It’s no secret that raising capital to grow business or invest in property is hard. Traditional lenders are requiring one to jump through more hoops, and they are applying less attractive terms after all the jumping is over. Private lenders and investors are more cautious and have moved forth their standards, as well. What’s a business woman to do? we are among those people who make our world better! Many of those wonderful things that surround us today were created because of our dreams, hard work, and efforts. And your input is worthy of respect.
And if the following information helps anybody to become even more successful then It would be known that we did not waste our time. .
It’s Simply Common (Business) Sense
It’s actually not the mystery that many make it out to be. More than anything, good common business sense always prevails. It’s often said that the key to raising capital is a person’s ability to sell. Selling is a crucial skill for any entrepreneur. When it comes to raising capital, the question is “What are you selling?” In other words, what is the lender or investor looking for?
The key to raising money, whether it’s to start or expand the business or to purchase and operate a rental property, comes down to four factors.
- The Project
- The Partners
- The Financing
- The Management
if you can show a prospective lender or investor that you have command over these four pieces of the puzzle, then selling will not be an issue, and you will attract more money than you thought possible.
The Overall ‘Want’ of a Lender or Investor
The what-I-want umbrella covering any deal an investor is considering is that she wants a healthy return on her investment. If I give you X amount of money, then how much money will I get back? That’s the overall want of an investor.
Let’s take a closer look at the four key factors:
- The project:
What is the project the lender or investor is providing you capital for? If it’s your business, then what exactly is your business? What makes your business unique from others in your industry? And what is the advantage your business has that will build the investor’s confidence? What will make it successful? Keep it simple. Keep it concise. Keep it real.
- The partners:
Who are the key partners behind the project? Who is putting the deal together? What is the track record of the partners, and what experience do they have. Put yourself in the investor’s shoes for some perspective. It’s not rocket science. It’s common business sense. The experience the partners bring to the table and how comfortable the investor is with their level of expertise are what will drive any investor’s decision.
- The financing:
Show me the real numbers. This is obviously a bit trickier for a startup company because most of the revenue numbers will be projected numbers, not actual numbers. This is where previous experience can overcome that obstacle. Show the investor, as accurately as you can, how the project–be it a business or an investment–will make money. Be realistic. As an investor, I do not want to see the best-case scenario. I want to see the most realistic numbers, including the problems and roadblocks ahead. Every business and investment project has problems; pretending that yours won’t makes you look like an amateur.How much money are you raising in total? Where is the money coming from? Is the money being raised from private parties, traditional lenders, pension funds or government programs? What are the terms? For example, let’s say I’m being approached for the down payment on an apartment building. I’m told the other 80 percent is coming from a top lending institution. What would be more attractive to me as an investor: borrowing the 80 percent at a lower interest rate that must be refinanced in two years or getting the 80 percent at a slightly higher fixed rate for 25 years? The first option presents more unknowns down the road while the second scenario has fewer potential surprises.How are you going to use the money being raised? What are the funds being allocated to? One hint–if it’s ever suggested that some of the money raised is to pay you, as the owner of the business or the deal, then my door is closed. If you want a paycheck, get a job. And, of course, you must answer these two key questions for your potential investor: How soon until I get my initial investment back, and what is the return on my money? The bottom line: Is your financing structure attractive to an investor?
- The management:
It’s said that “money follows management.”. However, your case is so much stronger when you address all four components, not just management.
Investors want to know who’s running the day-to-day operations. This is key to the ongoing success of any venture. What is the experience level of the management team? Who are they? What are their backgrounds? What makes them vital to the success of this project or business?
If you are starting your own business or if you’re raising money to grow your existing business, then the partners and the management team may be the same people. That’s not a problem at all, given experience and expertise on the team that the investor has confidence in you.