Undoubtedly, small businesses are the heart and soul of every economy. However, the covid-19 endemic altered the scene unexpectedly. This led to crippled ventures. As a result, most new businesses had to close down in the same year.
Conversely, the challenging situation made other businesses look for other options to stay afloat. Some had to agree with the suppliers, while others took advantage of other financing solutions like those offered at Coastal Kapital.
Read on.
How to Fund Your Business
First and foremost, let’s find out below the ways in which you can fund your dream business.
Non-Banking Lenders
Whether you’re a new business or seeking funding for something else, a small business loan is a popular choice for funding. Usually, small business loans are like personal loans whereby you get approval for a particular amount with interest.
Non-banking lenders now provide small business funding solutions. Such lenders keep the business going with the right capital and tools to reach desired goals.
Remarkably, the application process in most non-banking lenders is a walk in the park. It takes only 10 minutes to get approval. Plus, the repayment process is clear with no hidden charges. Loan terms can also be flexible to suit your schedule.
Like banks, you’ll still need to have solid business credit. This way, you can acquire a bigger loan as desired and pay a lower interest rate.
Venture Capitalist
This is a private investor, similar to Anfa, who finances potential start-up businesses. Usually, venture capitalists belong to a more prominent venture capital firm where the firm votes on which companies to back.
So, they only reach out to the businesses they decide on backing with a funding offer. They also offer equity financing for the business, which you’ll pay them in an agreed manner when the company is successful. However, when the business fails, the VC receives nothing in return and agrees it was a bad investment.
Crowdfunding
Crowdfunding comes to the rescue of a promising business idea with little-to-no funding. This involves individual investors buying your product or service before it hits the market. Therefore, business owners get the desired funds to sell the product or service to the backers.
Typically, crowd funders get their candidates through local or digital events. However, there’re crowdfunding platforms that have several users. So it becomes easy to browse through many ideas and see which ones are interesting and worth backing up.
Before applying for any of the above, let’s look at the dos and don’ts to avoid getting in trouble with funds.
Dos of Financing Small Businesses
-
Borrow Only When You Need
A good business owner knows about proper planning and preparation. Most businesses are looking for loans. But, you don’t have to jump into the wagon of needing one without good thinking.
Whichever your reason might be to opt for small loan options, take your time to check through what suits you best. It would help if you planned where the money you’re looking for will come from and how you’ll invest it.
Above all, find the perfect time to borrow the finances, only when you need to. When you borrow too early, you may spend the money on things you hadn’t planned for. Still, borrowing too late could cause a strained financial crisis on your business that you needed to solve earlier.
-
Borrow Only What You Need
Another essential thing to consider is to borrow the exact amount you need. When you want to finance your small business, you know the amount that will help keep things flowing.
Therefore, analyze all your needs again and meet the lender with the exact figure of how much you need. Ensure you include a miscellaneous amount to cater to unexpected costs in your review.
Even though other lenders will inform you that they can offer more, it helps to work with your budget. If the offer is far below your set limit, you can find a different lender to meet your expectations. Still, you can choose to go back and work on your credit score to bring up the bar of financing.
On the other hand, agreeing to take too much money puts you in more debt to repay than you planned for. Again, take your time to ensure the comfortable amount you need.
-
Track Your Records
Though a business can get very busy, you should always find time to track your records. Most owners are lazy about bookkeeping, and just stuff paid invoices somewhere in a drawer. As such, others can’t differentiate whether purchases were made in the business or personal accounts.
Even though you are not after the best business account, you need to develop sound business habits. Without proper tracking of your business, you wouldn’t know of the progress and direction of your business.
Being disorganized also attracts bad credit loans. Lenders will find it difficult to evaluate your viability for a good loan arrangement without good documentation. They won’t trust your accountability for repayments.
If finding time for bookkeeping is a problem, you can always hire an accountant. An accountant won’t just ensure a neat space and proper documentation; they will also enable your business to get good financing capital.
Even after getting the capital, you will track how you spend the money and repay on time.
Don’ts of Financing Small Businesses
-
Repay Too Quickly
Image source:Pixabay.com
Loans are not free money, but a debt that needs repaying. Even though business owners would want to break free from the bondage of debt, they need not jump quickly to repaying.
This doesn’t mean that they should delay paying on time. Instead, they only pay the amount agreed on at a particular time. Not more.
Repaying too quickly can leave your business crippled due to the shortage of funds necessary for business growth. So, what should you do?
Assess your statement to determine how much interest you’d save if you repaid earlier. Then, compare it with the expected ROI of the loan. All the while, consider and look for other ways you can invest in the expected income.
-
Over or Underestimate
When you overestimate your income or underestimate your expenses, the outcome will be devastating for your business. Preferably, it would be best if you trod with extreme caution regarding the expected income. This is ideal in the initial years when your business is hardly breaking even to get a return on investment.
Most times, your expenses turn out to be way above what you created because you were optimistic. You should examine your budget and change the numbers.
Your numbers should be flexible based on several things like competitors’ performance, market trends, and even political facts. Do not forget to include a margin of error. Remember, the unexpected happens, most times!
-
Fear Taking Risks
Choosing to actualize your business plan and start a business is a risk by itself. Some people gain from the risk, while others crush completely, never trying again.
If you are a go-getter in business, then looking for a small business financing program should not scare but motivate you. This way, you’re sure of unfolding a new phase of your business in terms of growth. But what are your options?
Believe it or not, bank loans aren’t the only financing option for small businesses. As long as your company has a steady and attractive credit score, there’re many lenders you can visit for term loans.
Still, it would help to understand how different financing institutions can affect your credit score. Therefore you need to know the costs each lender provides and the assets you may have to surrender when you don’t repay the loan.
If the fan hits the roof, don’t be afraid to start from scratch either. Small businesses will always get suitable financing to start and keep their operations.
Parting Shot
Looking for business loans can be hectic. But, the process can be straightforward if you stay alert to the dos and don’ts.
It would be best to understand your financial status before going after a loan. Only you alone know where the shoe pinches the most as a small business owner.