Learn How to Tell a Good Company from a Bad OneFinding yourself under crippling debt is a nightmare turned reality for many people. No matter how hard they try to pay off their debt it just never seems to go down. This is where debt consolidation comes in. Debt consolidations allows you to have one bill from one company every month.
Sound like a dream? You can make it succeed for you. First, let’s take a look at what debt consolidation really is. The most important step is finding a debt consolidation company that is right for you. You can utilize the internet to make your search easier and to also find comments form those who have used the company before. You will want to look for positive reviews about companies that have helped other consumers effectively reduce their debt. The company that you ultimately choose will send you a monthly statement with all of your bills consolidated into one. They are the only company you will you have to pay and you will have one interest rate along with one minimum payment. This can be great for those who have trouble keeping track of the numerous bills they need to pay each month. You won’t miss or forget a payment because you only have one to make. This can also be good for those who have many different, and possibly high, interest rates. Since the debt consolidation company will give you one interest rate there is a good chance that it will be much lower than many of your current rates, which will reduce your overall payment. Another advantage to consolidating all your bills into one is that you no longer have to dodge creditors calling you left and right. Since you are only dealing with one company there will only be one creditor to discuss any issues you may be having and one person to negotiate your payment plan. How you deal with your finances will become easier and less problematic when only one company is involved. However, there are many unreliable credit consolidation companies out there with only one goal in mind – to profit off of you and take your money. These are the types of companies that you should be watching out for. Some of them have even been known to make late payments, which would further your credit troubles.
Good Debt Consolidation Firms vs. Bad – Make Them Work for You
Positive Business Strategies
Rethinking Business Via Positive ThoughtIs there a place for positive thought in the spirit of facilitating business strategies and goals? For entrepreneurs, and small to large businesses the brain’s perspective controls successful results.Business and personal achievements are fueled by an intangible philosophy. Positive
reflection is a by-product of the subconscious-mind. Scientific evidence has demonstrated that upbeat mindsets accelerate good health.The theory was validated by John L Reeves, II, Ph.D., and Director of Behavioral Medicine Services of the Pain Center of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. His findings showed patients with a positive outlook before surgery were more apt to experience successful post surgical results. Consequently, they experienced a faster recovery with less need for post-operative pain medication. According to a study released by the National Institute of Health (NIH) a clinical trial found that women who were positive minded about losing weight were more prone to lose weight than women who did not modify their behavior or who suffered from low self-esteem.The same optimistic attitude applies to the spirit of entrepreneurs, celebrities, professional athletes and successful business people. “The power of positive thinking allows humans to solve complex problems in innovative élans,” states business consulting writing firm, fruitionMedia.net. The formula for success is simple. A positive demeanor is infectious because it inspires business results. Moreover, it entails learning new ways to completely enhance business as well as meet personal goals. Use these vital principles of positive thinking to spark your business strategy results: Trust thyself. Think of yourself as a successful small business owner, entrepreneur, CEO, or whatever your professional goal is. As soon as you are steadfast in your objective, focus on preventing any outside forces from impeding your dream. Do not seek approval for your ambition. Although, the opinions of others may offer feasibility, only you can control the fate of your achievability objectives.
Small Business Insurance
Insurance Coverage for Small Business OwnersSmall Business Insurance Is a MUST. And here’s why…Any small business, regardless of number of employees, should have at least basic business insurance. Basic business insurance will cover the business from most liabilities. This may not be considered important, but one lawsuit that wins
against a small business could potentially force the business into bankruptcy. Also, potentially if a business does not have insurance, then the owner of the business, may be personal liable for monetary damage or lawsuits. Consider, for example if a small business sells a product that is defective, and causes physical harm then certainly there is legal grounds for a lawsuit, even if the small business, was not aware of the defective product, when purchased by a customer. Many lease companies require any size business, that leases space, have insurance liability. Because the lease company is totally aware of the fact, that if the business was sued, they could be forced to file for bankruptcy, which would make their lease agreement invalid, and the lease company would never get paid. Also, fire or damage cost would be covered in the insurance policy, protecting the leased company from any repair costs or total loss.
How to Get Ahead with Public Speaking
Tips and Tricks to Look like a ProBelieve it or not, one of the biggest problems I hear about in school and business settings is the lack of confidence of people about to give oral presentations. Because of this, I’m going to share some tips and tricks on how to dash your fears of public speaking, and remain calm, cool,
and collected during a speech. Hopefully, these notes will help you regardless of what level you are in your speaking career– high school or college students, teachers, professors, business people, etc. Everyone should be able to take something away from this piece. So, let’s begin… First of all, you need to know your audience. You can’t always choose your audience, so you need to be flexible and able to work with what you have. Always keep in mind the group you are talking to. Take into account age, sex, race, interests (if you know them), and why they are there listening to you. In just about every speaking situation, the audience is there for a common reason. Find that reason, and you have something to build on. If you have the fortunate option of choosing your audience, pick a group that reflects what you are talking about. For example, if you are talking about a new type of marketing pitch or tactic, include an audience of small business owners. That would serve you better than making the same speech to a high school class. Tailor your jokes, references, and examples to the group you’re talking to. This may be a bit hard to do on the fly, but nine times out of ten, you’ll know ahead of time who the group is you’re speaking to, therefore you’ll be able to gague what interests they have, a ballpark age range, and what topics they can relate to. If possible, avoid speaking to a group that you are totally out of sync with. For example, don’t offer to talk to a group that is focusing on a topic you know nothing about. In most school situations, you are safe from this problem, but once in the professional world, you may be asked to speak to various community groups with different interests that you’re not familiar with. This rule also applies to talking to groups that focus on a topic you don’t like. Most of the time, no matter how hard you try, some personal belief or opinion will make its way into your speech, either as a joke, example, or comment. If you’re talking to a pro-life group, for example, and you are pro-choice, it may not be a very good fit. Also, take into account the gender of your audience. This is important for several reasons: 1) you may be more comfortable talking to one sex than the other, 2) you don’t want to make a sexist reference and risk offending people in your audience. A few tips about men vs. women in public speaking situations: -Women tend to laugh more than men. Take note of this if you are including jokes or anecdotes in your speech. -Many people find all-male groups to be the most intimidating to talk to. -It is very hard to get a laugh during a business meeting where the CEO or President is present, unless s/he is the first to laugh. -Overall, audiences that are half male, half female are the best to talk to, because you have a good balance in reactions to humor and interest. Next, you need to captivate your audience’s attention. Start your speech with a great attention-getter–something that will catch the audience’s attention, make them laugh, or engage them in some way, shape, or form. This is especially important when speaking to a classroom full of students, or classmates. On days when everyone is hearing speeches all day long, it’s hard to keep everyone awake, let alone stand out. Therefore, your first mission should be to wake the group up, and get everyone interested in what you have to say. Some good ways to do this include: -Change the volume and pace of your voice, use inflection when you are speaking -Show a visual (poster, powerpoint, etc.) -Use a prop to make a point, or add a visual. However, DO NOT pass the prop around the room for all to look at until AFTER the speech is done. Doing this will actually work against you, and cause people to be distracted from what you are saying. -Move around the room. Don’t just wander, though. Make a point to know where your parameters are in your speaking area, and stay within those. Also, only move when you are making a point…there’s very few things that are more distracting than an idly wandering speaker. -Tell a one-liner. Usually these are more effective than long-winded jokes, and catch people’s attention very well. -Tell a story. Make sure the story makes a point, and that point is exactly what you are trying to say to accentuate your speech. Don’t be too long-winded in the story, you only need it to make your point, and serve as an attention-getting device. During the course of your speech, try to use one of these devices every 2-4 minutes throughout your speech in order to keep the attention of the audience, otherwise they WILL get bored, and miss the point of what you are saying. Also, if you choose to use powerpoint to emphasize what you are talking about, DON’T just read what you’ve posted on each slide. That will bore the audience, and in the long run, they won’t pay much attention to you or your slides. Use them as enhancements to what you are saying. Sometimes pictures and diagrams are much more useful to fill the slide than words anyway. Learn the ‘Public Speaking Rule of 3′ Tell them what you’re going to tell them. Tell them. Tell them what you told them. Right now, this may sound VERY redundant, but in oral presentations, it is perhaps the most effective rule you can apply. Here is an example: Assume your topic is “The Importance of Communication” 1. First make your point by saying, Accurate and clear communication is an important part of our everyday lives. 2. Then illustrate your point. In this case use a humorous two-liner. It’s like the student pilot who was asked over the radio to state his altitude and location. He said, ‘I’m five feet nine and I’m in the left seat.’ 3. Then restate your point in a slightly different manner by saying, You can see how what we may think is clear communication could be interpreted incorrectly especially when people are under pressure. Now that you know how to lay out your speech, let’s think about what to remember when actually GIVING your speech. Stand still. Fidgety speakers are hard to pay attention to, because the audience’s eyes will be drawn to your movement more than what you are saying. I know I said before that movement is good, but keep in mind that there is good movement and there is bad movement. Bad movement includes fidgeting, flipping papers, wandering around the room aimlessly, rocking back and forth, and walking out of the audiences line of sight. Good movement includes gestures that add something to your speech, a couple steps toward the audience to emphasize a point you’re making, and any needed steps to get out of the way of any visuals you may have, so the entire audience can see them. Try to use this as a walking guideline: don’t take more than 3 purposeful steps in one direction. Going outside this boundary will put you outside the audience’s viewing area, and probably too far from the podium, or center of the room where you are giving your speech. If you are giving a speech in a setting where audience participation is used, or where it makes sense to do this, walk among the audience. This is usually never used in a formal speech setting, but sometimes can be effective for teachers in the classroom. Use jokes effectively. Make sure the joke is at an appropriate place in your speech, one where it will make sense, and where you can take a natural pause in the speech to allow the audience to laugh after the joke is delivered. The pause will also allow for emphasis, and pauses can be used throughout the speech IN MODERATION. Make sure pauses are placed within the speech after a point has been made, and where the audience needs a second to think about what was said. Vary the speech’s intensity. People go to hear a speaker because they want to be engaged. They don’t show up because they want to hear someone mumbling in a monotone. Therefore, when speaking, you’ll need to vary your tone, speed, excitement, movement, and volume. For the most part, you’ll be giving a speech on something you feel passionately about, or at least enjoy talking about, or at the very least, something you have an interest in. Your job in passing this information along, is to engage your audience through your voice, visuals, and movement to feel the same way about the topic that you do. Figure out parts in your speech that are easier to talk about (examples, stories, jokes, etc.) and make those more interesting. You don’t have to directly READ from your notes for many of these things, so use that freedom to spice it up a bit, and get your audience to really take in what you are talking about. Be aware of your movement and gestures. If you are in front of a larger crowd, make sure your gestures are larger and slower (this is mainly for people giving a speech at the front of a large hall or on a stage). If you are talking to a smaller audience (in a classroom, a small meeting/conference room), make sure your gestures are smaller and you use fewer of them. Using many gestures in a setting of only a few people will be very distracting for your audience. In a small group, eye contact is MUCH more effective. Eliminate all nervous or useless gestures. Don’t play with your tie, skirt, hair, jewelry, repeatedly put your hand in your pocket, pace, or fidget. Try to avoid clenching and unclenching your hands, keeping your hands in your pockets, repeatedly flipping your hand, randomly pointing, and looking too stiff. A good pointer of when to use gestures in a speech is this: let the words trigger your actions; if you say ‘no’, shake your head in a negative way, if you’re counting a list, use your fingers to mark off each point. Should you say ‘you’ or ‘I’? Honestly, it depends on the type of speech you’re giving. ‘You’ speeches will receive more applause and interest than ‘I’ speeches. These will engage your audience more, and make them feel as though you are talking directly to them. An ‘I’ speech generally comes across as self centered, and puts the audience on the outside. As a rule of thumb, you should use 10 ‘you’s’ for every ‘I’ in your speech. Don’t speak too fast. I am a fast talker, so I know this can be hard to control sometimes. Pretend you are speaking to young children–slowly explain what you’re saying (but be careful not to sound too juvenile when you do this). Also, use word combinations outside of the normal usage–but not in a confusing way. The reason for this is because it will make you take time to think about what you’re saying to make sure you say it correctly, therefore naturally slowing you down as you talk. Cut as much material as you can, so you don’t feel like you need to rush through it when you’re presenting. Knowing you have a certain amount to get through can cause you to rush. And the most important thing, Practice!! The more familiar you are with your speech, the better your chances of knowing what you’re going to say, and the slower you’ll be able to speak. Know your script. This goes hand in hand with practicing…but keep in mind that the audience doesn’t know where you’re going, so they’re not going to know if you say something out of order, or leave anything out. The only way they will catch on to this is if you trip over something, allowing YOURSELF to get rattled and throwing you off during the speech. Grab a Red Bull! Not necessarily, but do have plenty of energy when you get up to talk. Like I said before, the audience wants to be engaged by your speech. A tired speaker will NOT be entertaining to listen to. Even if you aren’t that into what you’re talking about, FAKE IT! No one will know if you think your topic is the worst thing on the planet if you have plenty of energy while giving your speech. Now you know what to expect when GIVING the speech… but what should you think about when WRITING the speech? A very important thing to remember when writing a speech is word choice. What words you use can make or break your speech, because it can either be very easy for the audience to understand, or it can be very confusing if you use words that aren’t too common. For example, you wouldn’t want to say “The man’s elocution is impeccable.” The audience, regardless of how intelligent, had to stop and think about what that means, since it’s not written using everyday words. Therefore, you lost the audience for a few minutes. Use good brainstoppers. The above example is a bad brainstopper because it caused the audience to stop and think about the words, not about what you were saying. A good brainstopper will engage the audience and draw them in even more. An example of a good brainstopper is: “Think of the first toy you had as a child.” This allows the audience to have a moment away from your speech, but still remain engaged in what you are saying, as long as the brainstopper you are posing to them has something to do with your overall speech topic. Incorporate emotion when needed, it makes the speech more powerful. Read the following examples, and you’ll see what I mean. Example 1 (Using just the facts): “There have been eleven accidents in the past year at the sharp curve which is two miles north of Cherokee Lake on Route 857. Installation of guard rails, warning signs, and a flashing light will cost approximately $34,000. Even though we have not balanced the budget this year, I feel that we should appropriate money for this project. Thank you.” Example 2 (Using emotion): “On July 18th of this year John Cochran was found dead. The radio of his car was still playing when the paramedics got to his overturned vehicle. John’s neck was broken. It was snapped when his car flipped over an embankment. No one here knows John Cochran because he did not live here, but he died in our neighborhood. Most of you do know of the hairpin turn on Route 857 that has been the scene of eleven accidents this year alone and has injured many friends as well as strangers. We need money to put up guardrails, signs, and a flashing light. I know money is tight, but I hope you see fit to find the funds to remedy this situation before the unknown John Cochran becomes one of your loved ones.” The second example causes the audience to FEEL what you’re saying, rather than just listening to the words coming out of your mouth. This tactic is especially helpful when you are trying to persuade someone, or a group of people. Alright, you’ve got the speech part down… but what should you wear when you give the speech? For women: Don’t wear anything loud or obnoxious. People will be more focused on what you’re wearing than what you’re saying. Don’t wear mini skirts–try to keep them at a professional length, or simply wear pants. Dress as though you’re going to a job interview, or to work in a professional office (suits, blouse and skirt, blouse and pants, etc.). Make sure your makeup is professional as well—keep the eyeshadow and lipstick color toned down. Again, makeup can be just as distracting as wild clothing when giving a speech. Finally, make sure your hair is set. You don’t want to be messing with it during your presentation. For men: Wear professional attire (suits, dress shirt and tie, etc.). If you’re wearing a double breasted suit, keep it buttoned. If wearing a single breasted, it’s up to you if you keep it buttoned or unbuttoned. However, if you decide to leave it unbuttoned, make sure the jacket does not open too wide. Make sure your tie is straight, and if you will be bending over a projecter, use a tie clip for insurance, so it doesn’t block the audience’s view of anything being projected. For both: Make sure the outfit you plan on wearing is broken in. You don’t want to wear something uncomfortable while you’re giving a speech. Check out the area where you’ll be giving the speech beforehand and note the color of what will be behind you. Once you know that, you can choose an outfit that won’t blend in with the background. Avoid flashy jewelry, and earrings that dangle a lot–again, they will only distract your audience and potentially take away from your speech. Practice makes perfect! Make sure you practice, practice, practice once you have the speech written. Some tips that will help in your practice include: tape recording yourself so you can hear how you sound, watch yourself in a mirror so you can see if you use any unnecessary gestures, and practice the speech in parts. Practicing in parts will help you know each part of the speech better, and you can work on smaller segments rather than the entire speech all at once. This way you can target your problem points, and the speech will be easier to memorize. Finally, I have a few tips to help you avoid stage fright: -Pretend you’re talking to friends -Seek out a friendly face in the crowd -Focus on the subject you’re talking about -Be Prepared -Be Organized -Arrive early…the more time you have in the room where you will be speaking, the more acclimated you are, easier time you’ll have speaking in that area -Look through your notes -Paper clip pictures to your note folder…it makes you think of something unrelated and familiar -Talk to audience members…when you have a familiarity built up, they are more likely to respond well, and give you a friendly face to look at while speaking -Take deep breaths before your speech -If you’re shaky–use 3×5 cards…it’s less likely the audience will see them shake than full pages of notes Now you have a backbone of steps to take to be a successful speaker, and hopefully you’ll find these tips and tricks of the trade to serve you well in any public speaking setting you may encounter!
Accounts Payable Control as a Function of a Small Business Plan
Alignment as the Means of Controlling Disbursements in Your Small BusinessWhether a business is large or small, the same basic principles and practices of internal control apply. One of the key components of internal control is the accounts payable cycle.Large or Small, the Control Concepts are the Same Whether a business is large or small, whether it is
operated from a separate facility or you operate it from your home, the same basic principles and practices of internal control apply. One of the key components of internal control is the accounts payable cycle, encompassing the purchasing and cash disbursement functions. Even though the internal control steps involved in the process may be concentrated in just one person, in the case of a home-based business, or in a just a few people in a small business, these steps will be inherent in the decisions that are made and the actions that are taken. Segregation of duties, as would apply in a larger business, may not be practical or possible in a small business, but being aware of the different aspects of internal control will help to more clearly define the decision-making process, keep your small business on track, avoid unnecessary expenses or losses, and make the most efficient use of your resources. Making Focused Decisions In a home-based business or a sole proprietorship, accounts payable controls will probably come down to the decision of whether you should spend a certain amount of money on a certain item. This decision will actually involve a process of control in the sense that you have some basis for making the decision. A cash disbursement shouldn’t be perceived as a decision that is made at the moment of purchasing goods or paying for services. The origin really goes back to your business plan. All disbursements made in your small business should ultimately be justified based on your business plan – your goals and objectives, and the course you set for achieving them. Staying on Course Direction is key – in what direction are you going, and where does your direction come from. In the case of a sole proprietorship or home-based business, for example, you are the source of your own direction. You decide where you are going and how you want to get there. Maintaining a clear focus on your direction will help you avoid making unnecessary or unproductive expenditures, and veering off the course you have set. Your focus will be on making those disbursements that are necessary and reasonable in order to help you achieve your goals. Flexibility with a Solid Base Of course a certain amount of flexibility needs to be built into any system, in order to take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves, to respond to changes in the marketplace, and to adapt and adjust as your business evolves and grows. But having a framework in which to evaluate decisions regarding disbursements will once again take you back to your original plan. If your plan needs to be changed or adjusted, then that becomes your new plan and your new focus for direction, and your framework for decision-making. This is a dynamic and ongoing process, but it is nevertheless a process that requires careful thought and planning, and not spontaneous decisions. Timing is often critical in a fast-paced business or marketplace, where delaying a decision can mean losing out on an opportunity. Your whole cycle therefore needs to be just as dynamic. With some forethought, you can build flexibility into your system, without sacrificing the control element. And when you are clear about your objectives and direction, the time it takes to evaluate a decision regarding disbursements is reduced. You know how that disbursement fits into your overall business strategy. And, as you gain experience and knowledge in your business, you will develop an instinct about what disbursements are necessary and reasonable. An instinctive decision is actually based on an accumulation of knowledge and experience, and is not the same as an uninformed decision. Instinctive decision-making takes on added importance in a fast-paced environment, but you need the inherent framework provided by an internal control system, together with your knowledge and experience, in order to make these decisions. The Business Plan as the Starting Point Clarity as to your goals, objectives, and direction comes from going through the process of developing your business plan. It is here where you think through the product or service you will offer on the market, what it will take to produce the product or provide the service, the resources you will need in order to do so, and the efficiencies you hope to utilize in your favor. The business plan could be thought of as a description of the destination (the goals and objectives of the business), and the business strategy as the means to get there. This leads to the preparation of a budget, which could be thought of as a map, leading to the destination. In determining the resources you will need, you will inherently make a distinction between capital expenditures, start-up costs, and operating expenses. Some items, the expenditures for capital goods, will contribute to your business over a sustained period of time, while other items, the operating expenses, will be necessary to maintain ongoing operations, will have a shorter turnover time, and will be recurring. The Budget as a Tool A budget should not be so rigid as to restrict or limit a business, or prevent it from taking advantage of opportunities as they arise. But if it is not realistic and definitive, a budget loses meaning and purpose. Changes to a budget should be made within the broader context of changes in strategy or direction. New roads may be built that lead to the same destination, shortcuts may be found, or additional destinations may be added as the business grows and expands. This leads to budgetary changes aligned with changes in the plan and strategy. The budget represents in concrete terms (but not set in concrete) how the plan will be carried out – what income should be expected and what expenditures should be made to generate that income. The budget transforms the business plan into terms that can be put into practice in the day-to-day operations of the business. In this sense, the budget should be seen as a practical tool to be utilized to move the business forward on the right path, and not thought of as a deterrent, intended to limit the capacity to make decisions and run the business. Budgets, Forecasts and Projections A budget for capital expenditures and start-up costs is generally prepared once, when a business is commencing operations. An operating budget is often prepared on an annual basis. Many changes can occur during the year. While some changes can be foreseen and programmed into the budget, there will undoubtedly be other fluctuations that cannot be easily predicted, such as variations in the prices of materials and supplies, the cost of fuel, and other expenses. And selling prices may need to be adjusted according to fluctuations in market conditions. Many businesses have an annual budget, and then prepare quarterly or monthly forecasts to take into account these fluctuations during the year. In a home-based business or a small business, the time and effort involved in preparing such forecasts may or may not always be justifed. The important thing is to be aware of these changes during the year and how they affect the business overall. For example, increases in the cost of materials and supplies may need to be offset by adjustments in selling prices in order to achieve the same bottom line goal. If a business plan that was presented to lenders or investors contains a budget, that budget should not be altered, since the lenders and investors will probably want a report comparing actual results to budgeted results at some point in the future, depending on how financing for the business was negotiated. In this case, fluctuations during the year can be managed more efficiently by preparing updated forecasts. Likewise, cash flow projections will be directly affected by price changes and other fluctuations during the year, and the business decisions that are made in response to these changes. A cash flow projection therefore needs to be kept as up-to-date as possible. Here again, if the business plan contains a base cash flow projection, this can be maintained for comparative reporting purposes, with updated cash flow projections added as business conditions dictate. Flow of Control The steps involved in an accounts payable control system, or the thought process involved in decision-making, can be seen in terms of a logical flow, that starts with the business plan and ends with the disbursement. This flow is as follows: 1. Business plan 2. Business strategy 3. Budget 4. Forecasts and cash flow projections 5. Requisitions 6. Quotes and bids 7. Competitive comparison 8. Purchase order 9. Proof of delivery 10. Invoice verification 11. Payment End Results Within the context of overall internal controls, the controls that apply to the accounts payable cycle affect, or form a part of other, more general internal controls, such as variance analyses of budgeted versus actual expenses, or forecasted or projected expenses versus actual expenses. The controls inherent in the accounts payable process will also form part of cash flow comparisons and analyses. Variance analysis should lead to productive information and practical steps and measures that can be taken to improve the entire accounts payable process, always in line with the original intent expressed in the plan, and leading to more effective decision-making and ultimately, greater success in running the business and achieving goals and objectives, and improvements in the bottom line.
Finding Funding and Venture Capital for Your Business
Finding the Capital Needed to Make Your Business Dreams Come TrueMost people who go into business are a bit put off at the idea of risking their own money. They don’t mind going to banks, friends or family for money and will even boast at how smart there were to get their business up and running without putting their money in danger. This sort of
thinking when starting a business is dangerous and it shows a lack of confidence in their own business plan. Anyone who would invest in the business of someone who was not willing to risk his own capital is making a big mistake and you will find very few out there who will do this.Your own money is always the best to use when starting a new business. It’s better than having to borrow money, which will have to be paid back, with interest and out of the company operations. So, your first true source of capital is your own savings.If you have managed to save several thousand dollars by working for a few years before starting your own business then you will have, at least, the seed money needed to get your business off the ground. Doing it this way will mean that others will have more confidence and faith in your new business and be more willing to put their money into the business.That and using the list below will be the best course of action when trying to come up with funding or venture capital for your business.Personal Property that you own. If you own a building or vacation home, land, an automobile or any other tangible asset, you can either sell it or take out a second mortgage on it to raise capital for your new business. This also applies to any life insurance you might have that has built up a cash or loan value. If you borrowed against a life insurance policy the rate of interest would be lower than that of a bank, which works in your favor when repaying the loan. Plus, the loan principle would never need to be repaid because; when you die the insurance company would simply deduct the outstanding loan balance from the benefits of the policy.