July 17, 2007
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The
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OF THE BRIEFING RETAILERS: 5 BEST WAYS TO GET FUNDING NOW |
Retailers are often the maligned children of the business world. Profits aren't high enough to entice venture capital; glamour isn't glamorous enough for angel investors; and even the SBA can shy away from the bad times. But there is a bright spot or two. VENTURE CAPITAL rises again. The founder of Staples, the mega office supply store, is leading the pack. Thomas Stemberg is planning to bankroll a new generation of specialty retail chains with small footprints and narrower focuses than the old "category killers", huge stores like Staples and Orchard Supply. He believes that most categories are already full, so he is looking to the niches for market dominance. He's working through Highland Consumer Fund I, a new $300 million venture fund that is affiliated with the Lexington, Mass., venture capital firm called Highland Capital Partners. ANGELS go where venture fears to tread. If you're getting your feet wet in the "smaller footprint" retail arena, look to angel investor groups. When there is a buyout opportunity sitting and waiting for them, they will invest. Highland Consumer Fund is just the buyout opportunity they've been waiting for. VENTURE LENDING is also liable to take a nice jump in the retailing direction. This lets venture capital firms get an inkling of a company's potential without making a long term commitment. SMALL IPO. A "small" initial public offering used to be an oxymoron. Not any more. The London Stock Exchange has opened its doors wide. If your retail business is ready to expand regionally or nationally, or even internationally, take a look. You may be surprised. GREEN BUSINESSES. If your retail outlet will feature organically grown items, look to alternative financing. It's a hot topic now, and one that is financing well. Retail is on the verge of a major overhaul. Stores are closing in record numbers. That simply means that when the economy picks up, there will be lots of great locations for small footprint niche stores. |
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FREEBIE PLAY YOUR TRUMP CARD |
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Affiliate marketing seems to get all the glory. Do you remember Donald Trump's famous retort? He was on a talk show and was asked what he would do if he found himself penniless. He responded that he would find the best MLM program out there and promote it. The audience boo-d. Honest. A loud BOOOOOO. He pointedly said, "That's why you are where you are, and why I'm where I am." Affiliate marketing is an off-shoot of MLM. Essentially, you are promoting someone else's product, which is really a pretty good deal. You don't need to manufacture or inventory anything. It's your website that sells it. And you add up your receipts.
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FREE BUSINESS PLAN SAMPLE INTERNET CONSULTANT |
Internet consultants seem to be springing up from every direction. Some do extremely well. Some flop before they ever get started. With a bit of planning, an internet consultant business is far more likely to succeed. This business plan feels "old" to me. You can probably do better. But it does show the kind of financial information you will be presenting.
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Would you like a bit of help getting a successful web site up and running? Your SBI Coach is the answer. Fast, professional and very effective. ____________________________ Mark Twain, at the end of a profoundly meaningful life, for which he never received a Nobel Prize, asked himself what it was we all lived for. He came up with six words which satisfied him. They satisfy me too. They should satisfy you. "The good opinion of our neighbors." Kurt Vonnegut, writer ____________________________ |
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