9 MedStore Health 29% CPO Review
10 AffiliateBOT.com Affiliate network $90 CPA Review
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This month’s affiliate program is actually an affiliate network – and what a network it is! Pepperjam is representing some of the best brands on the market today and this obviously makes them a highly converting affiliate network. Thanks to its user-friendly website you won’t have any problems finding exactly what you’re looking for – may it be promotional tools, statistics or merchants in your segment to promote. If you’ve been looking for an affiliate network that has thought about it all, then you’ve found your match in the Pepperjam Network! So, we bow our heads in admiration for Pepperjam – The Affiliate Program of the Month!
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1 Wordtracker 7.38 15% CPO no yes Top keyword software for affiliates. This software should attract a lot of attention from other... Review
2 Keyworddiscovery 7.38 15% CPO yes yes With the keyworddiscovery.com affiliate program you’ll earn 15% commission for every new... Review
3 oneNetworkDirect 7.38 70% CPO no yes If you want to make money from software affiliates then you should have a look at the... Review
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1 eLearning Centre 7.00 $200 CPA no yes Web based training is all the rage and a natural way for web affiliates to enhance their... Review
2 CollegeAndUniversity 6.88 $30 CPA yes yes CollegeAndUniversity.net is one of the fastest growing online marketplaces for degree programs. Review
3 Essayedge 5.63 15% CPO yes yes Big creative library; banners, text links, content linking or customized ads! Review
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1 EasyDate 7.75 $80 CPA yes yes Partner up with a highly converting dating affiliate program. Review
2 Easyflirt 7.25 55% CPO yes yes EasyFlirt is a top dating affiliate program that has customers all over the world. Review
3 FriendFinder 6.38 $50 CPA yes yes This is an affiliate program that really has covered every possible angle in the dating segment... Review
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1 Lowermybills.com 6.13 $70 CPA yes yes LowerMyBills.com provides a world wide service that helps consumers to lower their monthly bills... Review
2 Quickenloans.com 5.88 $15 CPA yes yes Quicken Loans is one of the biggest and most trustworthy online mortgage lenders in the U.S. They... Review
3 Lendingtree.com 5.50 $75 CPA yes yes LendingTree is one of the largest online lending exchanges in the U.S. It is a market place... Review
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1 eBay 7.75 $35 CPA yes yes In a competitive segment eBay stands out as one of the best, offering e great commission... Review
2 Amazon Books 6.88 $25 CPA no yes Amazon.com is one of the largest and most well known book and shopping sites in the world. By... Review
3 AC Lens 6.75 25% CPO no yes AC Lens provides more tools, resources and is one of the most flexible affiliate programs on the... Review
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1 Globat 8.38 $200 CPA yes yes Up to $200 commission with creative marketing studio. Promotes Globat, a leading web hosting... Review
2 ThinkHost 8.00 $100 CPA no yes Eco-friendly company with high conversion. ThinkHost is a social responsible web hosting company... Review
3 MochaHost.com 7.38 $70 CPA yes yes The Mocha Host customer support ranked number one in an extensive test of 50 major web hosting... Review
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