Elawyers Elawyers
Ohio| Change

If your business takes off and becomes a success, you may want to build on its success to make it even more profitable. There are a few different ways in which you can pursue this goal, such as by acquiring other businesses, entering new markets, or bidding for government contracts if your business is eligible. In many situations, a business owner will need to raise more funding to bolster their expansion plan. This is similar in many ways to raising funding for a new business, but the process has some differences as well.

Sources of Funding

As an important preliminary step, you should evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the funding options that may be available. Just as when you started your business, you may be able to consider loans and crowdfunding. This process may be easier than when you started your business, however, since the business will have created a track record of financial reports and a credit history, which should show lenders and investors that it is a strong choice for funding. If you are not able to get a business loan, you can explore getting an SBA-guaranteed loan. This may convince a bank that lending to you carries less risk.

You can also consider selling ownership in your company if you are running a corporation, LLC, or partnership. This will reduce your control and the control of any other existing owners, which may be a downside to bear in mind. You may need to notify your state if you sell shares in your corporation, and you would need to comply with your internal governance documents, such as articles of incorporation and bylaws. Similarly, you may need to notify the state if you are bringing new members into an LLC or a partnership, and you must follow the procedures provided by your articles of organization and any other governing documents. Adding new members to an LLC or partnership involves giving them a percentage of ownership in return for making a capital investment.

Making a Case for Funding

To show that your business is a good choice for investors, you should put together financial records that show its success over time. If you have not yet achieved a history of success, you should be ready to explain how more funding will make a difference. You should get a business credit report and make sure that it is accurate to prove that you are a trustworthy manager of finances. Going through a business valuation, either on your own or with the assistance of an appraiser, can be important to show outsiders how your business has grown. You can also put together a presentation on how you expect the business to grow in the future, including its projected revenue and expenses. This forecast can be based on both objective data and your personal analysis and judgment, although any opinions should be clearly supported.

Ultimately, you should put together a statement with the total amount that you are seeking and the reasons why you need it. You should explain any distinctive factors that affect your need for funding, such as a need to acquire new equipment or expand into a new market. Your business plan also should explain who will be managing the funds and showcase their knowledge and experience, reassuring investors that their money will be capably handled.

Recent Topics

  • Advertising

    Advertising law encompasses state and federal laws and rules that govern how products can be advertised, including the content of ads as well as when and how they reach consumers. Advertising law involves antitrust, consumer information, communicatio...

  • Entering New Markets

    Successful business owners often try to take their business to the next level by entering a new market. This can be a great strategy as long as you carefully plan in advance, considering the costs required, your target audience, and your ability to c...

  • Government Contracts

    One distinctive area of opportunity available to some small business owners is the possibility of working on federal or state government contracts. In an effort to promote business ownership and entrepreneurship in the United States, many government ...

  • Mergers and Acquisitions

    A merger and an acquisition are technically different processes that can have a functionally similar effect. While a merger is the combination of two businesses into one new entity, an acquisition is the purchase of one company by another. In reality...

Can't find what you're looking for?

Post a free question on our public forum.
Ask a Question
Search for lawyers by practice areas.
Find a Lawyer