Many people have dreams of starting their own business, yet not many chase after them for two reasons. First, they are scared to fail, and second they don’t have the finances to make it happen.

Being scared to fail is the easiest obstacle to overcome. In fact, you’ll need to become comfortable, being uncomfortable because nothing will change within your comfort zone.

As for the money, if you aren’t in the position to fund it yourself you’ll need investors. You may be thinking “Duh, but how?!” Well, you need to create a strong business plan and distribute amongst crowdfunding platforms for investors. These platforms have simplified the process of connecting to investors & negotiations.

1. Spend time doing the research, attend industry events to gain connections and be prepared to know your numbers inside and out! Research should include:

• Market trends
• Estimated scalability (potential growth)
• Case studies
• Estimated overhead cost
• Allocation of funds.
• Understand legal structures involved and potential threats
• Become comfortable with equity you are prepared to give away

2. Build a brief  Investor Deck to promote on crowdfunding platforms. This will be the bait you dangle to gain interest. Most investors have very small attention spans so don’t make your deck too wordy! I recommend including many visual charts to simplify the data and enhance the presentation.

Your Deck should include the following:

• Intriguing story introducing your business outlining the value added via your product/ service offering
• Scalability- Opportunities to earn revenue. I recommend undershooting projection
• Investment Breakdown – The allocation of funds. I recommend overshooting cost.
• Phases of growth and projection.
• Dissolution Process -Time periods and process of how they will draw distributions &  liquidate investments.

3. Once you have investors interested, send them your Business Plan. The Business Plan will be an extension of the investor deck as it will dive deeper in to each subject. Essentially including the following:

• An executive summary
• Your vision and business idea
• Your marketing and sales strategy
• Your management team and personnel
• Your operations
• Financial forecasts

4. Screen your potential investors. Just because they have capital doesn’t necessarily mean they are the right partner for you. Here are a few things to take in to account.

• Ensure Disclosure Agreement is signed prior to disclosing sensitive information
• Do they agree with your vision. Trust me if this could be detrimental if you are on different pages
• Understanding their investing record. This is essentially their resume.
• Do they know the industry you are involved in? Are they well connected?
• Are they looking for a quick return on investment?
• Gain a proof of funds to ensure how serious they are