Questions You Should Ask Before Getting a Small Business Funding
May 2nd 2016 at 11:05am Published by sharpshooteradmin
The world of small business finance has grown by a lot over the course of the last few years. Gone are the days when small businesses had to think of multiple ways for getting the finance that they required. Now small businesses can get their required funding in the manner they want without any hassle as such.
While this ease in acquiring funds has made it easier for small businesses to achieve the success they have in mind, but it has also given them a chance to get funding without contemplating whether it is best for them. You shouldn’t go for funding option until you are extremely sure whether it is perfect for you or not.
Banks have been replaced with other options, and the convenience these new alternatives offer has pampered small business owners a bit. The ease of getting funding is really tempting for these small businesses and don’t take other factors into consideration here. They proceed with the funding and do not realize the impact that it can have in the long run.
There is still a fair amount of risk associated with the process of getting small business funding approved for your business. Hence, you would want to avert this risk, so that the decisions you take are in your best interest. Here we mention some of the tips that you can follow here.
Banks are no longer the best option for businesses to follow when it comes to getting funding. Businesses have realized that they have better options available elsewhere, which is why they should go out and try them.
Here we mention some of the questions you should ask yourself and your funder before getting small business funding:
Questions to Ask Yourself?
We will first talk about the questions that you should be asking yourself when it comes to getting small business funding. Make sure you ask yourself these questions, because the answer to them will help determine the way you handle the process.
Why is the Additional Capital Needed?
The first question that you should ask yourself is just why you need this additional capital, and which business need you are planning to meet through the funds. Since you are already decided about the funding by now, we expect you to have the answer to this question.
If your business need is something along the lines of getting a new seating area or expanding the current seating arrangement, then we expect you to have the recommended solution ready with you. However, there are times when a business just needs extra cash to balance the sheets. Your business statements can go haywire at times, which is why you might have to inject some cash into the business for balancing your sheets properly. If you don’t do your balancing properly, you won’t be able to succeed properly in your business.
Answering this question is an absolute necessity before you move on to the other questions in this article. Before doing anything else, you need to first ask yourself the reason behind the funding.
The Amount You Need
Besides knowing the purpose behind the funding, you also have to consider the amount that you are looking for. Usually studying the purpose behind your funding would give you a fair enough indication of the amount you need as well. If you want funding for expanding your restaurant area, then you would need more funds than what you would require if you just needed an amount to meet the expenses of some new hiring.
How Quickly Do You Want the Funds?
You should also know the urgency that you have in mind while looking for the funds. The funder you choose for these funds can be based on how urgently you need cash. If you can wait for a while before the cash comes in, then there is no urgency as such. But, if you want the funding to come by quickly, then you have to be fairly urgent. The urgency will dictate the kind of experience you have as a small business. A private funder can be best for you if you want to be urgent with the entire process.
What to Ask Your Funder?
Once you have answered the questions that you asked yourself, it is time for us to move to the questions that you should ask your funder.
You ought to know the intentions that the funder you work with has and should ensure that they are in line with what you are expecting. Here we mention some of these questions:
How Many Businesses have they Served?
You should begin by asking the funder the number of businesses that they have served in your industry. This information can be vital for you, as it would give you the info that you crave here. Knowing that the funder has experience in dealing with businesses from your particular industry can be beneficial for you. This will prove that the funder has a sufficient idea of how profits work in your industry and just how you should go about them.
How does the Repayment Plan Work?
You should specifically ask the funder about the repayment plan and how it works for you. Knowing the right repayment plan from your funder can be perfect for your business. These details will work in your favor and will give you the kind of info you are looking for.
The repayment plan for small business funding matters a lot as it will end up deciding the brunt you bear when it comes to repaying the funding amount. Without knowing the total funding amount and the repayment plan that follows, you shouldn’t proceed with the funding.