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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 Funded.com. If you need to access our network of angel investors or a business plan for start-up funding visit  Funded.com

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The Secret of a Successful Angel Investor

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 Funded.com. it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept. If you need to access a network of angel investors or business plans for start-up funding visit  Funded.com

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Think of Funding When Writing Business Plans

One of the mistakes made during the writing of business plans is treating business funding as if it is a completely separate section with no real relevance to the rest of the plan. In other words, you write your executive summary, business description, market strategies and analyze the competition in a funding vacuum. Then the financial section gets tacked on, and it basically states you need money and here’s how much money you need.

But investors read business plans closely, and they are looking for a particular type of company that fits their requirements.  The words you choose to describe your business and the presentation counts. For example, if you are looking for a business loans from traditional lenders, they are not going to be impressed with hype in the least. You may have the most “stunning” invention ever created that will change the way mankind lives once your product hits the market, but a bank is going to see that kind of claim as marketing hype.

Professional From Beginning to End

Business plans are unique products. They must be interesting, professional and well written while being interesting, entertaining and exciting. That’s not easy to accomplish which is why so many entrepreneurs decide to get professional help writing their plans. Yet one of the most important features that a business plan should have, yet is often overlooked, is funder appeal.

In other words, the funders you plan on appealing to need to be attracted to what you say in your business plan from the beginning all the way to the financing plan.  It’s easy to get carried away while writing because you’re excited about your business and finding startup funding. This can lead to the use of a lot of superlatives that make your business plan look like a lot of hype without substance.

Polish the Product

As a entrepreneur you are not a huckster, so the business plan should not make you look like the equivalent of a snake oil salesman. The business plan that makes a lot of wild promises is not going to attract equity partners. Unsubstantiated claims will not get you approval for business loans. Statements that portray you as a gambler will turn angel investors away.

Business plans should be polished products that are consistently honest and give the right impression throughout the entire document. You can’t write a plan that is sassy and reckless and then expect venture capital funding to be approved because you decide to get serious in the section on financing.

Payment and Plan in Full

Polishing business plans also means making sure the plan is complete. You are in a hurry to get your plan done and to find financing, but a condensed plan won’t get you anything except rejected and especially when looking for startup funding.  Business plans prepared for venture capital firms or equity partners need to contain all of the important information about your business.  The same thing is true for angel investors. If your plan is missing essential information including marketing plan details or financial projections or only summarizes an operational plan, then the assumption will be you have not bothered to work through these details.

The original business plans that entrepreneurs use to find business funding need to be comprehensive plans that are consistent and always keep potential investors in mind. It never pays to skip the details.

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com. it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept. If you need to access a network of angel investors or business plans for start-up funding visit  Funded.com

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A Business Plan Starts with a Mission to Succeed

Business plans are intended to be flexible plans for succeeding, not just surviving, as a company. Yet, according to a famous Harvard professor John Kotter, 70 percent of business initiatives intended to bring organizational change will fail. That is a remarkable figure because it means efforts to adapt to a changing marketplace is failing. There is a barrier between the business plan founded on a mission and the real world.

The setbacks are sometimes one of losing sight of the company mission and weakening to plan. The purpose of the mission statement clearly states what your organization seeks to accomplish, It has a philosophy underlying it that does not change. The mission statement is a reflection of the nature of products or services sold, potential for growth, pricing strategy, customer service, and role in the community, competition and others.

The business plan needs to be developed so that each and every segment drives the business towards fulfillment of the mission. A change of proposal is merely a strategy for keeping the business on track to fulfill the mission. Leading change requires first turning to the mission statement and the business plan. A business that needs to change must be able to write a sense of urgency all through the organization because staying true to the mission statement is needed to succeed. If a change idea is needed, it means the business has gotten off course from its mission and its vision.

The business plan goals and strategies may need to be revised, but that should always be a step in the change process. In fact, business plans can serve as the direction for change as each section, from the Executive Summary to the Financial Statements, are reviewed in light of the need for change. Leadership will identify specific strategies for incorporating change and then communicate the revisions on an organization-wide basis. The change process must be empowering and encompassing, meaning employees at all levels should be embraced as change agents.

Business plans begin with a mission statement and then serve as a living breathing document. Leading organizational change is not always easy, but it can be impossible unless there is buy-in to the mission and the business plan. The strategies used to get that buy-in can vary, but staying on message cannot.

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com. it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept. If you need to access a network of angel investors or business plans for start-up funding visit  Funded.com

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Angel Investors Offer More Than Money

Angel investors are known for investing billions of dollars investing in start-ups and have funded tens of thousands of small businesses. So it’s reasonable that entrepreneurs developing business plans will associate angel investors with money first. Yet angel investors have a lot more to offer business than just financing. They also have entrepreneurial skills, market knowledge and business savvy, which are all assets that new businesses can and should use to their benefit.

Angels spent considerable amount of time in a process called due diligence. They use their knowledge and business analysis skills evaluating business plans with two goals in mind: earn a designated return of investment and limit risk of loss. Investors consult with a number of professionals and get expert advice from a network of attorneys, accountants, business analysts and investor associates. For every entrepreneur initial rejection of funding by potential investor can also be an opportunity. Opportunity to learn from the reason of rejection, the business plan can be perfected for future requests using the information gleaned from the review process.

If the business plan is accepted, many angel investors offer time and advice as well as money. It’s not a case of interfering in the business or its management but rather a case of providing insight based on management and business experience. Most business owners welcome this insight as having enormous value. Angel investors giving feedback, mentoring entrepreneurs and promoting business growth are giving entrepreneurs assets that are at least as valuable as money for business growth. For some businesses, they are more valuable.

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com. it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept. If you need to access a network of angel investors or business plans for start-up funding visit  Funded.com

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Typical Angel Investor? Is there such thing?

Typical Angel Investor

Have you wondered where angel investor come from and what type of people to deal with and present your plan to?  Is  it a Donald Trump type of person – flashy and quite wealthy? Or is it someone more like your neighbour down the street who is quietly amassed a small fortune yet live prudently? The truth is angel investor could be either a person or a group of people.

The stereotype of an angel investor is someone who is a hardened business entrepreneur who has amassed great wealth but is always ready to earn more. Picture someone who is swoops in, evaluates the business plan, does some inquiries and then funds a start up with the expectation of high returns. In reality,  the angel investor may not be  as wealthy as you think but they are financially savvy. Most are still employed but they are looking for a way to grow their money by promoting innovative new business.

Angel investors fill a gap that exists between the venture capitalist and the commercial lender. Venture capitalists and financial institutions lend larger amounts with the former willing to accept high risk and the latter expecting minimized risk. Many angel investors invest smaller amounts of money, $20,000 instead of $200,000, but there are no limits so $500,000 up to $2 million is possible. They don’t want to play an active role in the business, but do have business savvy. Mostly they just want to make money.

Angel investors are also groups of people who pool their money to fund startup businesses. They include investment clubs, professional groups like doctors or lawyers and even other entrepreneurs. The reason there is a bit of mystery surrounding angel investors is simply because they keep a low profile, so are difficult to categorize. What you do know is that they are financially savvy, thorough in their evaluation of businesses and hopeful of earning a high return on their investments. So don’t stereotype angel investors because they can be anyone.

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at Funded.com. it offers expertise and assistance with developing and funding your concept. If you need to access a network of angel investors or business plans for start-up funding visit  Funded.com

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The secret of successful angel investors: Diligence

The secret of successful angel investors: Diligence

Having a lot of money is not the only thing that is needed by someone who wants to be a successful angel investor. While this is definitely a plus, as it allows one to invest in a lot of startups with potential, there is also one other characteristic that all effective angel investors have in common – diligence.

Diligence is one of the traits that are often overlooked, especially those who are new in the field of entrepreneurship. Most people are focused on looking for money as fast as they could. However, as business owners and investors start to gain more experience in their respective professions, they become aware of the importance of things that they used to they do not pay much attention when they are new to the field, such as the importance of diligence.

Diligence is defined as the person’s carefulness and persistence in his chosen career. It came from the Latin word diligere, which means “take delight in” or “to value highly.” Presently, the term is often used to describe the characteristic of working hard for one’s chosen profession.

Diligence plays a huge role in the success of the investor. As already stated, having a lot of money would not guarantee an angel investor’s success but diligence would.

This particular trait is most important for angel investors when selecting a particular business that they would like to invest in. According to experts, the most successful angel investors are those that take time in selecting the businesses that they would invest in.

Angel investors who are new to the business must keep in mind that money is not the only key to success. It should be coupled with the right amount of other traits that will help entrepreneurs in transforming their vision into realities.

The reality is that there is no real recipe that would enable someone to become more diligent in one night. It comes over time but experts advise angel investors not to rush into signing a deal without looking at all aspects of the business plan. This will soon develop into the fitting diligence that all successful angel investors have.

 

 

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

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The Secret of Successful Angel Investors

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 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.Funded.com

 

Copyright2014 Funded.com LLC

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Available Corporate Venture Funds for Business Startups

In recent years, the number of available venture capital funds for business startups that are coming from traditional sources has started to go down. Fortunately, there is a viable alternative – corporate venture funds.

It can be noted that a several multinational corporations have started to allot some of their funds for business startups. Latest data show that roughly around 900 corporate venture funds are currently available for new businesses. Last year, around 16 percent of companies have acquired corporate venture capital, a number that is expected to increase this year.

Corporate venture funds have been available for more than two decades now. But recently, corporations have started to embrace this trend even if it would disrupt the status quo. The reason, they can’t afford not to anything about it.

Several companies have recently declared bankruptcy or have started to vanish because it failed to recognize the changing landscape of the market. For instance, rental company Blockbuster would still be a major player if it recognized startups such as Netflix. This is similar to the case of Kodak. If only it recognized newbies Shutterfly and Instagram, it might have averted declaring bankruptcy.

Fortunately for some companies, they still have time to catch up with the situation. Nielsen, for instance, has already allotted money to fund small investments. Dell is doing the same, maintaining that it will continue investing in startups even with plans for it to be taken private.

Corporate venture capital allows public company to focus on the long term. For instance, American Express Ventures will participate in merger of e-commerce and payments industries. It is also looking for new technologies that could be utilized for the next decade.

If you are an owner of a business startup who is in need of capital, then it is a good idea to look for venture funds from corporations. Securing one would be a good thing, especially since big companies could assure a successful future for your business startup.

More detailed information and useful advice can be found at 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. Funded.com

 

 

Copyright Funded.com LLC 2013

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Guidelines For Successful Postings

Guidelines For Successful Postings

Rules and Guidelines For Successful Postings

Posting your Funding request is essential part of raising capital as creating your Business Plan. In order for you to get the funding you should be able to catch the eyes of the investors. Here are some tips you can follow to attract Investors and funding providers.

Title. Make your title attractive this is the first section our investors will see. Include the title of your business or invention. Make it enticing and give them something they want to hear and continue reading to your letter.

Posting. Write a short summary of your Business idea or Invention that will catch investor’s attention. Make it 2 to 3 paragraph short and make it concise and simple. Avoid too much information and do not copy and paste your Executive Summary. Your posting is not to be confused with a chat or blog. You are selling you and your business to investors and funding providers to raise capital and any posting that is not about your business is not allowed. Remember, concise and to-the-point.

Attach your Business Plan or Executive Summary. If you are looking for an Angel Investor or Venture Capital make sure you attach your Business Plan don’t wait for the investors to ask your Business Plan. Remember your Business Plan is the eye view of your business/invention.  If you don’t have a Business Plan yet at least upload an executive summary.  (You can use the Free Executive Summary template available upon creating your membership). This will give the investor the immediate reaction that you are serious in getting funds.

Private or Public posting. We have two ways of posting your request either public or private post. If you publically post be aware that everyone who not a member of funded.com will see your postings. While private posting only our registered investors and funding providers can see your funding request.

Avoid Personal Information. Even though we pre-screen funding providers, it is an ever increasingly large group and it is ultimately up to you to protect yourself from anyone saying who they are not and promptly reporting any concerns to us. Therefore we suggest not putting your email or telephone number on a public post. Private postings may not have the traffic like a public posting but is limited to our investor network that is viewing your funding request. Keep in mind that if there are investors that are interested in knowing your business venture they can always email you via funded.com and you will receive an email notification on your personal email if they replied on your posting.

Be patient for responses give some time to our investors to see your request. If you are not getting any responses try to re-write or revised your posting. You may also call us and we can look at your posting and give you tips for success.  Try to be more creative and remember you want to create interest in your business or idea and sometime it takes time for investors and funding providers to notice you, especially the right one that will fund you.