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The Best Person for the Job

The founder of a company is almost always the best person to go out and network with potential investors. But if you truly aren’t confident enough in your communication skills to find, and then negotiate with, an angel investor, choose someone on your team or a trusted advisor who does have these capabilities to act in this capacity for your business.

Don’t limit your quest for potential investors to just the people you know. Broaden your search by looking for potential angel investors in:

 Investment forums. Investment forums are held to bring investors together with entrepreneurs looking for funding. These forums might be organized by entrepreneur associations, business organizations, entrepreneurship departments at universities, the media, or chambers of commerce. They generally include presentations by preselected entrepreneurs, talks by investors, and/or training sessions in fundraising presentations.

 Entrepreneurs’ organizations. Many communities, especially larger cities, have organizations composed of entrepreneurs. They hold regular meetings to exchange information, ideas, and contacts. Find out if there are any in your area by looking for nearby entrepreneur groups on the Internet or in the press or by inquiring at your local Small Business Development Center or Chamber of Commerce (see page 29).

 Trade and professional associations. No matter what your industry, there’s almost certainly an association composed of other businesses in that field. Frequently, these associations have local chapters that hold regular meetings, where you can network with other entrepreneurs to help identify investors active in your industry. You can find a list of many industry associations on The Planning Shop’s website at www.PlanningShop.com/associations.

 Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). SBDCs provide free one-on-one counseling and low-cost training programs to entrepreneurs. Find one near you at www.asbdc-us.org. Make an appointment with an SBDC counselor and tell them about your business plans. They’ll educate you about the different kinds of funding available to entrepreneurs.

 Chambers of Commerce. Contact your local Chamber of Commerce to find out about events they have planned for businesspeople in your community, where you can network for potential investors.

 Trade shows and relevant conferences. Learn about conferences in your industry by going to the websites of your trade association, reading trade publications, and getting on the email event lists of local business schools and the SBDC. Attend as many events as you can and network with other attendees and speakers at breaks between sessions.

 Trade press for your industry. Read relevant industry magazines or newspapers to keep up-to-date with news and trends. These publications provide leads for potential angel investors. Make note of who is being quoted and where they work. Add them to your list of people to contact.

 Incubators. Business incubators offer support to start-up companies by providing entrepreneurs with resources and services. Services include management guidance, technical assistance, rental space, shared business services and equipment, and assistance in obtaining financing. Visit the National Business Incubation Association at http://www.nbia.org/index.php to find local incubators. Research their offerings to determine whether their services are what you need.

 Business schools. Many business schools offer programs and events for entrepreneurs. Contact schools in your area and find out what classes, lectures, and other events you can attend (some are for students only). Business professors are well connected to local companies and business leaders, and if your business looks promising to them, they may be able to provide introductions to potential investors.