Do you know what it takes to succeed a startup owner? If you think that all you need is a great idea and a handful of people to sell it to, you have a lot to learn about business. You are going to need a lot more. For starters, you’re going to need cash. One source of that cash is the angel investor.
Angel investors are those who put money into startups at their earliest stages. Some are willing to invest and stay in the background. Others want an active voice in determining the course of the company moving forward. At any rate, you also need more than just a great idea to attract them.
Know that angel investors will do their due diligence before putting money into any project. Sometimes they go so far as to order startup valuation reports from a company like Springville, Utah’s Mezy, Inc. If you want to convince these investors to get on board, you will need at least five things.
Table of Contents
1. A Solid Business Model
The Investopedia website defines business model as “a company’s plan for making a profit.” A good plan starts with the products or services a company offers. It goes on to account for a full range of factors including expenses, targeted markets, staffing, and so forth.
You have probably heard the old adage that says failing to plan is planning to fail. It rings true to angel investors. Without a solid business model in place, they are more likely to suspect a startup will fail. They will not invest in such a venture.
2. A Solid Management Team
Angel investors look closely at management teams inasmuch as they are the people who will be primarily responsible for day-to-day success. Successful days are like pennies. They add up. Thus, investors want to know that a startup’s management team is more than capable of handling day-to-day operations. At the same time, they want management teams with a forward-thinking attitude.
3. Existing Momentum
It is one thing to pitch a good idea. It’s another thing to already have momentum behind that idea. That’s where startup valuation reports come in handy. A good report shows that a startup is already moving. It shows that products are being made or services are being offered. Most important, it shows that owners already have skin in the game. This is important to investors.
4. Good Numbers
Startups with momentum already behind them can demonstrate current success through their numbers. In light of that, angel investors look for good numbers based on demonstrable evidence. They want to see a startup is heading in the right direction.
For the record, good numbers do not always translate to profit. In fact, it’s not uncommon for startups to go a year or more without making money. No, good numbers show reasonable losses commensurate with the amount of financial investment required to get a company off the ground. Good numbers also show continual movement toward eventual profit.
5. Good Timing
Finally, timing plays a bigger role in entrepreneurial success than most people realize. An entrepreneur might have an excellent idea whose time has not yet come. Likewise, the time for another idea may already be long passed. Angel investors look at timing as much as business model, solid management, or any of the other factors discussed in this post.
If you are looking to attract investors for your startup, don’t think that a good idea is all you need. You need all five things discussed here. They are the bare minimum for selling investors on your new venture.
