Funding Options for the Future

   America is a land of opportunities, Thousands of people come to America in hopes of fulfilling their dreams, getting a better an education, or starting a business. There are so many resources and programs available to those with interest in starting their entrepreneurship endeavors, but the amount of options can be overwhelming. Some great resources that I would deem as advantageous to beginning entrepreneurs are: Opportunity Finance Network,  Cfed, Association for Enterprise Opportunity, and the Community Development Venture Capital (CDVC). I found these organizations in particular very useful because they all share a common goal which is to empower communities and economic development. There are plenty of opportunities available to entrepreneurs to get knowledge about entrepreneurship, funding sources, and gaining access to mentors. The Oppurtunity Finance Network seeks to help finance businesses that help "low-income, low wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities have access to affordable , responsible financial products and services." www.oppurtunitydfinancce.net
   To qualify for some of these financial resources it has to serve certain communities and bring a benefit to communities in underprivileged regions. For instance the AEO- Association for Enterprise Opportunity seeks, "to assist underserved entrepreneurs in starting, stabilizing, and expanding business".www.aeoworks.org For other organizations like the Community Development Venture Capital (CDVC) funding is provided to "..companies with strong management, good ideas, impressive growth potential, and the promise of high financial returns." www. cdvca.org
   So different organizations have different qualifications depending on their various objectives. A lot of these sites also have statistical information of the success of the funding and the jobs created through businesses. CFed.org even has video testimonials of entrepreneurs that have utilized resources and been able to establish successful businesses in their communities. Overall there is nothing an entrepreneur has to lose by looking up this resource, because you can benefit your self as well as your community by using these sites. This is yet another great advancement tool for urban communities and those who aspire to help the youth who are truly our future.

Business Plan Advice

             In my last article titled "Business Plan Tips" I discussed some great tips from two stars of the show "Shark Tank", Daymond John and Barbara Corcoran. From them I learned some techniques and principles I can apply to my business plan to make it more effective. Daymond John mentions that one must do some homework and completely research their business and the industry they are entering into. If the person doesnt know all there is to know about their business he states, "Why should I be interested."www.daymondjohn.com/power_journal/carving-out-a-niche/ I have done some research on my business and industry but, I could definitely do some more research. I feel that there are areas that I do not have much knowledge of my business which is something I need to do to make my business plan better.
        The insights I also learned from Barbara Corcoran have been a true insightful in helping me perfect my business plan. She stated that when starting a business an investor wants to know: “What problem are you trying to solve? Why are you uniquely qualified to solve it? Is it a good business? What’s it going to cost? And how long is it going to take? http://barbaracorcoran.com So I have taken thought of these questions and made sure that my business plan answers these questions clearly.
        I have taken a lot of good advice from these experts and I still have plenty more areas in which I could improve my business plan. Reading through the article http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/    I would have to agree with Dr. Guy Kawaski on his point of view that the Executive Summary is the most important aspect of the business plan. I have taken this advice and have been working to perfect my Executive Summary so that it will be concise and appealing to the reader. Dr.Kawasaki views that it is the most important element because it is the first component of the business plan the investor sees. I also believe that it gives the investor a snapshot of the whole business plan because its everything summarized concisely. These tips from these business experts have been very helpful to me and I look forward to the continual knowledge I will gain from experts such as these. http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/   


Sources:
www.daymondjohn.com/power_journal/carving-out-a-niche/

http://barbaracorcoran.com 

http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/