How to Raise Funds for Business Growth?
Growth doesn’t always come from blood, sweat, and tears. Sometimes, a business is more than ready to move up to the next level in terms of size, scope, or reach but, without a significant cash injection, it’s just not going to get there.
The most important thing to remember at this point is there’s no value in jumping at the first opportunity that arises. True, it may turn out to be the best course, but you can’t be sure of that until you’ve looked into the details and talked through the ramifications with your corporate solicitors.
There are a lot of different ways to fund your business’s growth. From banks to individual investors for your business, here are some of the most reliable ways you can procure funding for your business.
Angel Investors
The name stems from their tendency to invest in riskier opportunities that the banks tend to shy away from. Angel investors are wealthy individuals who decide to invest their own, private capital into businesses, generally in exchange for a minority stake in the business.
Angel investors tend to look out for opportunities in budding industries, reaping the benefits of a (relatively) low investment that promises to yield a high ROI in the future.
Since angel investors are individuals rather than business entities, tracking down the right one for your business can be tricky. Nevertheless, plenty of businesses have thrived as a result of angel investment, so don’t rule it out just yet.
The Bank
This is perhaps the most obvious choice, and it does offer the security and stability that a lot of businesses are looking for. While a lot of angel investors operate on instinct and the experience they have gathered over the years, banks tend to require more quantitative proof that your business is a reliable investment for them to take on.
Think of the process like applying for a mortgage: a lot of forms, a lot of due diligence, and some difficult questions asked.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding has gained a lot of popularity over the last decade or so. It can be a great way to generate funds and awareness at the same time and develop a steady customer base (AKA, your micro investors) that grows alongside you. Then again, it tends to work best for B2C companies.
Venture Capital
Venture capitalists invest funds procured from a number of different sources into high-risk ventures – often, start-ups that will require a considerable amount of money to be invested before they start generating a profit.
Angel investors tend to be a little more interested in businesses in their early stages of development, whereas venture capital firms tend to show more caution and look out for businesses that have already ‘put down roots’ in their industry.
Since they’re business entities rather than individuals, venture capital firms are easier to track down than angel investors. If your business has already seen good growth and is able to demonstrate strong projections for the future, a venture capital firm may be the best choice.
