October 22, 2021

Business 101: Funding Your New Business

Ask most entrepreneurs what they need, and you won't be surprised to hear the familiar refrain: funding. The good news is, there are various ways to raise money for a business.

It’s an exciting time when you decide to start your own business! It can be a little daunting, too. How are you going to fund it? This blog post will cover seven possible ways of getting money for your new business. We’ll explore the pros and cons of each so that you can make the best decision for yourself and your business.

Bootstrapping

The first way to fund your business is by bootstrapping it. Bootstrapping means you use only the money that you have on hand at this moment. You do not take out loans or secure funding from others. Bootstrapping can be difficult, but it’s great for entrepreneurs wary of taking on debt. This funding method is best if you prefer to keep your business as self-sustainable as possible.

Business Grants

Usually, organizations that want to fund certain types of businesses in specific industries award business grants. For example, say you are an entrepreneur working on something related to the environment. Then, look at environmental protection programs like The Nature Conservancy or World Wildlife Fund for grants opportunities!

Angel Investors

Angel investors are private individuals willing to fund your business in exchange for a portion of ownership or voting rights. Ensure that you’re getting the best deal with an investor, especially if you’re new to negotiating contracts. Angel investors typically come in at the start-up stage when most formal lenders or investors are unwilling to support an unproven idea. 

Credit Cards

Credit cards can be helpful if you are close to launch and need some extra capital. However, remember that the interest rates could quickly drain profits during early growth stages. So, pay it back as soon as possible to avoid interest rates.

Venture Capital

If bootstrapping or debt is not appealing to you, then formal investors or venture capital firms might be the way to go. However, things could get tricky fast. VCs prefer companies that are already growing fast, and they will want equity in your company as well.

If you decide you do want more outside funding, it’s best to build up traction first by proving the concept of your business through early sales or revenue. This way, investing firms know you’re worth their money!

And make sure that your company is worth more than it costs!

Credit Lines

Another way to fund your business is through credit lines. You can slowly draw funds from the line as the need arises. That way, there is no sudden influx of cash that might be tempting to spend on unessential things.

Credit lines are a great option because you don’t have to go into debt to get the funding you need! However, have a plan ready for when you max out the credit line. You could make adjustments like raising prices or changing your product so that you can keep costs down until sales increase and more cash flows through on its own.

Crowdfunding

Crowdfunding has become very popular in the past few years and can be a great way to get some funds for your new business. Crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter let you pitch an idea or project to people who are willing to donate money towards it, whether it’s $20 or more than $100K!

Just make sure that if you’re going this route, you have a plan in place to complete your project and deliver the goods successfully.

Another great benefit of crowdfunding is that it’s easy marketing for future products once you’ve completed your campaign!  It is important to remember that there are many great options available to fund your new business! Which option is best for you and your business will depend on many different factors, but one thing’s for sure there are plenty of ways to get the money you need.

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