Dealing with investors: What to do before and after close?
Private equity investors are considered as one of the most important people for those who want start or expand their respective businesses. After all, the amount capital that they provide and the way these are handled are among the factors that make or break a startup.
Unfortunately, a number of entrepreneurs think that dealing with private equity investors are limited to the period when the company or business is raising funds. Some believe that once the funding round has closed, the money will fall any time regardless of how they transact with the partners that signed a deal with them.
The reality is far from this misconception. Instead of forgetting about the investors who pledged to provide funds for the business once the money had been transferred, entrepreneurs must keep in mind the significance of giving importance to these people. After all, entrepreneurs would not want the investors pulling out the money in a middle of a crucial project.
Here are some tips on how entrepreneurs should deal with investors before and after the close of the funding round:
Before the close:
Once of the most crucial things that the entrepreneur must do during the funding round is to find the appropriate investor for the company. This would depend on the type of business that he or she is into. There are investors who prefer medical-related companies, while others want information technology startups, among others.
Regardless of the type of business, entrepreneurs must find a private equity investor, or those who understand the risks of investing in the nature of the business. This would mean that the investor is willing to let go of his or her money for seven years, and put it in a rather risky and illiquid asset.
To counter the risks, the entrepreneur must explain to the potential investor the positive side of the investment – for instance the high rate of return for the successful ones.
Perhaps the most important advice for the entrepreneur is to find an investor who shares the vision of the company. This is highly relevant as it would help in the growth of the business.
After the close
Once the agreement between the entrepreneur and the investor has been signed, the former must continue to look after the latter. This is necessary as it increases the possibility of future contributions from the said investor.
“Taking care” of the private equity investor does not take much. The business owner just has to provide regular updates – whether monthly or quarterly – to keep the investor on the loop. Likewise, requests must be kept reasonable and thoroughly explained. This will surely get the business owner on the good books of the investors.
Dealing with partners, especially private equity investors, is not an easy task. However, doing this the right way will ensure the continuous flow of support for the business.
Secret to Finding Angels Investors: Great Business Plan
One of the most daunting tasks for business startup owners is finding an angel investor who would be willing to finance the bulk of the company’s expenses. And while there are a lot of possible investors out there, the number of people competing for these opportunities is also huge.
In fact, some information regarding investments showed that less than 10 percent of business startups in the United States get the nod of the most sought after angel investors in the land. This figure, however, should not discourage business owners who are competing for some financial support from investors. After all, one in every ten applicants gets the nod of an angel investor.
The question, therefore, is how will a business owners ensure that they will be the one who will get the coveted nod of an angel investor? The answer is simple – a good business plan!
While angel investors take into consideration a number of things, one of the most important criteria that they look at is the business plan. Thus, having a well polished plan is something that business startups need to have, especially if they want to secure the support of an angel investor.
There are a number ways to come up with an investor-ready business plan. But one of the first things that the entrepreneur must look at is the actual idea for the business.
Ideas should not be the one-paragraph description of what the entrepreneur wants the business to be. Rather, it should be as detailed as possible so that it covers items such as the target market, marketing strategy, capital allocation, and return of investment for possible business partners.
Having a detailed business idea is a good start into coming up with a business plan. This will assure possible investors that you are serious with the business and are not just toying around with the idea.
Ideas are one thing, but detailed understanding of the things that would have to be done to make the idea a real thing is another. Angel investors prefer the latter.
Once, would-be business owners have a detailed idea regarding the comings and goings of the proposed business, then this is the good to time come up with a good business plan.
Business plans are actual documents that detail a number of things that angel investors want to see. In addition to description of the proposed business, the plan should also include a step-by-step process on how the objectives and vision of the company will achieve.
It is necessary for the business plan to be detailed, but not long enough to bore the angel investors to death. Moreover, it should be written in a way that the investors will understand its contents.
Having a good business plan is a good way to attract angel investors. Therefore, business owners must thrive to come up with something that will entice possible partners to enter into an agreement with the company.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright 2014 Funded.com LLC
The Secret of Successful Angel Investors
Having a lot of money to support potential start-ups is not the only thing an angel investor needs to be successful. While entrepreneurs often think that the only thing an angel investor invests in his or her ventures is the money, the reality is that there are more than just meets the eye.
There is no denying that money is an important element in the job of an angel investor. However, this is not the only one – he or she needs due diligence in selecting a potential business partners.
Diligence is defined as a person’s carefulness and persistence in his or her job or work. It came from the Latin term diligere, which literally means “to value highly” or “take delight in.” But in English, it usually means working hard or doing everything for the job in hopes for a successful career.
This kind of characteristic and personality is important for angel investors. Generally, would-be entrepreneurs simply think of angels as those who have a lot of money which they can use to fund start-ups, the truth is that they are perhaps the most terrifying people for business startups owners. Angels succeed because of their diligence – or more descriptively, being able to train hard eyes to entrepreneurs and make them sweat while doing their pitches or presentations.
More importantly, successful angel investors simply do not stop after scrutinizing the presentations of potential partners. He or she should not stop until the business is actually well established. Angel investors must be able to point out weaknesses on the business plan, as well as put out suggestions for the good of the business.
Unfortunately, not every angel investor has this kind of diligence. There are some who are really good in selecting potential business startups, but fail to assist its owner from achieving success. This situation is not good, both for the entrepreneur and investor themselves.
Some experts said that a number of angel investors simply think that having a lot of money will make a successful business. It is not, as angel investors are expected to help the business owners in transforming their vision and putting everything written in paper into tangent realities.
The truth is that there is no recipe for the “due diligence” needed by angel investors. The idea is very broad, and its execution will have to depend on the situation and relationship between the angel investor and the entrepreneur.
In the end, what angel investors must remember is that money will not be able to buy them success. Diligence does. Having this kind of trait is the secret of successful angel investors, and everyone who invests in business startups with potentials need to have this to ensure a good future.
This is true for business startup owners, who often think that money is everything. It is not. Entrepreneurs must find diligent angel investors who would be able to help them turn their dreams of having a successful business into a reality.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2014 Funded.com LLC
The secret behind the success of small businesses
People often think that having a small business is a difficult venture and while this is generally true to some degree, it must be emphasized that there are people who actually think of their small businesses as some sort of their pastime activity. This might be considered as a secret behind the most successful businesses.
The reality is that success of a business is relative to the level of passion of its owner. There are those whom people call “passionpreneurs,” who used their love for some things and transformed this into a small business.
For instance, there are people who love greeting cards who decided to start their own greeting card store. There are also those who love animals, and decided open pet shops to earn from what they like to do. These kinds of ventures hit two birds in one stone – establishing a small business and doing what the things the entrepreneurs love.
Unfortunately, having a passion and transforming it into a viable venture will not be as easy as it sounds. There are things that have to be addressed in order for the small business to become profitable and successful. Here are some things that a prospective entrepreneur will have to think about if he or she decides to turn his or her passion into a small business:
The Product
This is the most important thing that one has to think about when starting a business. For those who love greeting cards, it’s easy to think about the product – the greeting cards themselves.
But what about those who are passionate about other stuff like animals? Will the business sell animals, or offer services for pets? This is perhaps the most important question that a would-be entrepreneur will have to ask his or herself. After all, the product is the most important thing for a small business.
Marketing
Business is about engaging other people to avail of the product or service. And while there may be a handful of people who are also passionate about the idea of animals or greeting cards, there is also a need for the business owner to engage other “less passionate” customers to look into business. This is where marketing comes in, and it asks the question: How will you encourage other people who are not as passionate as you are to pay for your product or service?
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2014 Funded.com LLC
Important Things to Consider Before Starting a Business
Profit is considered by many as one of the most important things that drive people to establish business startups. After all, businesses would not be considered as such if they fail to provide their owners with income that could ensure its continuous operations.
Despite its importance, however, people who are thinking about starting their own businesses must think about other things. It must be emphasized that the profit is just one of the many aspects that business owners have to consider before establishing their startups.
Here are some of the things that potential business owners must also think about before committing into something that could make or break a person’s career:
Reasons for establishing a business
People establish businesses because they want to earn a profit. However, there should be other reasons that could support a person’s decision to enter the world of entrepreneurship. It is often said that successful entrepreneurs are those who do not focus much attention on profit, but rather on the fulfillment brought about by the business.
Moreover, a person must also think about the reasons for choosing a particular type of business – would it focus on the field of medicine, or perhaps services that could improve people’s lives? Thinking about these things would ensure that the business would follow a right track to success.
More importantly, the would-be entrepreneur must think about his or her endgame. What is his or her ultimate goal for the business – to expand in the future and head the company until the end of time, or sell it once it’s profitable enough for the partners? Thinking about this also sets the right path for the entire business.
Resources
A person’s drive to establish a business – while an important element when it comes to entrepreneurship – is not enough if the owner wants a successful startup. Aside from the drive and conviction, there are other more tangible things that potential owners must think about before starting a business.
These include financial capital, enough human resources, and even the right amount of consumers in a specific target market.
Once these things are determined, the next question must be asked: Where will I get this? This is particularly true when it comes to money. While there are cases when friends or relatives shell out to support a business startup, this is not particularly true for everyone. A good way to solve the problem of having financial support is by looking into potential investors who would be happy to partner with business plans that exhibit promise of success.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2013 Funded.com LLC
Four ways to secure the nod of angel investors
Securing an investment from an angel investor is considered as one of the most difficult aspects of establishing a business startup. For many, this is even harder than coming up with a good idea for a successful business venture.
Fortunately, there are numerous angel investors out there who can provide financial support to business startups that have potential to make it big in the market. But for entrepreneurs, the common problem is not finding them. Rather, they have a hard time securing the nod of these angel investors. Here are some ways to improve an entrepreneur’s pitch in order to be able to secure investments from angel investors:
Know the audience
A business pitch should vary depending on the character of the potential angel investor. Entrepreneurs should not rely heavily on a “standard pitch” and develop something that could connect more to the possible partners. A pitch should vary depending on various factors such as age, gender, background, and knowledge on the specific market, among others.
Be in charge
Business owners must show to their potential angel investors that they are the ones in charge of the startup. One can get the trust – and later on the deal – by showing that he or she can effectively manage the business to make it successful. In order to do this, business owners must show their expertise on the market as well as exude confidence that the venture will succeed.
Entrepreneurs, however, are cautioned not to show too much confidence on the business. After all, potential angel investors prefer realistic figures over imaginary ones.
Present relevant information
During presentation of business pitches, a number of business owners often start by presenting too much information as regards the market and the business operations itself. Most of the time, this approach is seen as a move that often ends the potential deal. Rather than presenting too much information, entrepreneurs must stick to basic data that will inform angel investors about the market and keep them interested.
Among these data include the current status of the market, as well as the basic figures concerning the business such as the capital and potential revenue in a matter of years.
Be practical
Finally, business owners must keep it practical when presenting before potential angel investors. While it is necessary to inform them of the business operations, going through every single detail of the business is not an appropriate content for a pitch. Instead, entrepreneurs should just highlight the said information and ask the potential partners if they want to know more about this.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2013 Funded.com llc
3 Ways to Gain Investors for Business Startups
There are a lot of things that business owners have to think about when establishing a startup. However, nothing is more important and challenging than finding investors who are willing to listen to a pitch and possibly provide funding for business startups.
Unfortunately for entrepreneurs, finding an investor is not an easy task. Sometimes, one has to talk to at least fifty persons just to find someone who is willing to provide capital for the business startup. The number is even higher in case of startups that focus on special fields such as medicine, among others.
Despite this challenge, there are a number of resources that could help a potential million-dollar business reach the top. Here are some things that could help a business startup owner attract investors:
Establish Social Media Presence
There are a number of social media sites on the Internet that could help an entrepreneur find an interested investor. Having a profile in such sites makes it easier for investors to understand your business and gain their possible trust for a partnership. Browsing through other profiles can also help business owners establish connection to a number of investors who are based in other areas.
Create a List of Possible Investors
The problem with neophyte business owners is that they usually think that all investors are interested in what they have to say. This is not true. In fact, the possibility of getting an investor on board is highly dependent on their interests.
So as not to waste time pitching to someone who is not interested, a business owner must create a strategic list of people who are known to be interested in the kind of business that they are planning to start. Entrepreneurs must keep in mind that some investors only put money on specific fields such as medicine or information technology. Knowing the interests of the investors will surely remove some of the time that has to be spent looking for financial support.
Maximize Networks
Securing an investment requires a lot of trust on the part of both the investor and the business owner. This is usually a problem for owners because some investors would refuse their proposals out right because they don’t know them
In order to avoid this frustrating situation, business owners are advised to use their connections to get acquainted with a potential investor. Having someone introduce you to a possible partner is a good way to get his or her approval. This is clearly much better than having to introduce a business without the support of a network.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2013 Funded.com LLC
Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Must Avoid When Pitching to Investors
Very few entrepreneurs are given a chance to pitch their businesses to investors. Unfortunately, not everyone who gets a chance to talk with potential source of financial support receives positive response. The reason: they often commit mistakes when pitching their business startups.
Here are some of the most common mistakes that business owners do when pitching their companies to potential investors.
Long elevator pitches
Elevator pitches are called as such because they are expected to be short – around a minute, which is the average length of a person’s ride in an elevator. And despite being called the “elevator pitch,” there are other instances when business owners are required to be brief when introducing their companies to possible investors. These include chance meetings in cocktail parties, meetings, or even introductions between common friends.
Such cases, which often happen in informal settings, are not boardroom meetings. And while investors may be interested in the pitch, talking about it for more than a minute or two is not appropriate. Doing so may put a bad impression on the part of the investor, therefore losing a possible deal.
Business owners must keep in mind that they should save the talk during an actual pitch.
Long presentations
During the actual presentation of the business, PowerPoint presentations are often considered as God-send tools. It provides the people around the room some visual information that could pique their interest on the topic being presented.
However, business owners must keep in mind that PowerPoint presentations are used as support and are not meant to be the star of the show. Therefore, entrepreneurs must be able to limit the length of the PowerPoint presentation so as not to bore potential investors.
These people want business owners to talk about their business startups and not just read from a prepared presentation.
Made-up proposals
Business owners want to impress potential investors. However, putting wrong information on the investment proposal, for instance blowing up the exit figures to impossible proportions, often raise eyebrows of investors.
Entrepreneurs must remember that investors value business owners who present them with the reality more than those who make-up information just to impress them.
Early discussion on valuation
Investors often turn their backs on business owners who start they pitches with valuation. Before doing so, business owners are expected to introduce first the business and its operations. Investors are there to provide money, but they would rather hear about the business first before getting information on the valuation which is, technically, their expertise. There is no need to walk them through on this process.
These are just some of the things that business owners must avoid when pitching their businesses to their potential investors. Following this would make them one step closer to getting some financial support.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2013 Funded.com LLC
How to Prepare Business Startups for Disasters?
Disaster preparedness should always be on the priority list of business start-up owners. Unfortunately, not all entrepreneurs out there seem to understand that everything can disappear in a matter of seconds during the onslaught of a powerful hurricane or tornado or floods.
The latest Small Business Disaster Survey showed that 74 percent of small businesses in the United States do not have recovery plans in case disasters damage a portion of the company. What’s more surprising is that 84 percent of small businesses do not have natural disaster insurances, and that 71 percent of these companies do not even have generators.
The possible cause of this phenomenon is the fact that around 76 percent of small business owners in the United States have never been affected by a major natural disaster. And while it is reassuring that not everyone is going to be devastated by a hurricane or tornado in the next few years, the reality is that the number of major weather events that hit the country is continuously going up.
Data from the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration showed major weather events (those inflicting damage of at least $1 billion) has increased from around two per in the 1980s to around 10 per year in 2010. More alarming is the data showing that 65 percent of businesses operating in the US are located in areas that have a high risk of getting ravaged by a natural disaster.
With this, it is only fitting for small and large business owners to invest in good disaster recovery plans to mitigate the possible harsh effects of natural weather disturbances to the companies. Some believe that “disaster recovery plans” are unnecessary expenses for businesses that need to limit its financial burden in order for it to survive. This is not a true claim.
Creating a plan does not need a lot of money. In fact, business owners can develop their own using information that they can get from the Internet or other sources. Planning does not have to be very extensive, but rather a concrete precaution in case of disasters.
Such plans should include the creation of back-up files in strategic locations in case a disaster destroys the original ones in the main office. Having a back-up power source is also a good idea, especially for businesses that rely on technology and machinery.
An alternative “home base” must also be established or conceived in case the main office becomes unavailable due to disasters. The plan should also talk about basic evacuation plan for employees in case an abrupt disaster strikes while everyone is in the middle of production.
No one wants to experience a disaster destroying his or her business. However, having a plan to address this issue is always better than having nothing at all.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2013 Funded.com LLC
Splitting Equity Equally among Founders, Is it the right decision?
Splitting private equity among the founders of small businesses may seem an easy task. After all, it is widely accepted that founders – and even just the pioneers behind a successful business – deserve equal shares in the company’s equity. Or are they? Some experts believe that equally splitting the equity among the founders is not really the best decision that entrepreneurs can have.
Splitting the equity equally seems fair for those involve. Actually, it is. But fairness should not be the only thing that matters when it comes to equity and revenue discussions. There are possible scenarios that founders must think about when discussing about the sharing of equities. Among these scenarios, one expert notes, is the possibility that someone from the group of pioneers would back out and leave the group. Why give him people equal shares of the equity if they will just leave the business after a few months?
The role of the people involved in the business is also crucial. Consider this scenario: Marco has a business idea and he decides to share this to Paul. Later on, the two of them decide to establish a business based on Marco’s idea.
During the establishment phase, Marco and Paul realize that they need money to finance the operations of the business. To solve this, they decide to contact their friend Anna to ask for some capital. Anna agrees to provide money for the business on the condition that she will be considered a “founder” of the business.
The question is, would it be fair to split the equity equally between Marco, Paul and Anna? Paul would definitely agree to the proposal, but it may seem unfair for Marco and Anna.
Marco was the one who had the idea, and it was Anna who provided the capital for the business All Paul did was to agree with the idea and probably help in convincing Anna to fund the business.
Unless Paul did something relevant for the company (such as managing the manpower or using his networks to help in the actual formation of the business), it may seem inappropriate to give him an equal share of the equity.
Founders of small business often have personal relationships prior to the creation of the business. However, entrepreneurship is a professional field, and people should understand that partnership should always be prioritized over personal ties.
Instead of looking into the years of friendship or familial ties, co-founders of the business should look into the professional aspects of the company when they are deciding on equity split.
Some of the factors that should be considered include the business idea, the intellectual property, the capital, time, opportunity cost, and expertise of the person on the industry where the business is a part of.
More detailed information and useful advice can be found at http://www.funded.com Created by Mark Favre, it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept, including a private forum for queries and discussions. If you need access to investors and funding providers, please do check our website.http://www.funded.com
Copyright2013 Funded.com LLC
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