Commercial Financing for Business
Commercial financing is needed, not only during the start up phase, but also during the development, operating and growth phase. Let us take a look at the financing required during these two phases.
Pioneer Phase or Start Up Phase
Seed Capitalists: Seed capital is usually provided by friends and family members of an entrepreneur. This funding is necessary for activities like market research in order to test the feasibility of the business venture. The amount of seed capital is usually small.
Angel Investors: A business can also be funded during the start up phase by angel investors. Angel investors are affluent people who finance a business for reasons best known to them. In other words return on investment or ROI may not be the sole criteria for funding. Angel investors may not demand participation rights in the business and they generally provide finances on a small scale.
Venture Capitalists: Venture capital is provided by institutional investors like banks, hedge funds and pension funds, who believe that the enterprise is capable of generating long term profits. Venture capitalists usually come into the picture after the business has established a few basic operations. Since venture capitalists invest other people’s money, they are very particular about the return on investment (ROI). Moreover, they demand participation rights in the form of preferred stock, and they may also be a part of the Board of Directors.
Development, Operating and Growth Phase
Commercial Construction and Real Estate Financing: Banks, credit unions and other lending institutions provide commercial construction loans. US Small Business Administration loans (SBA loans) are also available for small entrepreneurial ventures. Depending on the needs of the business, an entrepreneur can avail of acquisition and development loans, bridge loans, mini-perm loans, take-out loans, joint venture loans and loans for purchasing real estate . These loans supplement loans provided by venture capitalists and angel investors.
Asset Sale Leaseback: Asset sale leaseback is common in case of real estate. In this case the entrepreneur sells an asset only to rent it back from the buyer. The main reason for asset sale leaseback is to remove the asset from the balance sheet of a company while retaining its use. Asset sale leaseback is undertaken for accounting and tax purposes.
Leasing Equipment: Generally buying equipment does not pose a problem even if the business does not have adequate finance. This is because the equipment functions as collateral against which a business borrows money for purchasing the same. However, start ups prefer leasing equipment. The business is required to make monthly payments towards the rent of leased equipment. At the end of the leasing period start ups have the choice of either buying the equipment or continue leasing it.
Invoice Factoring: Many times a business uses invoice factoring in order to convert its accounts receivables to cash so that it can meet its expenses in case it encounters delay in receiving payments from the customer for services rendered. In case of invoice factoring, the business sells its invoice to a third party and receives up to 80% of the value of the invoice. Once the customer pays for the services rendered, the business obtains the remaining value of the invoice less the amount of fee charged by the third party. Read the rest of this entry »

