Articles Index

Getting a Business Line of Credit
Entrepreneurs frequently encounter difficulties managing their cash flow as a result of seasonal credit demands and time gaps between capital needs and revenue realization. Lines of credit accommodate the seasonal credit demands of your business along with ups and downs in your cash flow. They also enable you to purchase inventory in anticipation of future sales.

2009 Venture Technology Investment Outlook
January 2009. The world economic conditions have changed the investment and venture environment significantly. What are the trends you need to be aware of when seeking venture funding?

Private Lending: An Alternative Funding Source
It happens everyday. Well-prepared entrepreneurs are walking into the banks with brilliant business ideas with well developed business plans — and are walking out empty-handed. For individuals who do not want to give up a certain percentage ownership in the business as is often required by venture capitalist and deal with the angel investors who may demand a board position or significant day-to-day control, the private lender may be an alternative worth considering.

Equity Financing - Is It Right for Your Small Business?
There are a few different ways to raise funds for your startup. The traditional path is debt financing, which involves taking on a bank loan or private loan. A different approach is to seek equity financing by issuing stock in your company. In essence, this option allows you to sell shares of your company to investors, injecting your business with cash and leaving the investor with the chance to make a high return.

Debt Financing - Pros and Cons
Debt is borrowing money from an outside source with the promise to return the principal, in addition to an agreed-upon level of interest. Although the term tends to have a negative connotation, startup companies often turn to debt to finance their operations. In fact, even the healthiest of corporate balance sheets will include some level of debt. The most popular source for debt financing is the bank, but debt can also be issued by a private company or even a friend or family member.

Due Diligence Is No Mystery
When getting funded, the due diligence process can be excruciating for the business. But if you know what to expect, it will be far less painful. Venture capitalist Ziad Abdelnour of Blackhawk Partners recently sent the following letter out to his list explaining their due diligence process in more detail. While each investment group may have its own variations, this offers tremendous insight from an investor's perspective.

Before You Apply for a Business Loan
A bank or government agency (such as the U.S. Small Business Administration) are two common sources of funding for your startup venture. If you go that route, here’s a checklist of the things you’ll need to do and think about to prepare for the application process.

Building Business Credit
Bank loans and personal capital are common ways of securing funds or developing business credit in the early stages, but your vendors are another possibility, and can offer reasonable terms.

Business Equipment Leasing
Building a business from scratch is expensive. If your start-up is particularly capital-intensive from the get-go, or could require frequent equipment upgrades down the road, you may want to consider leasing certain equipment.

Presenting Small Business Financial Statements to a Lender
Business owners who present their financial statements to a lender will usually present a full set of financial statements to the lender. These include a recent balance sheet, a profit and loss statement, a statement of cash flows, and notes to the financial statements. The statements, prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, usually give a realistic picture of the business activity for the period in question.

Startup Business Financing
We'd all love to have a few million dollars to start our business, but the reality is that for most entrepreneurs, you have to prove your concept first before anyone will put up that kind of money. But most businesses require some sort of initial capital for things like inventory, marketing, physical facilities, etc. If you don't have the money yourself that you need to open your doors for business, here are some options to explore.