When you first start a company it's almost a guarantee you need to raise money. Unless of course you have a sufficient amount of capital, then you can focus on other areas. This money pertains to obtaining a business location, manufacturing the product, buying materials, stock and equipment, marketing and advertising, legal help, financial records, and various other parts to owning your own business. Then of course when you get off the ground, you need more money to stay afloat during the infancy stages.
It all revolves around your business plan, which is essential to setting up a company. It will give you an inside look of what your money needs are, and the strategies you will use to raise the capital. It's possible you will use this to persuade potential investors, or even get some type of funding for your company. This means it's important to have your financial calculations in check before you start.
Unfortunately most people believe they can stick to their plans and only borrow the absolute minimum. The only problem is many things will arise when you least expect it, which can cause several issues. So it is in your best interest to include a contingency element in your financial request. If you can do that now and have some safeguard money set up in your original plan, your investors won't be as concerned. However, if this is the move you make later on down the road it's most likely that your request will be rejected.
Are you wondering how much money you should request? It's something that all start up business owners worry about in the beginning. The recommendation here is to meet them somewhere in the middle. You don't want to undercut your own financial needs, but at the same time you don't want to look as though you are too greedy. When you do get your investment money, just make sure you keep your costs to a minimum and invest the money wisely. This will allow you to hold back some for security reasons if you need to stay afloat. The most important thing is that your calculations in the business plan will have to be credible.
We all raise money differently and sometimes not from professional business investors or high street banks. The way you decide to raise capital will depend on your particular circumstances. If you need help, here's some information on a few different sources of funding.
Your Own Money- even though many people won't be able to do this, it's one of the least stressful situations to starting up a business. It means you don't have to worry about owing anyone money, but just making sure the business is successful. When you're not responsible to any other interested parties, you have more freedom over what you can do. On the flip side of things, you're putting up a lot of personal risk. What it comes down to is you could actually lose everything. Keep in mind you may have taken out a secured loan which increased your mortgage and various other parts of your personal life. Plus, personal borrowing rates usually have a much higher interest repayment rate.
People You Know- if you don't have your own money and need to go elsewhere, family and friends are great place to start. Often times they will be more willing to give you money then external lenders or investors. Keep in mind that still involves a high level of personal risk, and added stress to you and your family or friends. The best thing to do is to treat it as a formal business arrangement and make sure the terms and conditions are clear. This way you protect both interests so that there are no misunderstandings between all parties.
The Bank- once you've passed the first few thresholds it's time to consider the bank. If you look at all the high street lenders you can find a variety of different packages in which one of them will meet your needs. Unfortunately, if you take this route you're going to have to provide a sales pitch in order to get your money. Then of course you also have to consider your personal financial circumstances, which may mean you need to provide some sort of security.
Don't Just Go to your Own Bank- even though the first thought is to only go to your bank, it's possible another one will be willing to lend you money. In the beginning just taking this route will give you practice on the routine. The idea here is to go to other banks first if you feel as though you have a strong relationship and get financial history with your own bank. You may think this doesn't make sense, but going elsewhere first will allow you to build a perfect presentation and develop your own persuasive skills for when you do give it to your bank. If things don't go your way, it is possible a government program is out there ready to help you. A great example of this is the Department of Trade and Industry, which offers a Small Firms Guarantee. In this scenario there is a 75% borrowing amount to the lender as a security guarantee. On your side of things you have to pay an annual fee to the Department of Trade and Industry. The cost can be up to a quarter of 1,000,000 pounds over a ten-year period.
Outside Investors- sometimes you have to go to the private investors if you want to build a successful business. These are rich professionals who offer a huge capital for a large profit and dividends when the company begins to make money. The best part about outside investors is that they do not expect money until you start making it. Another important part to outside investors is they can offer viable guidance to push you in the right direction. Sometimes this is a great option for many individuals. Often times businesses taking this route will look much more attractive if you have capital to back it up. Keep in mind though the investors will have a level of influence and decision-making within your company. So even though your company will be protected, you won't have the same kind of freedom like many of the other options above. Plus, when you turn a profit it will be divided amongst everyone who has invested in your company. This means it may take longer for you to actually start earning a personal profit. In order to attract these individuals you have to come up with a good business case to attract them.
Government Schemes- more and more today we hear about all the various government schemes that can help you create capital for your business. You'll find low-cost loans and grants out there, but you eventually have to do your research to find the best places out there. It all starts with your local business enterprise Center, the Chamber of Commerce, or some local council they can give you the advice you need. These loans have reasonable rates, and if you get a grant you won't have to pay it back. Keep in mind these incentives are given to certain types of businesses in more specific areas. Hopefully you can find one that is specifically designed for your business if you take this route.
What it comes down to is that no matter which one you choose you will have to have a very strong business plan. Most importantly, you will have to practice your skills and provide a convincing case to anyone you want to invest in your company.
We recommend keeping it clean, crisp and sharp. It's important to use a business-like typeface, as well as spreadsheets to create appealing graphics. Before you jump into an interview process, we also suggest having someone look it over and check for mistakes. In order to look professional you have to print it on good paper and hold it together through the presentation folder or some sort of binding.
Don't Just Plan to Read Out your Business Plan- one thing to understand is that you have to do more than read your proposal aloud. You want to provide a slick presentation that offers a strong argument for your case. The best way to do this is to write it down and go over it several times in front of a mirror. If you get nervous in front of people, ask family and friends to watch your presentation. Tell them to be a critic so you can polish it up to be perfect when you sit in front of a potential investor. It's all about confidence and in order to get this you have to practice. Once you're able to understand your plan inside and out, which includes the figures, you'll be able to stand tall with your argument. Last but not least, make sure you consider the types of questions you're investors or lenders will ask so that you can be convincing with your answers. If you do all these things you will be able to get the capital you need to fund your new business.
You'll almost certainly need to raise money to start up your company, unless you already have sufficient capital yourself. The typical costs of starting up are in obtaining premises, manufacturing your product if you have one, buying materials, stock or equipment, marketing and fees for external consultancy such as legal help, accountancy etc. Then when you're off the ground, you'll need working capital to keep you afloat in the gaps between paying your own invoices and receiving payment from customer invoices.
Again, your business plan is essential at this stage of setting up your business. In it you will already have scoped out what your money needs are and how you plan to raise the capital, and you'll be using it to persuade potential investors and lenders of the benefits of funding your company. Your financial calculations in your business plan therefore need to be thorough and accurate and presented with confidence.
Everyone expects that they'll be able to stick to their plans and only need to borrow the absolute minimum, but more often than not something unexpected crops up to throw a spanner in the works. It therefore makes good business sense to include a contingency element in the amount you request. It's better to do that now and have the extra cash as a safeguard than it is to have to return to your lender or investor not far down the line to ask for more money. If it wasn't in the original plan they are likely to be concerned about your financial ability and your request may be rejected.
How much money should you request? This question worries all start-up business owners. You want to make sure you have enough to keep you going without struggling, but how much will your investors or lenders be prepared to give? Most experts would advise that you should pitch somewhere in the middle - don't leave yourself short by requesting the minimum, but at the same time don't be greedy (and lazy) in asking for too much. You want to keep costs to a minimum and invest your money wisely in your company, while still having the security of a little extra for backup if required. What you borrow should give you a realistic challenge for your business but should not be too risky. And back up your calculation with evidence in your business plan - it has to be credible.
People raise money for their company in many different ways, not always from professional business investors or high street banks. How you raise your capital will depend on your business needs and your own circumstances. Here's some information on various different sources of funding.
Your own money - if you have enough cash to spare, putting up your own money for the business means you don't have to be in debt to anyone. It will also give you full freedom over the running of your company as you won't be responsible to any other interested parties. On the other hand, you're risking a lot personally by investing your own cash and you could lose it all - and not just your business, but perhaps also your home if you obtained the money by taking out a secured loan or increased your mortgage, for example. You should also be aware that personal borrowing rates often have much higher interest repayment rates than business deals.
People you know - if they have anything to spare, family and friends are often more willing to give you cash than external lenders or investors. Again, though, there is a high level of personal risk, both for your family or friends who could lose money, and for you - it can cause relationship tensions. If you do take money from family or friends, treat it as a formal business arrangement as you would with external funding and agree clear terms and conditions. You want to protect both your interests and ensure that there are no misunderstandings.
The bank - high street lenders usually have a variety of different packages and there's usually something to meet everyone's requirements. You'll have to do a sales pitch to get your money though, and depending on financial circumstances you might also be required to find a guarantor or provide some sort of security. Don't just go to your own bank - look around for a good deal and do your pitch to various lenders. If nothing else, it will give you good practice! If you think you might have more of a chance of obtaining money from your own bank where you already have a strong relationship and good financial history, then don't put it first on your list of visits - present your case to a few different lenders first to hone your presentation and persuasion skills to a tee! Even if you can't find a lender to give you money, there is a government programme that may be able to help. The Department of Trade and Industry offers a Small Firms Loan Guarantee, in which it offers three quarters of the borrowing amount to the lender as a security guarantee. In return, you must pay an annual fee (which will be a small percentage of the remaining loan amount) to the Department of Trade and Industry. Up to quarter of a million pounds can be borrowed over a maximum 10-year period.
Outside investors - often referred to as 'business angels', private investors are rich professionals, often successful entrepreneurs themselves, who are able to offer a great deal of capital in return for an expected large profit and dividends when the company starts to make money. The advantage of obtaining finance from an investor rather than a lender is that they will not expect any financial returns until your business is turning a profit. Also, as successful business owners themselves, they can be a valuable source of advice to guide you in the right direction with your company. A combination of investment and lending might be a good option. Your business will seem a much more attractive and secure prospect to lenders if you already have a sum of capital to back it up. Investors will no doubt have a level of influence and decision-making power in your company, though. Most will want to be kept informed of what is going on - they will want to protect and develop their investment, of course, so you will have a responsibility to them. Also, when you start to turn a profit, it will be divided among everyone who has invested so you won't get the full whack. Finally, you'll need to put forward a very good business case to attract an investor - these are very wise, shrewd and experienced entrepreneurs.
Government schemes - there's a whole raft of options available to small business owners from the government and local authorities in the form of low-cost loans and grants - in fact far too many to mention here. Your local business enterprise centre, chamber of commerce or local council will be able to advise on what options are available for your type of business. The loans are usually offered at very reasonable rates and grants are of course non-repayable (although competition can be tough). Such incentives are often given to certain types of businesses in certain industries located in certain areas, particularly in areas that are being regenerated and in fields such as science, research or engineering.
In conclusion, the key message is that however you get the money you need for your business, you'll need a very strong business plan - and you'll need to practise your skills of presenting to ensure you make a good impression and a convincing case.
The presentation of the document itself is also important. Keep it clean, crisp and sharp. Use a business-like typeface, use colours sparingly and use spreadsheets to create neat graphics. Have someone else look over it for you when it's done to check for mistakes. Print it on good paper and hold it together in a presentation folder or comb binding.
Don't just plan to read out your business plan - people can do that for themselves. Turn it into a slick presentation with a strong argument for your case. Write down what you want to say and rehearse it several times - in front of a mirror at first and then to family or friends. Confidence is key and this will come with practice. Ensure that you know the details of your plan inside out, including the figures. You don't want the facts to trip you up. It's also a good idea to consider what questions investors or lenders might ask and how you can answer them confidently and convincingly.
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