Don’t quit your day job: Experiment with your idea. Find out what prospective customers think and whether there is a market for your product.
Get the paperwork out of the way: Attend to regulatory requirements early, so that you don’t waste valuable selling time once your business is launched.
Be prepared: Don’t launch before you have systems in place for record-keeping, invoicing, book- keeping and customer care. These keep your business running while you focus on sales.
Build up sales before you launch: Ideally, get a few regular customers before you go into the business full-time.
Get some suppliers on your side: See if your suppliers will give you a few months in which to pay while you are starting up. This way, you don’t have to get loans to buy supplies.
Start slowly: Some products or services may sell better than others, with less infrastructure and cost. Start with these to get the cash flowing.
If borrowing money from family and friends…
DON’T be too relaxed about financial agreements.
DON’T ignore the possibility of failure.
DON’T ask for more than they can afford to do without.
DO keep them regularly updated.
DO be open to their advice.
DO consider being mentored.
Five venture capital basics
1. Build a management team:
Experience and the ability to grow the company is the number one priority for most investors.
2. Make your business plan stand out:
Show the potential of your idea. Be concise and tell the truth.
3. Approach the right investor:
Don’t waste your time on people who have never put money into a company like yours.
4. Know your market:
Compile statistics, interview potential customers and read trade journals.
5. Network, network, network: Develop relationships with attorneys, accountants and people who have investor connections
By: KINGSLEY OPPONG –SEKU/Ghanadailies