August 05, 2008

If you missed the last edition,
Business Plans for Home Business, click to get there!

Stop the Presses!
Google Has A Venture Capital Fund!

It is now official:  Google has hired someone to head up its new venture capital fund.  The fact that Google is backing young startups isn't astounding.  Truthfully, they have probably been investing in startups for quite some time.  But quietly.  Now they are setting up a whole separate venture capital fund. 

There are 500 reasons why companies like Google set up corporate venture capital funds, not the least of which is that large companies need the agility of small companies to keep the ideas flowing, to bring new technologies and new energy to their companies. 

The fact that most large companies invest in small startups is one of the best kept secrets in the venture world.  Heck, even the Feds have a venture fund to keep on top of new spy technology.

Not every company qualifies for corporate venture investment.  In fact, very few do.  It takes a special company, with a very unique idea, and a very strong team to latch onto those funds.  But if yours is one of those, go for it.

If you are looking for corporate venture funding (the quiet kind), look to creating a business proposal:  a document that sets out "Here is where you win, and here is where I win."

The approach is different from a standard business plan where pay back is The Big Issue.  In a corporate venture lending environment, it is the "win-win" that is all important.

And don't forget about small company IPOs.  They are a great source of funds for smaller companies, as are any number of angel investors.

This is just too cool to resist.

No matter what your business, whether you are online or in a store or in a huge office, you can PROMOTE YOURSELF AS AN EXPERT.  For free.

(Now, I KNOW you are an expert at something or you wouldn't be looking at business plans.  So this is for YOU!)

The service is called "Help A Reporter Out" (HARO).  It works like this.  You register (for free). Then you get 2-3 emails every day with lists of topics that reporters want experts for.  You email the reporter, pitching what you've got. 

Voila!  You might end up in the East Blue Shoo Gazette or in Time magazine.

HARO was developed by Peter Shankman, a publicist, who just believes in good karma.  He certainly spreads a lot of it around with this service.