Starting Your Business, Need Venture Capital- PART 2

Last blog we discussed about Venture capital and the things that you need to keep in mind while raising finances for your business ventures. You got to have right amount of ingredients to mix well with business requirements, the investors have the money and you have the talent, just show your cards right and go home with a win-win situation for both the parties. Make use of intelligent and unique methods to impress your Venture capitalists and get ahead in expanding your business.

Understanding DECK

By now, I think I have improved my thinking about how venture capitalists work in a business world and how to make them more approaching to finance you; it will work best when you have a readymade Powerpoint presentation, commonly known as “Deck”. Deck can be used to pitch your Venture capitalists about your business; it will give them a clear picture of your project by the graphs, pictures, etc. I am going to help you to prepare that perfect DECK for your presentation; it should be including the following:

1. All the companies have their own mission statements, so make sure to mention all the details of what your company is into and where you plan to take it.
2. A company is made up of team, one person cannot run the company. You should be good in convincing people to work for your company than can you convince VC to invest money.
3. Once your company is established, make sure to do something out of box, like you can portray how your company has stood in the times of adversity.
4. Don’t just describe the problems that your company can solve, show them practically through slides, graphs and the product details.
5. Compare your company to other competitors in the field, list them down in your slide show, you can explain your plans to overcome the competition.
6. Do some research in the market and you can state the different problems which as a company everyone will face. You can offer simple solutions to such problems through slide show.
7. Have a brilliant business model showing a perfect sense of making money by hook or by crook. You can list out different possibilities in making money to your investors.
8. Marketing is one of the most important ingredients to sell your products in market, show a clear plan of act what you are going to execute in future.
9. State clearly as to how much finance you would require and what would be its purpose, when you state openly about your wants people will appreciate it.
10. Investors would want good returns for the money they are investing, so make an effort to show them how hard you are working to achieve the goals.

With all heavy inputs, I am sure you are going to be questioned from 360 degree angles. I know well how it feels when you are surrounded in a conference and heavy weights asking you questions out of jungle but if they are investing, it is their right to know the answer. My advice to you is simply, stay calm and have confidence in yourself and answer the questions honestly, if you are well prepared and studied your plan in detail, I don’t think any possibility of someone surrounding you. Some of the common questions that they ask during such times are:

1. What is your target?
2. Why you need finance from us?
3. Why should we finance you?
4. What makes your product different from the competitors?
5. What if you can’t get any finances?

Believe me, I have attended so many conferences, meetings, given presentations, one thing I found was that you cannot expect people thinking from your point of view, you can only try your best to explain them but the perceptions would never be the same. I remember, the times when I used to go crazy when asked with silly questions but I let it go, staying cool and calm, may be that they are trying to check my patience. You never know what’s running in their minds. So stay upright, lively and get kicking.