Aimed at all those posters who come here looking for investment.
Investment is a serious business; investors are busy people. Very busy indeed. They also place great value on their time. They are literally inundated with random propositions (I'm not an investor, and even I get my fair share) - most of which remain unopened.
The very fact that you have come on here tells me that you aren't investment ready, because:
- You have to appear investable. Time after time this comes up - investors invest primarily in people. Not ideas - they are 10 a penny. They also look for a viable business with proof of concept, revenues etc- but far more important is you - the person who is going to drive their business to success. They don't want to pity you, nor do they want to think you believe the world owes them a living. They want to see and hear a strong, motivated, business-minded person who can go through good times and bad to make the business a success.
- You have to have done your research. Not just on your business itself (more later..), but on investment and investors. 'Which is better, loan or investment?' is the type of question you ask in the research phase, not when you are pitching for investment. That just makes you look like an amateur. Investors are individuals with - often large - egos. They want to know how you have selected them as a likely partner - what synergies there might be between your business and theirs. Similarly, they want a sensible proposition on the table. To achieve that you have to have put a realistic valuation on your business - slightly optimistic is normal - wildly optimistic will go straight to the shredder.
- You have to have an exit. Investors are in it for the money, plain and simple. They make money in 3 ways:
- Management / consultancy fees.
- Dividends.
- Exit.
They will set their own fees, which will vary dependent on the required input.
Your plan needs to realistically show how they will earn dividends, and above all how they will get their big pay day on exit - trade sale, flotation, MBO etc - as a rule they will be looking to
at least treble their investment in 3 - 5 years.
- You have to have a sensible business plan. Not a glossy 100 page 'sales prospectus / product description / work of fiction', but a straight forward functioning plan which clearly shows how the business will operate, what the significant steps will be to achieving smart goals, a sensible cashflow projection showing both the need for finance and the return to your investor. When questioned, you need t fully understand your plan, so if you do pay a professional to do it, you must be closely involved.
So, by all means come on here to ask questions about investment, or ho to put your strategy together - but posting half-baked investment request will only mark you out as an amateur, a chancer and - ultimately - uninvestable.