Business Angels and Your Start-up Finance

On November 2, 2010, In Business, By admin



Business angels fall under the category of equity finance. They form the most popular form of equity finance and can truly do wonders for your business venture.

When it comes to starting up your own business the most important thing to sort out before anything else is your start-up business finance. You will need funding for your business before you even start trading. No matter what type of business you are planning to go into, whether you are selling a product or a service you will need to secure finance before you open your business up for trading.

Funding for your business can come in many forms, ensuring that you choose the one that is best for your business is the tricky part so here’s some helpful advice. Most new business fail due to incorrect funding with many making the mistake of turning to their bank for finance only to find out that the bank refuses to give them the capital they need and with many more finding out the hard way that they can’t keep up with repayments, which ends with them losing not only their business venture but typically their house that they thought was a good idea at the time to use as an asset to their bank loan.

You’re probably left thinking now ‘what am I going to do?’ well lucky for you there are people out their waiting to give you money for your business start-up funding that you, wait for it, don’t have to pay back! Who are these kind people I hear you cry, business angels of course. A business angel is a high net worth, wealthy individual who has already made their fortune through other business ventures. They are often retired individuals who invest their skills as well as capital into new and developing businesses. Business angels invest money into your business that you never have to pay back in return for a growth share of your business.

Business angels typically seek investments that will give them ten times more back than their original investment within five years of your business being active. They invest their own funds and usually invest between ?10,000 and ?750,000.

As well as cash, business angels can offer years of experience in the business world. Although some prefer to become a sleeping partner, others will get actively involved in your business from writing a marketing plan to taking the company through a flotation on the stock market.

Business angels will invest across most industry sectors and stages of business development. They tend to generally look for the following within your business as a basis of whether to go ahead with an investment:

o The expertise and track record of the management

o Your businesses competitive edge or unique selling point

o The characteristics and growth potential of the market

o Compatibility between the management, business proposal and their skills and investment preferences

If you do decide to choose the help of a business angel within your business start-up funding then you must ensure that the angel you choose is right for your business needs. You should choose a business angel that is best suited to the needs of your business.

It is also important to keep in mind that business angels tend to mainly invest locally and within a specialised area.

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Business Finance

On July 18, 2010, In Business, By admin



So you want to start up a new business? You’ve done your research into the existing businesses and checked out your competition whilst gaining some hands on experience along the way. You’re armed with your business plan, outlining your every move from your objectives, strategies, and target market to your financial forecast. There’s just one little hurdle left to leap over, the decision and arrangement of business finance.

More and more businesses and new ventures are failing to get anywhere past the starting line. There are two main reasons why most businesses fail; poor management plans and inadequate business capital, which is why raising money is important in the early stages of a business.

So why is this need for finance so important? As a new business you will need not only a place for your business to be housed in but also all of the necessary equipment that will be needed to make sure your business is running to its fullest. This start up capital will be used to pay for:

o The renting/buying of a premises/office space, which will require payment of three months in advance.

o Any machinery or office equipment

o Business services such as insurance

o The purchase of stock

o Wages and salaries

o Any financial cover you may need while waiting for customers to use your business

In order to gain the correct business finance and to make sure that people will be willing to invest in your business it is essential to have a well structured and developed business plan. It should state how your business will be different from the competition, why people will use your business and how you will supply your customers with what they require. Research has been conducted that has found companies with a structured business plan stating their overall goals and how they plan to move their business towards them make a considerably higher profit than those that don’t.

Most avenues that you chose to go down in order to secure business finance won’t come near your business without this business plan. So what are your options when it comes to business finance? There are many options open to you but that doesn’t mean that all of them are right for you.

One of the first places that people go to for business finance is there bank. Although banks are still the most common form of business finance it doesn’t automatically mean they are the best. All banks vary in terms of what they can offer start-up businesses, so it is important to talk to a number of them before making a decision. Banks will also expect you to put some of your own money into the business; as a new business venture you may not be able to afford this.

Another form of business finance is asset financing. This is a line of credit that is secured by assets such as real estate. So as a new business venture you can use these assets as collateral to obtain capital. However if payments aren’t made your assets may be seized.

An ever popular choice of Business Finance for a new business venture is a business angel. Business Angels are called this because they often save struggling firms with both finance and advice when no one else will. Angel investors understand the needs of a new business through there own experience and are able to advice and aid the companies in many ways. Business angels are successful entrepreneurs or executives. With their skill, luck, careful planning and good management; they have turned many businesses into profitable ones.

Finally there are venture capitalists who are private investors for financing new or growing businesses and even struggling established businesses. Even though they are high risk investments they can offer the potential for above average returns and/or a percentage of ownership of the company.

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Business Finance – Strategic Planning

On June 10, 2010, In Business, By admin



Whether you are starting up your business or expanding it you will need finance in order to do so. This is especially relevant to new businesses that are just starting up. There are numerous avenues that you can approach in order to gain this start up finance and there are many different forms of it open to you; choosing the right finance that will benefit your business most is the important thing.

There is a saying that states ‘it takes money to make money,’ this applies so much to new business ventures. For your business to become a success you will need a large amount of money to start off with that can be used to get your business set up. This money will be used to buy equipment, pay the rent on your business property, employ your staff and ensure that you have enough stock to get your business going as well as being used to pay the first few months of all your bills.

Two of the main reasons why many new businesses fail to get anywhere beyond the starting point are due to inadequate business capital and poor management skills, which is why raising money is so important in the early start-up stages of business.

Some ways in which people choose to fund their business idea is by using savings, but realistically not many of us have that sort of cash tucked away, which is why we require outside help. You could opt to borrow money from friends or family if they have the financial resources to help you or you could take out a credit card for the specific use of funding your business. All of the financial options that are open to you can be split into two sections, either debt finance or equity finance. Debt finance is classified as being money that is borrowed from varies different aspects. This is finance that is required to be paid back.

Some examples of debt finance include:

o Bank loans

o Credit cards

o Overdrafts

o Leasing

o Asset financing

All of these are the borrowing of money in one form or another and they will require monthly repayments that will have added interest. Most people however use their bank as the first call of gaining start up finance regardless of the fact they are going to end up paying more money back.

There are disadvantages and advantages of using a bank loan to fund a new business idea. However the disadvantages of having a bank loan to fund your business start up far out-weigh the advantages. The benefit of using a bank loan for business finance include being able to organise a repayment holiday meaning you only have to pay interest for a certain amount of time and you don’t have to turn over a share of your profit. The disadvantages however are that bank loans have strict terms and conditions and can cause cash flow problems if you are unable to keep up with your monthly repayments. Also bank loans are often secured against assets and you may be charged if you decide you want to repay your loan before the end of your loan term.
The other form of finance; equity finance, is often more overlooked than it should be when in fact equity finance could be just the answer that your business is looking for. The main forms of equity finance come from business angels and venture capitalists. Equity finance is money that is invested into your business in return for a share of the business. With equity finance the advantages out-weight the disadvantages and equity finance is a lot more helpful to small businesses than bank loans are.

Some of the advantages of equity finance include your investor being committed to your business and intended projects, they can bring valuable skills, contracts and experience to your business and they can assist you with strategy and decision making as well as often being prepared to follow up funding as your business grows. Two disadvantages of equity funding are your business may suffer as you are spending time securing your investor deal and the investor will own a share of your business.

The one thing that you must do when choosing your business start up finance is to use a finance option that is most suited to your business needs.

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Filing Your Federal Income Tax Online

On April 16, 2010, In Business, By admin



It’s nearly that time again, when many of us will be filing our federal income tax and hoping for a sizable refund. While filing your federal income tax forms can be a nail-biting experience, receiving a nice tax refund, deposited directly to your bank account can take some of the sting out of it.

Filing your federal income tax online seems intimidating at first, but is actually the fastest and easiest way to file, and you’d be amazed how quickly you can receive your tax refund by filing online. If you’re not exactly a “Internet person,” you may have reservations about filing your taxes online. But never fear, the process is actually much simpler than you might expect, and you will have a full record of your filing and all the necessary paperwork to prove you have properly filed your return.

The decision to accept online income tax returns has helped to streamline the IRS’s operations at tax time. This benefits us as taxpayers in several ways, and the most important of these and that we can receive our tax refund quicker than ever before, and deposited directly into our bank account. Not bad!

In this article we will guide you through a few important tips for filing your federal income tax online. Once you get used to the process, you’ll wonder how you ever managed to file your taxes the “old-fashioned” way. Now, let’s get started.

1. The first step is to locate a tax filing web site to assist you in filing your return online. There are many of these to choose from, and the best among them offer a trial of their services at no charge. It is recommended that you go with a company that offers this free trial so you can determine if the site meets your needs and has proper documentation and online help available. It’s not enough to simply “take their word for it,” but rather, you need to actually use the online service for yourself to be sure you are comfortable with it. That’s why choosing a web site with a free trial program is so important.

2. You also want to find a tax filing web site that has adequate federal tax information readily unavailable on the site. Many tax filing web sites have huge online databases that users can access. Some even offer optional live chat programs, so you can ask your questions directly to a tax expert. These services tend to cost a bit more, but if you are new to the process of filing online, or have a more complicated tax return to file, the live chat option could provide you with the peace of mind you need that your taxes are being correctly prepared.

3. Ease of use is incredibly important online, and nowhere is this more critical than with filing your federal tax return. Look for a web site that has clear, easy to follow instructions, and an interview-type entry form to gather all your pertinent information.

4. If you are receiving a tax refund this year, you will get your money much quicker by having the refund deposited directly into your bank account. Look for web site that offers information about direct deposit tax refunds. The refund itself should be in your bank account 10 to 14 days after you file your electronic tax return. Receiving a refund check, however, can take twice as long in many cases.

Follow these for simple tips to file your federal income tax return online and receive your refund quicker this year.

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Accounting Business Finance Outsourcing – Ensure a Professional Approach

On February 21, 2010, In Business, By admin



Outsourcing is emerging as one of the core strategies by ventures worldwide, with an eye on carving a niche in the competitive markets. It is basically working on a mutual terms according to the contracts signed between companies or individuals to increase the profit base while minimizing the costs. When it comes to accounting business finance outsourcing process, it encompasses accounting functions like payroll, billing and data entry. While some organizations outsource only major services, others prefer to outsource complete operations, including all important information technology and business process outsourcing. The crucial accounting projects involve hiring the service providers which might be both internal and external to complete them within the given deadlines. Here, the contracts signed can involve hundreds or millions of dollars yet there are certain disadvantages as well.

Accounting processes are basically utilized in the financial management. Financial information is processed in these functions and monetary allocations raised are used over a period of time. Organizations nowadays, hire the accounting business finance outsourcing personnel for the same and also in procuring cash amounts owned to it by the customers. Widely termed as factoring, it has gained immense popularity over the years and in this process a company is able to eliminate the waiting period ranging between a month to a quarter. The procedure is further accentuated by sending invoices or bills directly to the clients but comes with a warning though. Accounting business finance outsourcing with the help of factoring procedure can prove to be a useful tool allowing a company to focus its attention to core functions of business development.

The concept of factoring is further explained by a manufacturing company if it is selling cell phones to a large retailer. After the delivery of said stuff, an invoice is sent to the retailer through the factoring firm for payment of the amount. The contract terms and the face value of an invoice require a discount fee which is paid to the manufacturer by the factoring firm. An organization has the advantage of procuring immediate cash through accounting business finance outsourcing process which further helps in meeting the demand supply chain on time. In this case, a retailer pays the factor when the bill is about to be paid to manufacturer. India in this case, is the best outsourcing option for business establishments as far as the beneficial aspects of accounting are concerned. Accounting business finance outsourcing services hired from here fit in perfectly with the demands of any business organization. The standards of work are benchmarks in themselves and the charges are quite compatible with the requirements of a client.

A word of caution should be heeded in this case because of the existence of fraudulent practices in this field. But, this can be avoided with the help of internet which helps in a proper research and checking of the backgrounds before entirely relying on the services of the outsourcing firm. One of the main objectives of accounting business finance outsourcing process is the value creation and organizations worldwide, outsource their finance and accounting functions. India being on the radar of outsourcing services comes top on their factoring list. One of the most popular functions of these services is payroll followed by tax compliance and planning whereby the CEO’s and CFO’s come forward as chief decision makers.

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Finding the Right Business Finance Solution After Business Failure

On January 31, 2010, In Business, By admin



There are thousands of people that start new businesses each year. In fact the United Kingdom is a nation of small businesses, especially within the financial services sector, but of the many businesses that are set up only a small percentage are still in existence after a period of five years.

The fact is that running a small business can be hard work especially in finding the right market, getting and keeping the right staff, finding good suppliers at good prices, and also marketing your product or service effectively. The good thing is that not all businesses fail, but that they survive!

But if your business has hit the rocks do not despair because you are not alone. Ensure that there is nothing that can be done to save it. Take advice from business finance advisers – you could find them in your local phone directory or on the web, and some may provide initial advice at no cost – to see if their expertise can help you get the business up and running again. It’s important to explore all the options before you admit defeat.

If you are convinced that nothing is possible to save your business you might need to look for methods for raising cash. If you’re a director of the limited company your liability will be limited by law, however, you should seek the opinion of a professional such as a lawyer or chartered accountant who is able to inform you exactly where you stand. If you are a sole trader or you have raised money with your property as security, you may need to think about other methods of paying back what you owe.

Business Finance experts guarantees a solution tailored to your specific situation. You can sell your house with the best house selling scheme and once your property is sold you can stay in it and the proceeds from the house sale can be used to pay off, or help to pay off, your business debt. Whatever you decide, explore all the options and take professional advice because the decisions you make now will have a long term affect on you, your business, and your family.

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Business Finance Consulting and Planning Tools

On December 27, 2009, In Business, By admin



Various strategies for cost control will be helpful for most small businesses trying to cope with reduced sales volume. Business planning and consulting are likely to be among the most effective alternatives to help small business owners deal with recent distressed financial conditions.

The need for new business planning tools is rarely a high priority for a company that is not experiencing one or more substantial problems. However even for the most healthy business, contingency plans are advisable. The value of contingency planning for business financing is sharply illustrated by recent examples of banks suddenly eliminating commercial loan programs with little or no advance notice. The level of chaos that currently prevails throughout commercial banking unfortunately means that changes can continue to occur with little warning.

Business consulting will often not be thoroughly considered by small businesses because of the potential cost. As with any any other corporate service, costs cannot be ignored. This is particularly true in the current economic environment because very few businesses have substantial discretionary funds to cover new business expenses. Nevertheless it will sometimes be necessary to spend some money in order to either make money or reduce costs.

The growing need for business consulting and management tools is supported by the disturbing number of changes which have occurred throughout the business world recently. To adequately address many of the complicated changes impacting small business loans and working capital financing, most business owners will not have enough technical skills or information. Many banks have imposed significant fee increases for their commercial finance services, and finding effective (and less costly) alternative business funding services will prove difficult for even the most skilled borrower. While there are some viable business finance options to replace traditional bank financing, these alternatives can seem confusing simply because they are new and different approaches.

Whenever there are complex problems, there are rarely simple solutions. The current difficulties for small business owners are a growing challenge. Similar circumstances have not been seen during the past fifty or more years for most businesses. As a result, even a highly experienced business owner is likely to be missing enough direct experience to make it through the maze of current changes and problems without at least some outside help.

It is likely that the most effective (and realistic) business planning tools will actually be a combination of several approaches undertaken with a coordinated effort. As noted above, complicated problems will usually require complex solutions. This will often translate to a series of business management and planning maneuvers that can take a number of months or even several years to complete. Small business owners should generally avoid any business consulting expert that portrays the problem-solving process as quick and easy.

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Business Finance Careers – Where to Go From Here?

On October 26, 2009, In Business, By admin



When you are looking into getting business finance careers wherever you are located, you can be sure to find all the information on the jobs, and credentials that you need to have in order to fulfill the jobs they have. This can be simple to do if you know where to look, and what you are looking for. The first thing you will want to do is make sure you find a job that you match with.

This means meeting your degrees, potential, and every credential that you have towards the job to the job you are going to apply for. Financial careers may need a lot of knowledge to work in since you might have to work with someone else’s finances, or work on the companies finances that you are applying for the job for. This can be stressful if you are not one hundred percent sure of what you are doing.

This is beneficial if you want to make sure you are doing a good job on the finances that you are working on. Brushing up on your skills is something you should look into if you are unsure of how good you are at what you studied before going in for the interview. Let them know of all your training and qualifications that you have had in school, and let them know that you will be committed to their company if they hire you.

Make sure to dress appropriately for the interview, it is a professional job; you should look professional for it. Not only should you make sure you do your best on the interview, but you should make sure you call to check to see if you have received the job or not after the interview. They will like that you are dedicated to filling the position that they are trying to fill.

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Raising Small Business Finance

On May 1, 2009, In Business, By admin



Raising small business finance isn’t an easy process, particularly in light of the recent credit crunch and the liquidity problems experienced across global financial markets. Of course, that’s now filtering down to small business loans, which are much less easy to come by, particularly at start-up stage. Yet, ironically, getting any business off the ground requires money and a bit of faith from those with the resources to spare.

The Banks

Raising small business finance from a bank is still most likely the path of least resistance to raising funds. Your alternatives are to find a private investor or investors, who will almost certainly be looking for an equity stake in return for their input, and will be far more discerning that the bank in choosing to whom they give their financial backing. This second route is immensely difficult, unless you have a rich family member willing to step in and foot the bill on favourable terms.

Business Plan

If you do intend to raise your small business finance from your bank, you should initially prepare a business plan documenting the fundamentals of your idea, how your business will be run, and how much money you think it will make in the form of cash flow projections, profit and loss statements and other accounting documentation.

Assume Ignorance

Take care to explain every aspect of your business in your plan, and make sure to include conservative estimates on your figures. After all, chances are you’ll start as a small business, and the banks will realise this if you project over ambitious or unrealistic figures. Likewise in covering the details of your business, don’t presume knowledge – the bank manager / investor might not necessarily understand why there’s a need for your particular idea / piece of technology or why it’s any different to what’s currently on the market.

Utilise Your Personal Funds

It is advisable where possible that you make use of any savings or personal funds you may have available. This is not only good to give your business the funding it needs, but also as a sign to potential lenders and investors that you are fully committed to making your idea into a success, given the extent of your personal liability. What’s more, you might also find you already have much of your essential start-up capital available in overdrafts, savings accounts and credit cards. While a risky tactic, it can pay off big time if you’re looking to attract serious financial help for your business.

Private Investors

Finding a private investor is difficult for any small business, and if you’re committed about raising money this way, you’re going to have to do some serious leg work and be prepared to surrender a large slice of your potential business profits. It’s also important to make sure both you and your potential investor know on what terms the partnership between you may come to an end, so the investor can realise his investment and you can continue running your business. Thus it takes planning and hard work, not to mention a great, relevant pitch, if you’re looking to secure funding for your small business from a private investor.

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Recession Business Finance Tactics

On April 30, 2009, In Business, By admin



During tough economic times, finance is a huge challenge for business owners. In the “Going Forward” section of the January ‘09 Entrepreneur Magazine, Mark Hendricks quotes some sobering statistics which frames up the extent of the recession we are experiencing:

– During the Second Quarter of ‘08, 65% of bank senior loan officers stated they recently tightened lending standards for small businesses.

– In August ‘08, 49% of business owners reported cutting back and by October that number grew to 69%.

– Sales Growth for businesses in all sectors fell from an 8% average increase over the last five years to 6% for the year ending October ‘08.

Our best advice to meet the challenges is have a well developed and implemented Business Plan and Financial Strategy which proves your Cash Flow Model and determines which financial sources and structures fit that Model. With your Funding Business Plan, Loan Package and Investment Overview in hand, here are some real world funding options and strategies to consider when Lenders’ purse strings become increasingly hard to access:

1. Networking: Increasing your Networking activities through morning executive breakfast events, trade associations, Chamber of Commerce events and Rotary/ Kiwanis/ Lions Groups can be a great way to find suitable, local, private money. Local investors are much more approachable in hard times as they have a connection and understanding to the area and your track record. Other business owners in these groups, associations and events can be extremely helpful in finding suitable private money.

2. Supplier / Trade Finance: According to Rosalind Resuick, CEO of Axxess Business Consulting, no outside party has a bigger interest in your company’s success than your trade partners and suppliers. Having your supplier as an Equity Partner can be very advantageous when you are having difficulty making payments or want to quickly develop a new market. The participating Equity Stake is assigned to your past trends, present and future orders. Start-up Consultant, Joe Fulvio, suggests your Business Plan “show not only a direct return on investment, but also the value of future business to be gained”. By making your supplier a partner in your business, the supplier is better suited to understand your Finance needs

3. Lease Finance: When times are tough and your cash is tightening, Leasing can be the answer. Small deposit, lower payments and flexibility are often associated with Lease verses Buy Terms. At the end of the lease, you can easily upgrade equipment and roll into the Lease Payments so your out of pocket costs are much smaller than a typical finance loan.

4. Community Bank Loans: Amy Loera, owner of Tio’s Mexican restaurant chain, was denied at nine different banks, for a loan to open a new restaurant, although she ran a very successful business. These Lenders cited the Nation-wide downturn of restaurant sales due to the current recession as the chief reason for the loan declination. There is no doubt a year ago, these banks would have lent to her. Instead of throwing in the towel, Ms. Loera turned to a local, community lender, Arrowhead Credit Union, and she was approved for a $643,000 loan. What was the difference? The Credit Union was based in her business region, and she could make a strong case for the health of her restaurant chain.

Reasons Ms. Loera cited for her success in obtaining her expansion loan:

1. Low overhead costs

2. Reasonable Prices

3. Family-Style restaurants picking up the slack from people by the Fancier establishments in the area.

4. Smaller, localized lenders are typically in better shape during an Economic Downturn

5. Community Banks are more cognizant of the local economy’s health and vitality

6. Larger / Regional / National Banks are more reliant on Credit Scores and cookie cutter Applications. Local Banks rely more on a Business Plan.

7. Niche Market: Suburban market that likes an affordable meal at the end of a busy day

8. Historical Financials showing track record

9. Debt-free

10. 12 month Realistic Projection for the new restaurant

11. Comprehensive Business Plan; every detail about the business

12. Received approval from the Credit Union due to:

a. Experience

b. Existing locations cash flowing well

c. Affordable meals in a recessionary environment

d. Detailed, well-thought-out Business Plan

The Inside Story: What the Local Bank Looks for:

1. Not Credit Score Driven

2. Look behind the scenes of the business

3. Cash Flow is Key: An important indicator of the ability to pay off the loan.

4. Believable, forward-looking Cash Flow Projections for the new business. Realistic Financial Statements.

5. Provide Best & Worst Case Scenarios on your Financial Projections

6. Small, Community Banks assess a business loan on a case by case basis. This is a huge advantage over Regional Bank Loan decision making, especially, in an economic down-turn.

7. In recessionary times, certain industries will be hit harder than others, like Construction Companies or Auto Dealerships; therefore, it is very important to have a well developed Business Plan and a forward looking Strategic Plan that includes a well researched 12-18 month industry outlook, based upon a believable Marketing Plan.

8. Small Bankers can see successful pocket areas in a struggling local economy. These pocket areas often have a Strong Niche Marketing Offering

9. Financial problems are best disclosed to the bank early on so a mutual solution can be implemented

10. Small Banks do loan to Companies showing past financial “hiccups” if they can show they were proactive and overcame the issue

In my next article, I will review what businesses do well in a recession and provide more recession business tactics so you can succeed, despite this lousy economy.

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