- You're Approved
- Help lenders understand your industry to improve your chances of securing a loan.
- Small Business Lenders Want to Hear the Good and the Bad
- Whether your business is struggling, or making money hand over fist, it's important that both situations be communicated to a lender.
- Answering the Tough Questions
- A bank will scrutinize your past business performance. Are you prepared to answer the tough questions when your banker asks them?
- Historical Finance and Its Relevance to the Lending Process
- Why lenders focus on it and what you need to be prepared to discuss.
- A Borrower Be
- Tough economies and easy credit usually don't mix. So why are banks falling all over themselves to lend small businesses money?
- Who Needs a Bank Anyway?
- Nontraditional lenders are emerging as a real alternative to bank financing for growth companies.
- The VC on the Corner
- Think the most you can expect from a bank is a line of credit? You might be missing out on the emergence of banks' private-equity arms.
- The Few, the Proud, the Bankable
- Can you get a bank loan from the get-go? It's tricky, but these entrepreneurs did it. Here are their tips for securing a line of credit for your start-up.
- Understanding Loan Covenants
- Getting a bank loan? Take these simple steps to make sure you understand the fine print -- before you sign a loan agreement.
- When Bad Loans Happen to Good Entrepreneurs
- Accepting a loan from the most respectable source of business financing -- a commercial bank -- is a mistake for some entrepreneurs.
- The Lowdown on Business Loans
- If you're seeking a loan for your business, make sure you understand the basics.
- Getting into the Mind of a Lender
- When trying to get a loan, it helps to view things from the lender's perspective.
Look into Government Programs
Some entrepreneurs say government programs are easy to secure financing from; others say steer clear of them. Regardless of the opinions, if you're serious about your capital search, you shouldn't overlook government programs and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
- The SBA All-Stars
- A look at the Small Business Administration's rankings of the best field offices turns up some surprises. The agency's western outposts tend to outperform their East Coast peers. Though the rankings are based on a number of factors, the chart below follows the money, listing offices' key lending statistics.
- Seed Capital for Farm Communities
- Financing for rural businesses.
- Seed Capital From Uncle Sam
- Where can you find cash in a credit crunch? OLI Systems Inc., a New Jersey software company, looked to the government's National Institute of Standards and Technology for funding.
Angel investors will not only share their money; they're also great sources of knowledge for fledgling businesses
- Earning Your Wings
- Angel investors are getting tougher. To land seed money, you should, too.
- Angels in America
- Here are some profiles of a select group of angel investors, including links to their websites.
- SLIDESHOW: Angels with Angles
- Here are a number of high profile angel investors and what they consider to be good investments.
- Angels with Angles
- Angel investors are changing. Here's what they're looking for, how they operate, and (because the devil is in the exit strategy) what they expect for their money
- Who exactly are angel investors?
- Guy Kawasaki defines angel investors, and when and how an entrepreneur should seek them out.
- What does it take to impress an angel investor?
- Rhonda Abrams shares her views on the kinds of businesses that attract angel investors.
- Seven Steps to Heaven
- Funding for entrepreneurial businesses has completely dried up, right? Wrong. Angel investors -- long a tried-and-true source of capital for young businesses -- have not hung up their wings.
- Angel Financing: Dos and Don'ts for Entrepreneurs
- Any entrepreneur who hopes to raise capital from individual investors, so-called "angels," should be prepared with a presentation, business plan, list of potential angels, and outline of the opportunity his or her new venture affords.
- Local Area Network
- By opting to keep her high-tech start-up, Thermagon Inc., in Cleveland, founder Carol Latham was able to leverage her local ties to build a sophisticated network of investors and employees.
- Making Friends: The Name of the Angel Game
- Looking for individual investors, known as "angels," to finance your company? Then heed the adage, "It's not what you know but whom you know."
- Directory of Angel-Investor Networks
- Need help getting started in your search for angel funding? Here's a directory of angel networks in the United States, broken down by geographical area.
Get Creative
Banks and investors aren't the only ways to fund a business. Check out these unconventional resources that some business owners have used.
