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Starting your business

Step 2: Obtain funds PART 1 OF 5

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How to find investors

The first question to ask when looking for investors is: How much money do I need?

  • Not a whole lot. If you don't need a lot of money, your best bet is family, friends and organizations you're already familiar with.
    • Family and friends: Yes, all the plots on the sitcoms end with the warning: Don't loan money to friends and family, but there are ways to do it and keep the friendship.
      • Be honest about the risk.
      • Make sure the person can live without the money.
      • Set a fair interest rate.
      • Create a written pay-off plan.
      • Put the whole thing in writing.
    • Business people you know. You probably already know people through business organizations you're a member of. You can approach those people to see if they'd be interested in investing. The same guidelines for friends and family apply for business acquaintances.
  • A lot of money. If you're looking for a major infusion of capital, you need to turn to investment experts.
  • Banks. Talk to your banker. You already have a relationship with your bank, and it may be able to loan you the money. If not, your banker may know of local investors.
  • Investor and venture capital groups.
    • The National Venture Capital Association website, www.nvca.org, lists potential investor groups.
    • Active Capital, http://www.activecapital.org, is a national organization that links investors and entrepreneurs.

Have fun

An Excuse to Celebrate

December 2

cocktails

Today is St. Bibiana's Day. Don't know who she is? You probably just forgot because St. Bibiana is a the patron saint of drunks and hangovers. What better way to honor her than by heading to the bars? Bars and clubs guide »

Best of Dayton

You Decide What's the Best

Best Cup of Coffee [poll]

Best Dayton Ohio Cup of Coffee

Here's where you get to tell the world what you think. Every week you get to vote on the best that the Dayton area has to offer in entertainment, restaurants, recreation & and a few other bizarro categories.

Voting in this category ends on Dec. 8.

We have REVISED our official rules »

Things to Do

Find Local Events

Holiday events to get on your radar … and we're not just talking Christmas lights here [things to do]

Holiday events

There's never a shortage of holiday events in the area to occupy your time until the New Year rings itself in. This year, all the usual suspects are present — Woodland Lights, RiverScape ice skating, Lebanon's Carriage Parade — with a couple of brand new additions to the mix, including 50 Under $50, a collaborative collection of area artists, getting together for a Friday/Saturday shopping and entertainment experience at 20 N. Jefferson St. downtown this weekend, the same place the recent Dayton LadyFest made its mark; Sandstorm Middle-Eastern Dance Company's Ho Ho Hafla — a holiday show like no other; and a pub crawl for a good cause. More »

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Restaurants

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Food & More

Local Dining

Wine & Dine: More local restaurants are offering wine tasting/dinner pairings [review]

Wine glasses

Some are searching for new customers. Others are looking for a test market for new appetizers or entrees. Others want customer feedback on which new wines to add to the wine list. Whatever their reasons, more restaurants in the Dayton area are using wine tastings and wine dinners to try to get new, fresh faces to cross their doorsteps. A decade ago, diners could easily count on one hand the number of restaurants that held regular wine events. Now, the number exceeds a dozen and is growing. More »

Random Top-Rated Restaurants

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