16
May
2010
The etheral qualities of a loan
Now that the partners understood the ethereal qualities of the two businesses, the next area of discussion concerned the material aspects. First we reviewed the differences that would help or hinder the partnership from an organizational structure perspective. Again I used a grid to help guide the discussion and enable the partners to view their organizations from a holistic perspective.
The last piece of information the partners needed to discuss before they could begin a formal strategic planning session was the external impacts on the partnership. This article lists the external issues the partners wanted to explore to ensure that they covered all the potential traps that might derail the partnership—before they spent time, money, and energy creating a strategic plan.
9
Jan
2010
Where can you find credit investors?
The first place to look for investors is among your family and friends. They love you. They want you to succeed and if you can convince them that you have a great invention idea, they may be willing to invest their money. For them, they are investing in you as well as your invention. They will undoubtedly be the easiest people in your circle of influence to convince to invest.
Second, look to acquaintances. This may be your doctor, lawyer, dentist, accountant, co-workers, etc. Professionals you know may be willing to invest some of their expendable income in your company/invention if you present your case in a compelling and convincing manner. The stock market has disillusioned many an investor in the last several years and these professionals may be willing to invest a small portion of their portfolio on your invention.
You will need to do your homework before you approach them. Don’t just go in with a great idea. Before they are likely to invest their money they will want to see, at the very minimum, a business plan for developing and marketing your product. If you have not written a business plan, they are likely to see your project as entirely too risky.