A Short Guide to Business Funding

 by John Switzer Haagensen

 In a time of global economic recovery the need for entrepreneurs and new business start-ups has increased. Through entrepreneurship and hard work, new jobs and increased prosperity locally and nationally, can be created

Whatever the reason an entrepreneur may have to begin the rewarding journey of a business start up, funding of the business will most likely become an issue that eventually should be addressed. There are however multiple steps to be taken prior to raising funds for your business idea, where one of the most important steps is to write a comprehensive business plan. This article is written for those who have successfully completed those steps and will therefore give a short overview on different types of business funding. Many different types of funding do exist if self-funding is not an option and each of them is designed to meet diverse requirements by the recipient:

The most obvious being loans and overdrafts provided by financial institutions or perhaps through friends and families. Loans and overdrafts are suitable for smaller amounts being required and in particular for seed capital. However as with any loan the lender will need a clear and structured plan of how the loan can be repaid.

Grants can provide you with a working capital that you often do not need to repay. They are for that reason very competitive and require stringent criteria to be meet. These can include, location, size and industry sector of the business. Grants are mainly offered by government institutions and a search online can give you a quick overview of where to find them.

Equity finance:

Equity investors such as business angels and venture capitalists can offer funding as well as key skills and expert advice. They invest in businesses in return for a share of the equity. The percentage of the business they want is correlated to the sum being sought as well as the current value of the business. Equity investors buy into your business and management rather than lending you the money. You therefore have to be willing to give up a share of your business idea, in return you would nevertheless gain an experienced partnership that want to see the business succeed. Business Angels can be difficult to find but several online networks exist where entrepreneurs and investors can be introduced and meet.

New and expanding businesses will usually be most successful in raising finance through a combination of financially sources. However make sure that your business requirements are meet in what ever route you take.



SellMyIdea provides a unique online platform in which the entrepreneurs and businesses can market their investment opportunities to potential investors to raise business finance. We work with Scandinavian as well as British investors and entrepreneurs.

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