How To Present Business Idea To Investors
As business owners, we’re always looking for ways to launch our own businesses or take over the world! With that in mind, how would you feel if I told you that most business investors don’t know what they are investing in?
I’m talking about investment opportunities that promise big returns but don’t necessarily make sense to you as an entrepreneur. They may even be scams.
That’s why it is so important for entrepreneurs to learn how to present their business idea to potential investors. You owe it to yourself and your business to be confident when discussing investments with people.
Presenting your ideas clearly and logically will boost your confidence and help you earn more money. Plus, being aware of common investor terms can save you time from having to look up definitions later.
So what types of business ideas are there? Here are some examples:
– Starting a new company focused on health and wellness products
– Running a dog walking service
– Creating an app designed to connect users with other smartphone users
In this article, you’ll learn all of the crucial things business owners should consider before presenting their project to an investor. We also discuss some tricky situations that might arise while doing so, along with tips for overcoming them.
Prepare a business plan
Before you approach an investor about investing in your business, you will first need to know what kind of investment they have. This article will help you determine this and also give you some tips on how to present your business idea to investors!
It is very important that you understand whether your potential investor is looking for a return on their money or if they want to keep part of the company. If they are seeking a profit, then you should be prepared to discuss projections and returns at length.
On the other hand, if your potential investor wants to keep parts of the company, then you can focus more on the value and fundamentals of your business instead of financial statements.
Business plans are not only useful for starting up businesses but also for keeping track of all developments related to raising capital. Most reputable funding sources require you to put together a business plan before giving you the chance to talk with them.
Expose your business idea to a group of your friends
Even if you have no intention of launching your business, exposing your business concept to others is a great way to gain knowledge about starting businesses.
Running out of ideas for business concepts is very common in the startup stage. When you are running low on inspiration, it can be hard to keep producing content and promoting yourself online.
By having conversations with people around you, you’ll find that they will offer their own business tips and tricks. You can also get input on whether or not your business idea sounds feasible!
Interacting with different types of people is an excellent way to hone your social skills.
Seek expert advice
Even if you have a business idea that seems pretty solid, it’s still important to do some research and consulting before presenting it to investors or taking your first step in the process of starting your company.
Thoroughly vetting your business plan is an essential part of the startup process. And while there are plenty of free resources available, we recommend against using them as official guides.
That’s because most people don’t live and breathe entrepreneurialism like we do here at The Muse, so they may not know what can make things seem logical to “experts.”
We also believe it’s very important for young entrepreneurs to get outside input about their ideas. Because no matter how experienced and smart you think you are, you can never fully anticipate all of the questions that might be thrown at you!
Business plans should be vetted by someone who has done this before, ideally several times. People with experience in the field will likely have insights that could save you time and energy down the line.
And even if they can’t help you immediately, they can almost always give you tips and tricks to improve your proposal.
Create a website
After you have done your research and determined that there is an opportunity, it’s time to create a business plan! Starting off with creating a free website is one of the first things you should do.
You can use WordPress as your platform and start from the basics by going through the settings and installing necessary plugins. Then, you can begin designing and developing your site!
Once your site is designed and built, then it’s time to get some inspiration! You can take notes and test different ideas before choosing the best fit for you.
Last but not least, launch your new website and see what happens! There are many ways to promote your site, so try out several strategies and see which ones work for you.
Register your business with the government
As we have discussed, before you even approach investors about investing in your business idea, you must register it with the government. This includes both state and federal levels.
State level registrations include: Doing Business as (DBAs), Registered Agent, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or Attorney-in-fact for an LLP, Certificate of Incorporation, etc.
Federal level registrations include: Employer Identification Number (EIN) and Taxpayer Identification Numbers (TINs). An EIN is like a social security number for your business and can be found through the IRS website. A TIN is similar to a social security number but only applies to businesses that are taxed as corporations.
Apply for a business license
After you have done your research, gathered all of your materials, and created an idea that is solid, it’s time to approach investors!
Presenting your business plan to potential investors can be tricky, especially if you don’t use the same strategies we discussed in this article.
That’s why I have prepared a special free resource for you. You will find my checklist of tips and tricks here: http://wwwtreasuryoftipsandtools.com/how-to-present-business-idea-to-investors/.
Open a business bank account
After you have done your research and determined that this is indeed an appropriate next step, it’s time to open up a business banking account. This will give you access to all of the resources and money that you need to run your business!
Most major banks offer at least one business loan or line of credit, if not several as well. By having a business checking account, you will have easy access to both capital and knowledge.
These accounts are also almost always less expensive than personal savings or market rate loans. Because businesses tend to spend more money per month than individuals do, business banking comes with additional perks.
Many banks allow you to add employees to your business account free of charge, which can be very helpful for starting up. You can also use the account to pay bills on behalf of your company, which saves you money in fees.
Fund your business
Before you even approach an investor about investing in your business, you need to make sure that you have enough money to fund it. You should not expect anyone to invest in your business if they do not think there is enough money for it!
Most entrepreneurs start their businesses with no income or very little income. It is important to establish a stable source of income as soon as possible when starting a business.
You can develop this side-business into something bigger later on, but you will need some capital to get started.
Many people begin working while still in college by establishing a part time job. Many successful businessmen began doing so. By having a steady stream of income, they were able to slowly build up their business.
Another way to gain extra cash is to do what most people don’t realize they are allowed to do. You can easily make a lot of money selling things you already own online via websites like Amazon, eBay, and Shopify.
There are many ways to earn money without needing too much investment. Once you have found these sources of income, you can use them to launch your new business.
