All posts by Mariela Merino

You have probably heard of the term “venture capital” before but you might not be one hundred percent sure on what it means. It is an investment method that can help you to get your startup off the ground. You can also use it if your company exists already, but you are trying to expand and take things to the next level.

You took the time to develop a plan and submitted it to investors. You are comfortable with the plan, but several investors have declined you.

One of the most important tasks of a small business owner is finding capital for their business. However, most business owners have no idea about where to start when it comes to finding money. This is crucial to understand because your business needs capital. Your capital needs will change over time, which is why you need to build a strategy for capitalizing your business from the beginning. This is where most business owners fail. They come up with great concepts, good marketing, hire the right people but they fail because they never planned for the capital their business needs.

When you start a new business, you might need some funds, but you might lack the money to invest in yourself. So how do you get the funds without losing equity in your business? Start-up investment usually involves equity. Why else does somebody risk money?

A partnership is a business with more than one owner that has not filed papers with the state to become a corporation or limited liability company (LLC). There are two types of partnerships – general partnerships and limited partnerships. Today we will only discuss general partnerships – those in which every parent has a hand in the management of the business.

If you are a business owner, you need to gain capital to grow. Your two options available are debt or equity financing. In this article we are going to deeper into what they are, so you know which one is right for your business and your goals.

Some questions you might be wondering about investors are how safe it is to pitch your business idea to an investor and if you should send out market research surveys prior to approaching an investor. Are they looking for new ideas so that they can create businesses of their own or looking for you to prove your idea will work? The first step is to answer those questions and then we get into the mind of the investor.

If you are going to run and grow your business without a lot of other people’s money, then you should get used to dealing with bankers. Today we discuss tips on banks, bankers, and banking for bootstrappers.

A business plan is the foundation of your business. It shows the vision and mission and serves as a road map as you move forward with your business. A business plan is one of the most important documents you will ever create. It is an invaluable tool when it comes time to apply for a business loan. What lenders look for in a business plan might surprise you but knowing what they want will improve your chances of getting the money you need to continue to drive your business forward.

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is one of the most popular sources and tools for small business owners. Their lending programs, especially the SBA 504 program, makes it possible for all types of small businesses to secure the funds needed to grow the business. It takes a lot of people to successfully secure and close and SBA loan. Knowing who they are and how the work together empowers both lenders and borrowers by helping them identify key partners and opportunities. The following are the key people involved in the SBA lending processes.