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8 Replies Last post: Apr 28, 2009 3:21 PM by bizcreditfan

Start up & Financing

Jun 25, 2008 12:44 AM

Click to view partybiz's profile Authority partybiz 9 posts since
Jun 19, 2008
My husband & I are starting up our business which is a liquor store. We're Incorporated. We have our duns & bradstreet number. We have the location and the funds for the building lease but unfortunately, not enough funds to purchase inventory for the liquor store. That is the where frustration occurs. We have applied for different personal loans and business credit cards but so far there has not been any success. Does anyone know of any other ways to receive funding, whether it be loans or grants? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Click to view LUCKIEST's profile SCORE LUCKIEST 8,136 posts since
Aug 6, 2007
1. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 25, 2008 6:43 AM
Start up & Financing, Welcome and Good Luck

Tell us more. Where are you, like City and State.
You do have a liquor license?? right??
How soon do you plan on opening??
Any lender or investor will want to see a Business Plan.
You will get many offers for funding on this site.

Good luck, LUCKIEST
Click to view Adducent's profile Mogul Adducent 338 posts since
May 22, 2008
2. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 25, 2008 8:11 AM

Without credit or collateral to get debt based funding, the only avenue you may have is to try to raise capital by selling equity. Do you have an investor-ready business plan with 3 years financial projections that can be presented to equity investor prospects to gage their interest? If your plan is solid and the business a viable opportunity you you may be able to find a local "Angel" investor who would provide some funding for you.

If you need a large amount of funding you should look at using your plan for the basis to have your attorney prepare a Private Placement Memorandum. Also known as a PPM this is the document that covers all the legal aspects of raising capital from from private investors by selling them stock (and sometimes bonds, which are often convertible to equity). if you are interested in raising capital that way then check with your attorney about a Reg D PPM filing; the costs etc.

Another thing you might want to consider is to buy a liquor store rather than start one. Funding and financing is usually much easier to get on existing businesses than start-ups. And you might be able to find structure a deal where you have minimal out of pocket expense to you to buy the business.

I hope that gives you some directions to explore. Best of luck to you.

Dennis Lowery
Adducent, Inc.
Click to view partybiz's profile Authority partybiz 9 posts since
Jun 19, 2008
3. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 26, 2008 12:51 AM
in response to: LUCKIEST
We're located in houston, texas. We are at the end of the process of obtaining our liquor license, just need the rest of the funding for the inventory. We want to open by Labor Day.....We just need help with this business plan....where is Score located?
Click to view Adducent's profile Mogul Adducent 338 posts since
May 22, 2008
4. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 26, 2008 7:20 AM
in response to: partybiz
Your local SCORE office is:

Houston SCORE, 8701 S. Gessner, #1200, Houston, TX 77074 PHONE: (713) 773-6565 FAX: (713) 773-6550 EMAIL: score37@scorehouston.org

http://www.scorehouston.org/

Click to view Adducent's profile Mogul Adducent 338 posts since
May 22, 2008
5. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 26, 2008 7:31 AM
in response to: partybiz
You can search online for "angel investors" and you will find a number of resources and web sites that will help you find angel investors. Most Angels that you find that way may be more interested in high growth businesses and larger transactions. Your best bet may be to check locally for smaller "angel" type investors that want to put small amounts of money into a business of your type.

You also might want to try "social lending" sites such as:

http://www.lendingclub.com/

https://us.zopa.com/

http://www.prosper.com/

Dennis Lowery
Adducent, Inc.

Click to view partybiz's profile Authority partybiz 9 posts since
Jun 19, 2008
6. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 26, 2008 9:19 PM
in response to: Adducent
Thanks for all the helpful information!
Click to view Adducent's profile Mogul Adducent 338 posts since
May 22, 2008
7. Re: Start up & Financing Jun 27, 2008 12:19 PM
in response to: partybiz
You're welcome. Good luck with your business start-up.
Click to view bizcreditfan's profile Authority bizcreditfan 10 posts since
Apr 14, 2009
8. Re: Start up & Financing Apr 28, 2009 3:21 PM
It isn't too late to start building strong business credit. If you had business credit in place getting a $25k line of credit would be much easier to attain.

You've already taken the first step by getting your DNB number now you just have to know how to use it!

For tips on how to build strong business credit and utilize it check out www.strongbusinesscredit.com or www.initialunderwriting.org . I found both of these sites helpful when I started my process of building business credit.