Stats show that 543,000 businesses start every month, which means that 18,100 companies launch every single day. It’s nearly impossible to decide which startups are worth funding. There are countless considerations that you need to make before asking for funding. Before you do a partnership or jump ahead on board with a startup, let’s look at some of the investment tips that will guide you through financing the right startup.
Figure out what’s Behind the Curtain
Unless you are a big shot, an opportunity will be most likely to come from friends, family, or word of mouth. Usually, it’s a relative opening of a new restaurant or turning their idea into a business.
As they say in the movies, to catch the criminal think like a criminal. It would be best if you asked what’s there in it for you. Mostly, the startup is looking for money, so they don’t care whether they get it from a bank or anyone else. It is you who needs to find the back story.
Once you learn about their story, it will be easy to decide whether you want to invest in it or not. Just go with your gut.
Be Aware of the Structure
Once you’ve fully understood the aspirations of the startup, it is time to understand the business plans & structure. How the business will make money, what are the legal implications of the company, and when will you get the returns?
As you know more than 50% of the businesses fail within the first five years of inception. What are the chances that this business will prevail?
A solid business structure will tell you the story. People make the mistake of investing in a friend’s or family’s business with little or no expectation or a small handshake. This is where things start getting messy. No matter how close you are to a relationship, you must write everything down.
Be Patient as Returns Might take a Few Years
Assuming that you’re investing in a startup, there will be no returns for years. The startup will need all the cash, and that cash will be re-invested in the business. There will be three to five years before you start getting the return.
If you’re an investor who needs your investment in a particular timeframe, you might consider going for a loan instead. A website design agency will not disappoint and will start giving you returns fast.
When you put a large amount of sum into a business, it is based upon trust in the individual ability of the people running the business.
At times these loans might not even be paid back. That’s why you need to make it official, so people will know how the deal is done, and if anything goes south; people take care of the rest.
Is There an Exit Strategy?
A new business could waste all your investment before opening beautiful doors. However, even if the company is running smoothly, there has to be an exit strategy in place. Prevention is better than cure. Don’t wait for five years so that the business will shut down and you’ll be doomed.
Sit with the founder and the team and discuss the exit strategy. There are no guarantees of anything which is why it’s necessary to keep a backup plan ready when things start to tremble.
There must be a way to liquidate the investment so that you can get your fair share of the return before the business gets closed down.
You have to ask yourself how you are going to get the money back. You must clearly understand the exit strategy so that everything is clear.
Do Your Homework
Before you invest in a startup, it is better to know the background of the upper management. The top management is the decision-maker that makes all the necessary business considerations which is why it’s required to analyze their family background. It would help if you asked for a full business plan written along with market analysis and SWOT. This will clear any lack of planning, and you’ll know whether it is better to invest or not.
Every business owner feels that their startup will make them filthy rich. However, hardly people work to achieve success, and instead, they go bankrupt.
There are a lot of ways in which the founder can make money online. When the business is starting, the founders have a limited plan. However, if you take a close look at that plan, you’ll notice the professionalism of the founders and the attention to detail that they give to small things. A carefully planned business has few chances to fail, which is why it is necessary to seek out the projections and verify the credibility of those projections.
To Wrap it all Up
It is essential to learn as much as you can about the startup that you’re about to invest in. Investing your money is not a small deed. It takes much effort to earn, but it takes a sheer lot more to trust and invest in a startup. Your investment can make you productive or it can go wasted. However, whatever you do don’t regret the loss and move on to the next venture.
About Author:
Irfan Ak is a digital marketing strategist at Branex, a digital marketing agency& a guest blogger on various websites. He is a passionate digital strategist. He has worked with various other brands and created value for them.
