Growing a company often requires significant financing. Purchasing new equipment adding product lines, expanding the premises or raising additional working capital to fund growth are just some of the reasons why a company might want to think about putting together a proposal to obtain financing.

If marketing is the art of understanding customer needs and then creating solutions to meet those needs at a profit; then nowhere is marketing more important for an entrepreneur than at seeking funding from investors at start up and subsequent rounds.

If your business is growing, then managing cash flow is as critical as managing sales and expenses.

Kathleen M. Eisenhardt Eisenhardt describes the key elements associated with successful fundraising. She discusses the importance of asking for the correct amount of money at the right time from the appropriate people. She stresses the importance of researching VCs and understanding the true motives behind their interests.

Venture capitalists generally invest other people's money. So they're accountable. Understanding what makes them tick is half the battle.

Below is a one page investment teaser that can be used to excite a potential investor. If all the salient facts can be recorded in this form, it means that there is a clear and cohesive understanding of the business that is capable of being communicated.

It is one of the most important responsibilities of the CEO to keep the business funded at all times. No funding equals no business. It's no harm, therefore, to understand a typical fundraising journey on the adventure that building a business repsents.

Forecasting is part art and part science. Art because it's going to be about the CEOs feel for the business, its market and customers. Science because there are certain predefined financials that have to be taken into account.

Finance products which utilize a company‘s debtors as security such as Debtor Finance and Factoring are excellent ways to fund a business with a strong growth story.