Saturday, December 24, 2005

Finance Your Small Business: So Much Money – So Little Time

MaryAnn Shank

$47.4 million venture capital funded projects today. $86.4 million yesterday. $51.4 million the day before.

These amounts are not made up. They are actual numbers from actual reported venture capital funding. I get these notices emailed to me day after day, rain or shine.

These numbers are a constant reminder to me that companies – lots of companies – are getting funded every day.

And these numbers just reflect the reported venture capital funding. There is probably double that amount from angel investment and unreported fundings, and millions more from the $16 billion pool that SBA has this year.

All in all, it's a lot of money. That's a lot of companies and banks and groups and individuals actively investing in small business.

So how come you're still looking for financing?

Perhaps you aren't presenting your company effectively.

Or perhaps you haven't located the right lender.

It's also possible that your concept just isn't very good, but I doubt that. The fact that you are reading this article means you are a serious entrepreneur, with a serious business.

So where do you go to find all these investors? Here are some starting points:

For standard business financing, talk with the local office of the Small Business Administration. It's a different agency, with different programs and services, and lots of money to lend. Although much of the focus of the SBA is on minority business enterprises, the SBA still has a lot to offer all companies.

Also talk with your local banks. (That was plural "banks", not singular "bank".) Talking with a number of local bankers will rapidly bring into focus the wide ranging priorities of the various banks, and where your company fit in.

As for venture capital and angel investors, there are several options.

One option is to go to online sources. There are a number of online services, such as VFinance, that sell the names and addresses of possible investors. It's not expensive, perhaps $2-5 per name. The idea is that once the entrepreneur gets the list of 200 or 2,000 names in hand that he/she will contact each with a written executive summary or business plan, and then wait to hear from one of them. This is a very passive approach, roughly akin to throwing paint on the wall and hoping that something will stick. For most entrepreneurs, patience is not a strong suit, so sitting and waiting for a response is not quite their cup of tea.

Another option is to go to one of the many directories of venture capital firms. These directories typically include addresses, phone numbers and emails, along with the geographical areas of interest and the types of investment that each is seeking. Most businesses can narrow down their list of prospective investors to several hundred venture capital firms this way. And again the entrepreneur is faced with the prospect of sending out written material for each one, and waiting for a response.

A third option is to take a more proactive approach. Savvy entrepreneurs identify the best prospects themselves from a number of reliable sources. They get introductions where possible. They learn everything they can about their target investors, and then go after it. Typically a phone call is the first contact, not an anonymous executive summary.

Knowing that you are calling your best prospects, you know too that they are open to hearing from you. You have names, you have investment histories, you have everything in hand to make a real connection with the target investors.

Getting your company financed is one of the hardest things you will ever do as an entrepreneur. It can be hugely frustrating, disappointing and genuinely discouraging. But lots of entrepreneurs do it. And so can you. Get the "No's" out of the way and go for "Yes!" The exhilaration of the handshake sealing the deal is unlike any other transaction in business. Go for it.

http://www.businessplanmaster.com
http://businessplanmaster.blogspot.com

About the Author

Ms. Shank is founder/president of www.BusinessPlanMaster.com. She has worked in business finance in good times and bad, and will rapidly tell you that good times are a whole lot better.

Dobler Consulting Inc
2339 Warwick Dr
Oldsmar
FL 34677
United States



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Thursday, December 22, 2005

Finance Your Real Estate Investment Properties

Peter Dobler

Copyright 2005 Peter Dobler

Unlike traditional residential real estate mortgages, real estate investment financing is way more creative and offers more options than you think. The golden rule in real estate investment is OPM (Other People's Money).

I have enough money; shouldn't I buy my real estate investment for cash? No, I absolutely advice against investing large sums of cash into a single real estate investment. There are two reasons why not. First, you give away most of your profits by not leveraging your real estate investment. Second, it is far too risky to put every egg into one basket.

Let me explain the leverage issue for a moment. I will give you an example of a $100,000 investment property that typically increases its value (appreciates) by 7% average a year. Maybe more, maybe less depending where you live. Paying all cash for this property will yield in a 7% appreciation profit plus the net profit from renting the place. Now you're looking at roughly 15% of returns.

If you're conservative with your investments you might be satisfied with this kind of a return. These days you might get equal or better returns with other conservative investments minus the hassle of being a landlord. But you don't mind being a landlord, because you understand and utilize the leveraging method with financing your real estate investment.

With the example above you will make roughly $15,000 a year in profits from your investment. Now let's take a closer look at what leveraging can do for you. Today a typical real estate investor can get financing as high as 95% - 97% of the purchase price. Occasionally 100% financing is available as well. But this would be totally unfair in this example to compare this with all cash purchasing.

15% return sounds like a lot, but wait till you see this. Let's assume that the rental income will cover all your expenses including the mortgage payments. Taking the same example from before your net return would be the 7% appreciation profits of your property. This would translate into a $7,000 a year profit. With a 95% financing in place you would get $7,000 return on $5,000 (your 5% down payment) invested. This is a whopping 140%
return on investment.

With the same $100,000 you can go out there and get 20 investment properties, finance 95% of it and make an amazing $140,000 profit a year. This beats the projected $15,000 profits with an all cash transaction any day.

Of course you will have a lot of trouble to get financing for 20 properties in a single year. Typically 5-6 new rental property mortgages are the maximum lenders will allow these days. This is the signal to get creative with your financing structures.

In this case sellers financing would be your key to achieve your goal of maximum leverage of your investment dollars. Despite the message from all these late night infomercials, seller financing is harder to get than they want you to make believe it is.

It all depends on the seller's ability to offer seller financing and the seller's motivation. Only about 1 out of 20 properties for sale are able to get seller financing. That means that there's no mortgage balance on the property. From this narrow selection the seller must be motivated to sell under these conditions. This could be tax reasons, time constraints, personal reasons and many more.

As you can see this translates into a lot of work to achieve your goals. But let me tell you one thing. This separates the tire kicker real estate investors from the real go-getters. Wouldn't you agree that a little bit of hard work and determination is well worth it to build a real estate empire?

I think it is well worth the trouble and hard work. At the end of the day you keep building your real estate investment portfolio and sooner than later you will be able to cash in.


Sincerely,
Peter Dobler
(c) 2005
Peter Dobler is a 20+ year veteran in the IT business. He is an active Real Estate Investor and a successful Internet business owner. Learn more about real estate investments at http://www.suncoastrenttoown.com or send a blank email to mailto:suncoastrenttoown@getresponse.com
Dobler Consulting Inc
2339 Warwick Dr
Oldsmar
FL 34677
United States



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Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Finance Tips

John Mussi

Here are some useful finance tips to get you started on the right path to your finance success. Knowing how to secure your financial well-being is one of the most important things you'll ever need in life. You don't have to be a genius to do it. You just need to know a few basics, form a plan, and be ready to stick to it. No matter how much or little money you have, the important thing is to educate yourself about your opportunities.

There is no guarantee that you'll make money from investments you make. But if you get the facts about saving and investing and follow through with an intelligent plan, you should be able to gain financial security over the years and enjoy the benefits of managing your money.

No one is born knowing how to save or to invest. Every successful investor starts with the basics. A few people may stumble into financial security - a wealthy relative may die, or a business may take off. For most people however, the only way to attain financial security is to save and invest over a long period of time. Time after time, people of even modest means who begin the journey reach financial security and all that it promises: buying a home, educational opportunities for their children, and a comfortable retirement. If they can do it, so can you.

Your "savings" are usually put into the safest places or products that allow you access to your money at any time such as a savings accounts. But there's a price to pay for security and ready availability. Your money earns less interest as it works for you.

Most smart investors put enough money in a savings product to cover an emergency, like sudden unemployment. Some make sure they have up to six months of their income in savings so that they know it will absolutely be there for them when they need it.

But how "safe" is a savings account if you leave all your money there for a long time, and the interest it earns doesn't keep up with inflation? Let's say you save a pound when it can buy a loaf of bread. But years later when you withdraw that pound plus the interest you earned, it might only be able to buy half a loaf. That is why many people put some of their money in savings, but look to investing so they can earn more over long periods of time, say three years or longer.

You may prefer to invest your money in order to achieve a higher return compared to savings but you should be aware that when you "invest," you have a greater chance of losing your money than when you "save." You could lose your "principal," which is the amount you've invested. That's true even if you purchase your investments through a bank. But when you invest, you also have the opportunity to earn more money than when you save.

All investments involve taking on risk. It's important that you go into any investment in stocks, bonds or mutual funds with a full understanding that you could lose some or all of your money in any one investment.

You may freely reprint this article provided the author's biography remains intact:

About the Author

John Mussi is the founder of Direct Online Loans who help UK homeowners find the best available loans via the www.directonlineloans.co.uk website.

Dobler Consulting Inc
2339 Warwick Dr
Oldsmar
FL 34677
United States



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Tuesday, December 20, 2005

Ethical finance: who benefits from our spending?

Rachel Lane

On one hand consumers are being universally criticised for running up significant amounts of debt on credit cards, yet conversely many companies are capitalising on the growing credit card debt, from charities and political organisations to football clubs, the Association of Surgeons and somewhat ironically ActionAid, an international development agency whose aim is to fight poverty worldwide.

Financial comparison site moneynet.co.uk provided 226 credit cards in a general credit card search, from which the consumer could choose a product to suit their lifestyle, as well as their wallet. Credit cards with charity branding involve many major organisations including Amnesty International, Christian Aid, WaterAid, RSPB, Save The Children, the Ramblers Association, Oxfam, Greenpeace, the Vegetarian Society, RSPCA, ActionAid, Children In Crisis, Help The Aged, Tearfund and the Terence Higgins Trust.

Perhaps it is fair to say that if people are going to spend on plastic, they should be helping charitable organisations on the way and should they feel inclined to contribute to a political institution, donating a small % of each transaction is a convenient method. If most consumers were ethical spenders, then associations between transactions and third party beneficiaries would inherit this quality, but as debt spirals out of control, is it responsible or ethical that someone should benefit at the cost of someone else?

Although it is standard for most card providers to offer an introductory free period, the consumer may be hit by a more substantial annual percentage rate (APR) later on the year, with some providers, such as ASDA charging a massive APR of 28.8%. Even ActionAid charges an APR of 17.9%, rescuing the developing world at the expense of the developed.

For further information about credit cards and details on specific providers:
http://www.moneynet.co.uk/
http://www.eiris.org/
http://www.creditaction.org.uk/ 
http://www.moneybasics.co.uk/mb/site/Home.html 

About the Author

Rachel writes for the personal finance blog cashzilla:
http://www.cashzilla.co.uk/

 

Dobler Consulting Inc
2339 Warwick Dr
Oldsmar
FL 34677
United States



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Monday, December 19, 2005

DON'T LET FINANCES RULE OVER YOUR SELF-ESTEEM

Terry L. Sumerlin

I know a barber who had the opportunity of buying one of the oldest and best barbershops in his city. He had worked there for a few years, and knew it was a good investment. So, he made arrangements with the owner, and took the plunge.

However, it wasn't long before he realized he was in serious financial difficulty. Actually, he was in trouble before the purchase of the shop, and the added debt put him in way over his head.

Prior to obtaining the barbershop, this fellow had several bad business ventures. They were all legitimate. Just bad choices! Generally, they all involved selling, in which he was not exactly a shining star. Oh, he did manage to sell a few things such as his house and his car. It was not quite that bad, but almost.

About the same time as the business failures and the purchase of the barbershop, his wife and two daughters were in college. So the debts really began to pile up, as the pressure became intolerable. Also, fatigue set in because of the three jobs he was working so that he could continue to tread water.

The barber/entrepreneur did a couple of things he thought might relieve some immediate pressure. He borrowed on credit cards and from the Internal Revenue Service (by not paying estimated taxes). Eventually everything started to come apart, as the IRS threatened a tax lien.

For lunch one Saturday the barber's family came to his shop after hours, as they often did. He was so overcome with worry and stress that he verbally threw them out. Then he went home, closed his bedroom door and considered how he might end his life without destroying his family or disappointing his God. As it turned out, only thoughts of God and family keep him from doing the unthinkable.

As you might guess, I know the fellow's story so well because I'm the fellow. Today, I'm pleased to say that, because I obtained the help I needed emotionally and financially, I'm well on the way to being completely debt free in few years (except for a home mortgage). And, I lead a happier, fuller life than ever. However, I've been left with some lessons I'll never forget.

The first lesson is: "Debt robs a man of his self-respect, and makes him almost despise himself." (P.T. Barnum). Thus, there's a need to use credit wisely. Self-esteem is at stake. And, while you might buy things on credit that you can't afford, because it temporarily lifts your spirits or gives you something to show to others, it's not worth the shame and loathing when debt becomes overwhelming. Learn to live within your means even if it involves doing without!

The second lesson is how a loss of respect due to financial woes affects one's attitude toward others. Sherry can always tell when I'm not happy with myself. That's when I'm unkind to her. I'm the same way with customers. In fact, there's no telling how much business I ran off while I was drowning financially and emotionally. I could easily have lost both my family and my business.

The third lesson I will pass along is that "…there is more satisfaction in rational saving, than in irrational spending." (P.T. Barnum). As per the financial advice I received for turning our circumstances around, Sherry and I began a consistent, well-planned investment, retirement program. That, combined with the fact that the barbershop is now paid for, is very satisfying. It's much more satisfying than new, showy things that we don't need or can't afford. I'm no longer interested in a big hat. I want the cattle!

Lesson number four is to learn from others. Experience (the school of hard knocks) is a great teacher, but not the best. That's because much of its value is lost in the time it takes to learn the lessons. Time-tested principles are the best teachers, and they can be discovered in writings, seminars, counseling and advice from those who have been there.

Yet, it still takes time to learn these things. And, as John Wayne said, "We're burnin' daylight."

BARBER-OSOPHY: Control your money or it will control you.

Copyright 2004, Sumerlin Enterprises.

Permission is granted for you to copy this article for distribution as long as the above copyright and contact information is included. Please reference or include a link to http://www.barber-osophy.com.






About the Author

Terry L. Sumerlin, known as the Barber-osopher, is the author of "Barber-osophy," is a columnist for the San Antonio Business Journal and speaks nationally as a humorist/motivational speaker.

Dobler Consulting Inc
2339 Warwick Dr
Oldsmar
FL 34677
United States



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Sunday, December 18, 2005

Doing A California Refinance Online

Tom Levine

Californians are passionate people. I know. I have lived in California my whole life: From the smoggy basins of Los Angeles, to, well, the smoggy basins of Sacramento. I've traveled highway 101, I've smelled the glory of the Redwoods, and I've experienced the confusion of the Terminator becoming governor. Without turning into a pop-song, I've done it all California-style, and that even includes, moving through the exciting process of doing a California Refinance Online!

Okay, so it's not exactly as poetic or as exciting as I'm making it out to be, but a California Refinance conducted online does not make you a bad Californian. It makes you a smart consumer, and if it's important for you to keep your business local, then there's no need to shy away from your monitor. You can still do it all in your pajamas.

In the next few moments, I'm going to cover some basics to ease your worries and calm your nerves about using the internet to gain access to local money.

1.You are in Total Control.
2.Some Important Online Information
3.Keeping it Local!
4.Start Broad, And then Narrow Your Search.

1.You are in Total Control.

a)Chances are, you will be filling out a short 30 second form online in the very near future, and in return, you will be receiving 3 to 4 immediate offers from brokers and lenders vying for your business.

b)But that doesn't mean that you must receive offers from banks located at the top of the Space Needle or beneath the catacombs of the Grand Canyon.

c)The majority of the loan search services available online provide you with the option to request loan offers from several brokers specific to your area. You don't need to reach far and wide to get a good deal.

d)This means that you can rest easy. When it's time to complete the online short-form application, just make sure the query asks you if you'd like to narrow your search.

2.Some Important Online Information

a)Ask if your prospective mortgage broker and/or lender are licensed under the CMLA, the California Mortgage Lending Act of 1994. http://www.corp.ca.gov/pub/mb.htm

b)Check out their complaint history with the Better Business Bureau online. http://www.bbb.org/

c) Ask if they are a member of the CMBA, the California Mortgage Bankers Association http://www.cmba.com/

d) Do you qualify for Affordable Housing? If so, make sure your lender can broker a loan that will meet your needs. Here is the current Interest Rate Schedule: http://www.calhfa.ca.gov/homeownership/rates/index.htm

e) Research the current California Mortgage Refinance Rates online. We offer a free, daily rate-watch at our site, but interest rate information is everywhere.

3.Keeping It Local

a)Doing a California Refinance from your neighborhood bank or local broker, is probably a very good idea.

b)One important reason is that they know the terrain, and they know what things are like in your home town or State.

c)Every region has a different set of variables and demographics that determine its respective health or struggles, as it pertains to mortgage rates.

d)If your preference is to do your refinance with local information and personable service, then I say go with your instincts.

4.Start Broad, Then Narrow Your Search

a)Start with a broad query using the Internet, and then narrow your search.

b)There are too many banks and brokers in your area, for you to call on the phone, or take a day to drive by each office for a personal visit.

c)Use the internet as a resource. Start wisely. Conduct a broad California Refinance loan search, via the methods discussed above, and then zero in on the folks down the street.

d)If you are not making decisions based on wise, savvy shopping tactics, then in the end, you could wind up spending more money through higher rates, or higher fees, all in the good name of convenience.

e)You can still go local in the end. Those are the parameters that you get to choose when conducting a search. But don't start there.

The internet is a powerful tool, for your California Refinance needs. Don't ignore it. Use it, and use it to your full financial advantage.

We've enjoyed providing this information to you, and we wish you the best of luck in your pursuits. Remember to always seek out good advice from those you trust, and never turn your back on your own common sense.

Publisher's Directions: This article may be freely distributed so long as the copyright, author's information, disclaimer, and an active link (where possible) are included.

Disclaimer: Statements and opinions expressed in the articles, reviews and other materials herein are those of the authors. While every care has been taken in the compilation of this information and every attempt made to present up-to-date and accurate information, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur. The author will not be held responsible for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any information within these pages or any information accessed through this site.



About the Author

Copyright 2005, by Loans-Resource.Com , This article is available in full format at: California Refinance , Tom Levine provides a solid, common sense approach to solving problems and answering questions relating to consumer loan products.

Dobler Consulting Inc
2339 Warwick Dr
Oldsmar
FL 34677
United States



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