5 ways to Raise Capital for your Business
Raising capital to start a new business may seem like a daunting task, but it need not be overwhelming if you follow a few basic business practices. If you have a viable idea that will net a return for your investors and prepare a compelling business plan the chances are good that you can find investors to join you.If you're thinking about getting outside or equity capital to help fund your business, there are some things you need to do first, that can make your business more attractive to investors. Follow these simple ideas, and you'll be well on your way to raising the money you need.First, always talk to a qualified business attorney (not your family lawyer). There are a lot of laws pertaining to how equity capital can be raised from the public, and the laws change often. You need someone who understands not only these laws, but also how to make sure that any business contracts are written to protect you and your business, especially the fine print.1. Taking your company public. Although security laws in the U.S. have made it easier for companies to go public, and offer stock as a way to raise needed funds, this is still probably the most risky choice. It is usually not a recommended option for very new or very small companies. Because of the number of legal issues involved, consulting with a knowledgeable attorney beforehand is vital. There is also a lot of stress involved in running a public company, and a considerable loss of autonomy and control. Before making this choice, be absolutely sure that this is the wisest course of action for your business.2. Getting money from relatives. Yes, it can seem like begging, and it's a difficult thing to have to swallow your pride. Surprisingly, in a recent survey, almost 30% of entrepreneurs said that they raised all or part of the capital they needed through family members. If this is your choice, make sure that you have your attorney draw up a regular business contract. When approaching family members, talk to them about their investment the same way you would any other outside investor. Tell them about how much money they can make, not about how much you need their help. And make sure that you keep to your end of the agreement.3. Using your savings or credit cards. This is the most common way for entrepreneurs to raise needed business capital. Before choosing this method however, talk with your financial advisor. You want to look at the long-term consequences of using your savings, lif

Late Payments Can Hurt You as Well as Your Suppliers
Late payments can produce serious financial problems. The effect on businesses who suffer from high debtor days has been well documented. According to official statistic it is directly linked to business failure. Less has been written however about why paying invoices late can be disadvantageous for the person who owes money.This article seeks to redress the balance.Paying your bills late can cause you economic problems. It can strain your relationship with your suppliers who:-Might decide not to continue doing business with you; or-Might impose tough new payment terms on you- including compensation claims and late payment fees.The UK government introduced the Late Payment of Commercial Debts Act in 1998 to enable businesses to claim interest from companies who owed them money. As a result, your suppliers are able to charge you extra for late payment very easily.In addition to this, paying late can also damage your reputation which can have serious consequences for your company.Conversely you might find that if you commit to paying on time or even early, that you are able to get a more favorable price from your suppliers in return. This can help to reduce your costs and bolster your profit margin.Moreover, if you do find yourself in financial difficulties, your suppliers are more likely to be accommodating if you have a track record of paying promptly.Ultimately, if you pay your suppliers on time you are going to have a much better relationship with them than if they have to constantly chase you for payment.The entire economy is based on the principle of prompt payment. After all if you pay your suppliers late they will probably have to pay their suppliers late and so on. Very quickly a spanner can be thrown in the wheel of industry and everyone suffers as a result.

Freight Forwarding Companies Are Encouraged to Move Off The Roads
New funding designed to move the transportation of heavy freight off the roads will improve driving conditions between England and Scotland. Travellers driving from Scotland to England will find the roads much less busy after measures were introduced recently to move the forwarding of freight off the road and onto the railways.The main reason why freight forwarding companies are being encouraged to use the railways instead of the roads is the issue of congestion.Road congestion is getting worse in Scotland every year and this has a damaging effect on both the environment and people’s quality of life. Congestion is one of the primary causes of increased journey times which leads to passenger frustration and stress.The Department for Transport and the FFG have contributed funds to help a number of major distributors forward freight between Coatbridge and Daventry by rail instead of by road. This is an attempt by the Scottish government to address the issue of congestion on the country’s roads.The Department for Transport has also introduced a grant scheme to encourage freight forwarding companies to make the switch from road to rail transportation. The grant scheme gives financial support to freight forwarding companies who transport inter-modal containers by rail instead of by road.There are currently around two hundred and sixty lorries a week that use Scotland’s busy roads to forward freight. The funding will help reduce the number of vehicles on the roads which will make life easier for holiday makers and business travellers.The Scottish government has said that it is committed to encouraging freight forwarders to use railways and waterways rather than roads to transport goods around the UK. Indeed, 60 million lorry miles have been removed from Scottish roads since 1999.Forwarding freight by rail and water instead of road also has environmental benefits. This combines with the need to reduce congestion to present a convincing case to freight forwarding companies about why they should move off the roads.

A Chef’s Personal Choices
In any major field of study, graduates usually have several career options to pursue. For examples, teachers may decide on educating elementary, middle school, high school, or college students; Law enforcers are patrol officers, prison guards, parole officers, or detectives. Likewise, Chef’s also have choices to make throughout his/her career. After experience in other venues of the culinary arts, a professional cook may have decided to become his/her own boss, and join the growing field of personal chef’s.Nevertheless, becoming a personal chef is a growing process. In the beginning, a potential chef may start out working at a restaurant after school as a dishwasher or busboy/girl. The job is anything but glamorous. However, the experience will prove valuable when applying for admittance to a culinary arts school. After doing the tedious jobs related to the food service industry, a young adult’s dedication to his/her future education will be unquestionable. Constantly watching what goes on behind the scenes, a teenager interested in cooking will have the information necessary to decide whether the kitchen is the right career choice.After high school, the next step is finding a school for the culinary arts. Although some schools are exclusive to a certain aspect of cooking, like a pastry chef, many schools offer classes on a variety of cuisines. During the years of formal education, the future chef will receive valuable classroom and hands-on experiences. Over time, a student will develop areas of particular interest. At this point, a mentorship is necessary to obtain the on-the-job training necessary for future employment. An internship, with an executive chef, will prepare a person for long hours of bustling around a busy and hot kitchen.Assuming he/she has not had a change of heart, a budding chef will graduate and seek employment with a reputable restaurant or food service. Starting as a su chef, a new hire will likely be relegated to cleaning, washing, and chopping, with little/no direct contact with the customers. In addition, he/she is destined to be under the tutelage of a supervisor, and likely not to garner a promotion for quite some time. While one person prefers to work behind the scenes, another would rather have direct contact with the people he/she serves and be his/her own boss. For him/her, a personal chef is a good career move.Becoming a personal chef means further education into working directly with the customer, pl

Board Committees-Is Your New Small Organization Ready For The Next Step?
When a new nonprofit is created, the founder or founder(s) generally recruit a small group of people they know and trust to help get things going. These people often wear many hats ranging from janitor to baker to teacher's aide to board member.As the organization begins to grow up, the lines become clearer between serving on the Board and volunteering in the program or office, though people will often continue to serve in multiple roles.Up to this point the Board typically has 4-8, maybe 10, members and most discussions and decisions are made by the group as a whole or default to whomever is closest to the daily operations. Eventually, the Board realizes that in order to increase the impact of the organization, it needs to extend its efforts beyond its initial program efforts. That generally means more emphasis on fund raising, finances, marketing, and evaluation (proving that the organization is good at what it does).For many organizations, this is when the discussion turns to recruiting board members with skills that complement the founding group and exploring an effective committee structure. For a small organization, Board committees can support the staff in key roles or actually do the work until funds are available for a staff person.Committees are great when they work and a terrible burden and experience when they don't. My philosophy on committees has evolved over time – I offer four key insights:1) Committees should be formed around the current needs of the organization, not out of a Board book that says "every board should have X, Y, and Z committees." It is too common for a well-meaning board member to use a board book or their experience with another organization to create a board structure for your organization. While there are many committees that most organizations have in common, your first venture into committee work can be overwhelming if you try to catch up with a mature organization too quickly.I suggest an organization look first to their mission and strategic plan. What needs to be accomplished? Where are you focusing most of your efforts over the next one to two years? Where can the board's work best benefit the organization? Common initial committees might be one that is externally focused - perhaps Marketing, PR, Fund Raising and one that is more internally focused, perhaps finance and developing board policies. This assumes that the Board officers are already acting as, at least, an info

How To Reveal Opportunities And Deal With Change
Whenever we throw something away, whether in the garbage can, the compost, or the recycling, it can smell terrible. Rotting organic matter smells especially badly. But it can also become rich compost for fertilizing the garden. The fragrant rose and the stinking garbage are two sides of the same existence. Without one, the other cannot be. Everything becomes a part of the garbage. After six months, the garbage is transformed into a rose. When we speak of impermanence, we understand that everything is in transformation. This becomes that, and that becomes this.Looking deeply, we can contemplate one thing and see everything else in it. We are not disturbed by change when we see the interconnectedness and continuity of all things. It is not that the life of an individual is permanent, but that life itself continues. When we identify ourselves with life and go beyond the boundaries of a separate identity, we shall be able to see the permanence in the impermanent, or the rose in the garbage.In business, it is crucial that we see the interdependence and interconnectedness between parties, resources and circumstances. We shall then be able to embrace change (not resist it) and ride the change to our benefit. In addition, we will be able to identify ideas and opportunities in the most obscure places. This shall be your competitive advantage: the ability to pick the rose from the garbage.Whether you are an entrepreneur or a business organisation, an orientation of your mindset to see the interconnectedness and continuity of things will reap you benefits for the long term.