Showing posts with label Credit of venture. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Credit of venture. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Getting Your Venture Lease Approved



Each year venture capitalists fund more than 2,500 start-up companies in the U.S. Many of these companies try to conserve their equity capital by approaching venture-leasing firms to secure equipment financing. By obtaining lease financing, these savvy firms are able to use their equity capital for high-impact activities like recruiting key personnel, product development, and expanding their marketing efforts.

What are the qualities that make some start-ups more attractive than others to venture lessors? Here are ten factors that most venture lessors evaluate to decide which start-ups to finance:

Caliber of the Management Team

Most venture lessors consider the start-up's management team to be the most critical success factor for the venture. Though it can be challenging to quickly evaluate management talent, there are several qualities that venture lessors consider. They look for experienced managers with high integrity and a proven history of business performance.

Quality of the Venture Capital Sponsors

Another important factor for most venture lessors is the quality of the start-up's venture capital sponsors. Venture lessors look for experienced venture capitalists with successful investment performance over a number of years. The venture capitalists should also have good reputations for dealing fairly with creditors serving their portfolio companies. Before entering new lease arrangements, most venture lessors verify that the start-ups' venture capital sponsors are actively supporting them.

Soundness of the Business Plan

Successful start-ups usually have compelling, well-articulated business plans. Lessors look for signs that the start-ups have promising market opportunities, clear and credible projections, and reliable financial statements.

Cash Position /Monthly Burn Rate

A yardstick used by many venture lessors to measure risk is the start-up's projected cash consumption rate. The ratio of available cash to the start-up's monthly burn rate is a useful measure. It crudely determines how long the start-up can last before a new equity round is needed. The lessor views a transaction as less risky if the start-up can make full payments during a significant portion of the lease term without raising additional equity. Most lessors look for a ratio that supports at least 9 - 12 months of the start-up's operation.

Equipment Quality

The quality and intended use of the equipment is an important factor for most venture lessors. Most lessors look for transactions involving equipment that is essential to the start-up's operation. Additionally, the equipment should have acceptable collateral value and be readily re-marketable in the equipment aftermarket.

Product Prospects and Revenue Track Record

If the start-up is in the development stage and has yet to sell products, venture lessors generally look for products capable of establishing a strong market position. If the start-up's product is already in distribution, lessors look for strong monthly or quarterly revenue growth. A poor reception of the product in the early stages, when measured against the business plan, can often signal a faulty product launch or faulty product concept.

Valuation History

A valuation history records the share prices of stock sold to investors by the start-up. Unless there is a good explanation, most lessors look for significant share price appreciation over successive offering rounds. The assumption is that the start-up is making steady and significant progress in its development, which will be reflected in rising share values.

Balance Sheet Strength

Venture lessors usually evaluate a start-up's working capital to ensure that the start-up can make payments when due. Along with an analysis of the start-up's burn rate, lessors use traditional working capital measures like the current and quick ratios. Lessors also look for other signs of balance sheet strength, such as: low to moderate leverage; positive tangible net worth (inclusive of subordinated debt); and minimum paid-in capital of $7 - $10 million.

Outside Professional Involvement

Most venture lessors view the involvement of reputable and successful outside board members as a positive factor for start-ups. A reputable CPA firm, law firm, institutional partners and/or service providers are also viewed by lessors as positive. These professionals can bring valuable expertise and contacts that can help the new venture to succeed.

Payment Performance

As with more traditional lessees, venture-leasing companies frown upon poor lessee payment histories. Most venture lessors expect lessees to have satisfactory payment histories, unless good explanations can be offered. Like other vendors, satisfactory payment of bills by customers is where the rubber meets the road. Whether the lessee is a start-up or a Fortune 500 company, most lessors view prompt payment as sacrosanct.

While venture lessors use additional factors to make their credit decisions, these ten factors seem to be used universally. Though most of these factors are subjective, they have stood the test of time for venture lessors in making informed and reasonable credit decisions.


George Parker is a Director and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. (“LTI”), responsible for LTI’s marketing and financing efforts. A co-founder of LTI, Mr. Parker has been involved in secured lending and equipment financing for over twenty years. Mr. Parker is an industry leader, frequent panelist and author of several articles pertaining to equipment financing.

Getting Credit for Your Business



I have been in business for myself for many years and have struggled with the fact that no one really wants to give me capital to run my business. Even when approaching friends, family (and fools) I never got the Wow that sounds exciting and I would love to be a part of it or at least loan you money to get it going. Sound familiar?

There are plenty of nay-sayers no matter what you try to accomplish. It is the postives that are more important when it comes to putting money into the company. Myself, I do not tend to tell my family much about what I am doing but there are plenty of strangers that are just as excited as I am. So where do you find the money to run your business? The answer is quite simple, but the work involved is not that easy, however, the results are certainly worth the effort.

The first step in the process is to review your credit reports. You are likely the same as everyone else, you know you have credit reports but do not tend to think of them as being important. You may also know that obtaining a free credit report every year is necessary but it is one of those tasks that gets neglected.

  • Action item number one is to get your free credit reports from all three credit reporting bureaus.

  • Action item number two is to read your credit reports and highlight the errors.

  • Action item number three is to get your credit report corrected.

  • Action item number four is to create a good business and working relationship with a financial institution such as a bank


If you are not sure how to begin, you can get more details on how to do this through CreditRepairForEveryone.com

Once your credit is under control and your score is where you need it to be, you can then borrow against your good credit. According to Donna Fox, Esq., it is easier to borrow a million dollars with a good credit rating than it is to borrow five thousand to pay a debt.

Planning for your business is also a key factor. Financial institutions like good plans that include where your sales will be coming from and when you expect to hit profit.

In summary, you will find financing your business much simpler through good credit and a working relationship with your bank (yes banks do like good projects that are well planned).

Cash Advances Through Your Credit Card Sales

Many businesses today are in a financial bind and find themselves getting pushed deeper and deeper into a hole. What do they do when they can't go to the banks for money to improve their businesses? I'm sure many of you have been approached by cash advance companies that will buy your future Visa and Master Card Receipts but you are stuck in a contract with your current processor and unable to change without a paying a hefty penalty. Don't settle for the first company that comes along with a little due diligence you should be able to find a reputable company that can meet your specific needs without interfering with your day to day operations. The idea is to to make your life easier and grow your business.


You're probably wondering what's involved in all this. It's very simple. Some companies arrange to have your daily credit card settlements directed and deposited into a "Corresponding Deposit Account" which they help you set up. The small remittance portion is deducted and directed to our account while the major portion of your net funds are deposited into your bank account. Most people that I've dealt with have been thankful that there are alternate ways to get quick cash and jump on an opportunity when there is only a small window and you need the money now!

"The Plate Lady" out of Livonia Michigan says she wouldn't know what to do if there wasn't a program like this. A program like this gets her through here slow season which is why she has been in business for 31 years at the same spot.

Venture Leasing - How to Get Financing For Custom-Made Equipment



Tiffany Charles, CFO of Medtech Solutions, was facing a difficult challenge. Medtech, a venture-backed startup in business for two years, needed test equipment critical to its operations. While test equipment is widely available for most test applications, the tests to be conducted at Medtech required custom-made equipment offered by only one US manufacturer. Medtech had raised sufficient venture capital to fund most of its research and development projects, but the custom-made equipment's cost would require an unacceptably large percentage of Medtech's research budget, limiting investments in other key areas. Tiffany explored manufacturer financing and contacted several leasing firms, but to no avail. How would Tiffany acquire the equipment that Medtech needed without using internal funds critical for other projects?

Why custom-equipment financing is so difficult to obtain

Potential financing sources approach requests for this type financing cautiously. Most financing for venture-backed startups involves a high degree of risk in comparison to financing established companies. Financing sources that extend credit to venture-backed startups are accustomed to accepting startup risks. These risks include financing companies that are relatively new to their markets, that have negative cash flow, and that rely on venture capital sponsorship to stay afloat. Notwithstanding these risks, most financing sources are reluctant to take on the added risk of financing equipment that they may be required to re-market one day, but are unable to move. Many of them know that a small percentage of the transactions they underwrite will not work out, requiring them to repossess and re-marketing the equipment to recover as much of their investment as possible. Custom-equipment presents a huge challenge in that it offers virtually no backstop should all other exit channels fail.

Whether or not a venture-backed startup can obtain financing for custom-equipment might depend on several factors:

  • The dollar amount and percentage that the equipment represents of the total to be financed

  • Whether other assets can be offered as collateral to secure the transaction

  • The startup's overall credit profile

  • Whether management can convince the financing company that the equipment is critical to operations and/or profitability

  • Whether an aftermarket exists and whether there is any prospect of realizing value from the equipment if re-marketing is necessary

  • Whether the vendor offers equipment buy-back, trade-in, or re-marketing support, if desired.


How do savvy startups overcome this financing challenge?

To improve the odds of obtaining financing, startups should take the following steps:


    • Stick with financing firms that specialize in financing venture-backed startups. These companies understand venture risks and are in a better position to evaluate transactions involving custom-equipment.





    • Research the after-market for the equipment by talking to the vendor and looking for used equipment brokers/dealers online. Often, the vendor can provide resale information and used equipment resellers can be spotted online via advertisements and postings. Make sure you provide your re-marketing research to the financing firm.





    • Explore re-marketing assistance with the vendor, including equipment buy-backs, trade-ins, or other vendor re-marketing arrangements. Depending on the vendor, customers may be able to lobby for special re-marketing arrangements as a purchase incentive.





    • Consider other assets that the startup might pledge to support the transaction. The main concern of the financing source is being able to exit the transaction should the startup default in making payments. By offering additional collateral to support the transaction, the startup may be able to alleviate or greatly reduce this concern.





    • Try to schedule custom-equipment purchases along with other equipment that has an established aftermarket, such that the custom-equipment represents a minority of the equipment being acquired. Similar to offering additional equipment as collateral, by bundling custom-equipment with readily re-marketable equipment, the overall collateral value of the bundle might be sufficient to calm the financing provider's concerns.




  • Highlight the critical nature of the equipment. If it is critical to the startup's profitability or operations and loss of the equipment's use would put the startup in a significantly weaker position, the prospect of obtaining financing is somewhat improved. The rationale is that the financing source will have a relative advantage vis-à-vis other creditors in any company wind-down because the equipment might be needed to restructure the company or to assist other creditors in their recovery. While this is not a primary reason for financing custom-made equipment, it is a factor considered by most financing sources in making a final decision.


If your startup needs financing for custom-made equipment, use these tips and insights to navigate your search.


George Parker is a twenty-five year industry leader, co-founder and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. He is author of several articles and e-books, including "Using Venture Leasing As A Competitive Weapon" and "101 Equipment Leasing Tips".

Credit Building - How Long Should I Wait to See Results?



Building your credit up? Resist the urge to pull your report as often as possible, as results can take some time to start showing up.

I never check my report more than every six months. It's generally not worth the hassle any more often than that, and most credit building ventures can take up to that long before you start seeing any effect, and there are tons of other factors that can come into play, making you want to abandon something prematurely because you think it isn't working.

The only other time that I pull my credit score is before applying for any manner of loan or other financing. This lets me know what the person on the other end will be seeing, so they can't pull the whole "well, your score isn't that good..." line on me.

There are a number of services out there that let you get your credit score monthly, but that tends to make you more nervous than anything. If you're following good credit building practice, your score shouldn't be foremost on your mind. You should be thinking about being financially responsible, making sure that you're paying your bills on time, and any free time you have shouldn't be spent mulling over your credit score.

In short, wait about six months after you've started thinking about your score to start looking into any changes that may have happened to it, if anything just for peace of mind.

The only exception to this would be if you're clearing marks from your record that you don't believe should be there, in which case you should check back regularly to make sure that they have been removed promptly.

Family In Need? Bad Credit Personal Loans Can Help!



In a time of need, even folks with poor credit histories may have to consider getting a personal loan in spite their unfortunate credit past. Before any person with a not-so-squeaky-clean credit report ventures on such quest, it is very important to have some background information of what needs to transpire in order to make the search for such a loan a success.

Do Not Be Surprised

You need to have a good idea of how a lender looks at you after they see your credit scores. The first thing you want to do when you get your credit report is to make sure you agree with everything that is on it. Your information was entered by human beings and human beings are prone to error.

Cleaning Up Your Credit Report

If you find something on your report that has nothing to do with you, you need to contact the credit agency and dispute it. If there are bad marks on your report that you understand, be willing to discuss with your lender why the fault occurred.

Starting Fresh

By taking the time to become aware of your credit report, your willingness to get any discrepancies cleaned up, and your willingness to talk about your credit past, many lenders will take this as a good sign. That you are eager to start fresh.

Cutting Some Slack

Many lenders, especially in these recessionary and financially troubled times, realize that many past credit problems are not entirely the fault of the individual loan seeker. So, some companies are willing to bend their rules a little to accommodate folks in financial need.

Start Slowly

Your best chance to start getting back on an even financial keel is to take out a loan small enough that you can repay it pretty easily. Make payments on time and in the proper amount. Each time you keep your end of the bargain on loans such as this, you are improving your credit score.

Two Types of Personal Loans

Two types of personal loans are available in the financial marketplace:

Secured Loans Personal Loans

A secured loan is a sum of cash given to you but you have put something of real value as collateral, usually real estate, sometimes a vehicle. If you default on the loan, the lender may seize that property and sell it to cover the costs of the loan. These loans are more comfortable for the lender and repayment terms and conditions are usually easier on the borrower.

Unsecured Loans Personal Loans

An unsecured loan has no collateral and is a bit riskier for the lender. The lender is relying solely on your honesty. Obviously, the interest rates and payments are often higher to cover the risk. You will have to confer with each lender to understand what kind of loan they may tender and whether or not they will need security.

Shop Around

You need to find a lender who is willing to work with you. Do your research and find lenders with the lowest rates and the most comfortable repayment terms. Do not take any loan that seems unreasonable, do not sign anything you do not understand. If you are careful you should soon have the money you need to see you and your family through some hard times.

Credit Cards For a College Student



When the average student enrolls in college they are bombarded by agents from lending institutions who want them to start using their credit cards. It would take a GPS in order for the student to select the card just for them. If they are not careful they find themselves in credit card traffic jams, credit back problem backups and many more problems faced by the traveling student. The problem is that a college student has their head on more important things like studies, sports, and paying off tuition fees. It is expensive to attend college and getting enough grants can become a problem for the average student. Most college students rank as average but are more than capable of earning a degree.

In the meantime the college student finds that they need necessities, sporting equipment, and perhaps they would like to be able to get a pizza and relax for a Sunday afternoon with friends. In order to do this it requires a credit card. Then there are those students who commute to their campus on a daily basis and need money for gas and even car repairs. These students usually attend a community college and have a job already. The credit card companies are aware of these students and try very hard to get them as clients. All these different needs fall into many categories that require the student to travel very carefully down the highway of credit card ventures before they make a decision on the destination that will suit their needs at the right prices.

Venture Leasing - A Smarter Way To Build Enterprise Value



In 2003, venture capitalists and investors dispensed over $18 billion to promising young U.S. companies, according to VentureOne and Ernst & Young Quarterly Venture Capital Report. Less documented and reported is venture leasing's activity and volume. This form of equipment financing contributes greatly to the growth of U.S. start-ups. Yearly, specialty leasing companies pour hundreds of millions of dollars into start-ups, permitting savvy entrepreneurs to achieve the biggest 'bang for their buck' in financing growth. What is venture leasing and how do sophisticated entrepreneurs maximize enterprise value with this type of financing? Why is venture leasing a cheaper and smarter way to finance needed equipment when compared to venture capital? For answers, one must look closely at this relatively new and expanding form of equipment financing specifically designed for rapidly growing venture capital-backed start-ups.

The term venture leasing describes the leasing of equipment to pre-profit, start-ups funded by venture capital investors. These companies usually have negative cash flow and rely on additional equity rounds to fulfill their business plans. Venture leasing allows growing start-ups to acquire needed operating equipment while conserving expensive venture development capital. Equipment financed by venture leases usually includes essentials such as computers, laboratory equipment, test equipment, furniture, manufacturing and production equipment, and other equipment to automate the office.

Using Venture Leasing Is Smart

Venture leasing enjoys many advantages over traditional venture capital and bank financing. Financing new ventures can be a high risk business. Venture capitalists generally demand sizeable equity stakes in the companies they finance to compensate for this risk. They typically seek investment returns of at least 35% - 50% on their unsecured, non-amortizing equity investments. An IPO or other sale of their equity position within three to six years of investing offers them the best avenue to capture this return. Many venture capitalists require board representation, specific exit time frames and/or investor rights to force a 'liquidity' event. In comparison, venture leasing has none of these drawbacks. Venture lessors typically seek an annual return in the 14% - 20% range. These transactions usually amortize monthly in two to four years and are secured by the underlying assets. Although the risk to the venture lessor is also high, this risk is mitigated by requiring collateral and structuring a transaction that amortizes. By using venture leasing and venture capital together, the savvy entrepreneur lowers the venture's overall capital cost, builds enterprise value faster and preserves ownership.

Venture leasing is also very flexible. By structuring a fair market value purchase or renewal option at the end of the lease, the start-up can slash monthly payments. Lower payments result in higher earnings and cash flow. Since a fair market value option is not an obligation, the lessee has a high degree of flexibility and control. The resulting reduction in payments and shift of lease expense beyond the expiry of the transaction can deliver a higher enterprise value to the savvy entrepreneur during the initial term of the lease. The higher enterprise value results from the start-up's ability to achieve higher earnings, upon which most valuations are based.

Customers benefit more from venture leasing as compared to traditional bank financing in two ways. First, venture leases are usually only secured by the underlying equipment. Additionally, there are usually no restrictive financial covenants. Most banks, if they lend to early stage companies, require blanket liens on all of the companies' assets. In some cases, they also require guarantees of the start-ups' principals. More and more, sophisticated entrepreneurs recognize the stifling effects of these limitations and their impact on growth. When start-ups need additional financing and a sole lender has encumbered all company assets or required guarantees, these young companies become less attractive to other financing sources. Correcting this situation can sap the entrepreneurs' time and energy.

How Venture Leasing Works

Generally, a major round of equity capital raised from credible investors or venture capitalists makes venture leasing viable for the early stage company. Lessors structure most transactions as master lease lines, permitting the lessee to draw down on the lines as needed throughout the year. Lease lines usually range in size from as little as $ 200,000 to well over $ 5,000,000, depending on the lessee's need and credit strength. Terms are typically between twenty four to forty eight months, payable monthly in advance. The lessee's credit strength, the quality and useful life of the underlying equipment, and the lessor's anticipated ability to re-market the equipment during the lease often dictate the initial lease term. Although no lessor enters a leasing arrangement expecting to re-market the equipment prior to lease expiry, should the lessee's business fail, the lessor must pursue this avenue of recovery to salvage the transaction. Most venture leases give lessees flexible end-of-lease options. These options generally include the ability to buy the equipment, to renew the lease at fair market value or to return the equipment to the lessor. Many lessors limit the fair market value, which also benefits the lessee. Most leases require the lessee to shoulder the important equipment obligations such as maintenance, insurance and paying required equipment taxes.

Venture lessors target lessee prospects that have good promise and that are likely to fulfill their leases. Since most start-ups rely on future equity rounds to execute their business plans, lessors devote significant attention to credit review and due diligence - evaluating the caliber of the investor group, the efficacy of the business plan and management's background. A superior management team has usually demonstrated prior successes in the field in which the new venture is active. Additionally, management's expertise in the key business functions -- sales, marketing, R&D, production, engineering, finance --- is essential. Although there are many professional venture capitalists financing new ventures, there can be a significant difference in their abilities, staying power and resources. The better venture capitalists achieve excellent results and have direct experience with the type of companies being financed. The best VCs have developed industry specialization and many have in-house specialists with direct operating experience within the industries covered. Also important to the venture lessor are the amount of capital VCs provide the start-up and the amount allocated to future funding rounds.

After determining that the management team and venture capital investors are qualified, venture lessors evaluate the start-up's business model and the market potential. Since most venture lessors are not technology specialists - able to assess products, technology, patents, business processes and the like - they rely greatly on the thorough due diligence of experienced venture capitalists. But the experienced venture lessor does undertake an independent evaluation of the business plan and conducts careful due diligence to understand its content. Here, the lessor generally attempts to understand and concur with the business model. Questions to be answered include: Is the business model sensible? How large is the market for the prospect's services or products? Are the income projections realistic? Is pricing of the product or service sensible? How much cash is on hand and how long will it last according to the projections? When is the next equity round needed? Are the key people needed execute the business plan in place? These and similar questions help determine whether the business model is reasonable.

Satisfied that the business model is sound, the venture lessor's greatest concern is whether the start-up has sufficient liquidity or cash on hand to support a significant portion of the lease term. If the venture fails to raise additional capital or runs out of cash, the lessor is not likely to collect further lease payments. To mitigate this risk, most experienced venture lessors pursue start-ups with at least nine months of cash or sufficient liquid assets to service a substantial portion of their leases.

Getting the Best Deal

What determines venture lease pricing and how does a prospective lessee get the best deal? First, make sure you are comfortable with the leasing company. This relationship is usually more important than transaction pricing. With the rapid rise in venture leasing over the past decade, a handful of national leasing companies now specialize in venture leases. A good venture lessor has a lot of expertise in this market, is accustom to working with start-ups, and is prepared to help in difficult cash flow situations should the start-up stray from plan. Also, the best venture lessors deliver other value-added services - such as assisting in equipment acquisitions at better prices, trading out existing equipment, finding additional venture capital sources, working capital lines, factoring, temporary CFOs, and introductions to potential strategic partners.

Once the start-up finds a capable venture lessor, negotiating a fair and competitive lease is the next order of business. A number of factors determine venture lease pricing and terms. Important factors include: 1) the perceived credit strength of the lessee, 2) equipment quality, 3) market rates, and 4) competitive factors within the venture leasing market. Since the lease can be structured with several options, many of which influence the ultimate lease cost, start-ups should compare competing lease proposals. Lessors typically structured leases to yield 14% - 20%. By developing end-of-lease options to better accommodate lessees' needs, lessors can shift some of this pricing to the lease's back end in the form of a fair market value or fixed purchase or renewal option. It is not uncommon to see a three year lease structured to yield 9% - 11% annually during the initial lease term. Thereafter, the lessee can choose to return the equipment, purchase the equipment for 10% - 15% of equipment cost or to renew the lease for an additional year. If the lease is renewed, the lessor recovers an additional 10% - 15% of equipment cost. If the equipment is returned to the lessor, the start-up reduces its cost and limits the amount paid under the lease. The lessor will then remarket the equipment to achieve its 14% - 20% yield target.

Another way that leasing companies can justify slashing lease payments is to incorporate warrants to purchase stock into the transaction. Warrants give the lessor the right to buy an agreed upon quantity of ownership shares at a share price predetermined by the parties. Under a venture lease with warrant pricing, the lessor typically prices that lease several percentage points below a similar lease without warrants. The number of warrants the start-up proffers is arrived at by dividing a portion of the lease line - usually 3% to 15% of the line - by the warrant strike price. The strike price is typically the share price of the most recently completed equity round. Including a warrant option often encourages venture lessors to enter transactions with companies that are very early in development or where the equipment to be leased is of questionable quality or re-marketability.

Building a young company into an industry leader is in many ways similar to building a state-of-the art airplane or bridge. You need the right people, partners, ideas, materials and tools. Venture leasing is a useful tool for the savvy entrepreneur. When used properly, this financing tool can help early stage companies accelerate growth, squeeze the most out of their venture capital and increase enterprise value between equity rounds. Why not preserve ownership for those really doing the heavy lifting?


George Parker is a Director and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. (“LTI”). He is responsible for overseeing the company's marketing and financing efforts. One of the co-founders of LTI, Mr. Parker has been involved in secured lending and equipment financing for over twenty years. Mr. Parker is an industry leader, frequent panelist and author of several articles pertaining to equipment financing.

Venture Leasing: Startup Financing On the Rise



According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, investment by institutional venture capitalists in startups grew from less than $3.0 billion at the beginning of the 1990's to over $106 billion in 2000. Although venture capital volume has retreated significantly since the economic "bubble" years of the late 1990's, the present volume of around $ 19 billion per year still represents a substantial rate of growth. Venture capitalists will fund more than 2,500 high growth startups in the U.S. this year.

The growth in venture capital investing has given rise to a relatively new and expanding area of equipment leasing known as 'venture leasing'. Exactly what is venture leasing and what has fueled its growth since the early 1990's? Why has venture leasing become so attractive to venture capital-backed startups? To find answers, one must look at several important developments that have bolstered the growth of this important equipment leasing segment.

The term venture leasing describes equipment financing provided by equipment leasing firms to pre-profit, early stage companies funded by venture capital investors. These startups, like most growing businesses, need computers, networking equipment, furniture, telephone equipment, and equipment for production and R&D. They rely on outside investor support until they prove their business models or achieve profitability. Fueling the growth in venture leasing is a combination of several factors, including: renewed economic expansion, improvement in the IPO market, abundant entrepreneurial talent, promising new technologies, and government policies favoring venture capital formation.

In this environment, venture investors have formed a sizeable pool of venture capital to launch and support the development of many new technologies and business concepts. Additionally, an array of services is now available to support the development of startups and to promote their growth. CPA firms, banks, attorneys, investment banks, consultants, lessors, and even search firms have committed significant resources to this emerging market segment.

Where does equipment leasing fit into the venture financing mix? The relatively high cost of venture capital versus venture leasing tells the story. Financing new ventures is a high risk proposition. To compensate venture capitalists for this risk, they generally require a sizeable equity stake in the companies they finance. They typically seek investment returns of at least 35% on their investments over five to seven years. Their return is achieved via an IPO or other sale of their equity stake. In comparison, venture lessors seek a return in the 15% - 22% range. These transactions amortize in two to four years and are secured by the underlying equipment.

Although the risk to venture lessors is also high, venture lessors mitigate the risk by having a security interest in the leased equipment and structuring transactions that amortize. Appreciating the obvious cost advantage of venture leasing over venture capital, startup companies have turned to venture leasing as a significant source of funding to support their growth. Additional advantages to the startup of venture leasing include the traditional leasing strong points --- conservation of cash for working capital, management of cash flow, flexibility, and serving as a supplement to other available capital.

What makes a 'good' venture lease transaction? Venture lessors look at several factors. Two of the main ingredients of a successful new venture are the caliber of its management team and the quality of its venture capital sponsors. In many cases the two groups seem to find one another. A good management team has usually demonstrated prior successes in the field in which the new venture is active. Additionally, they must have experience in the key business functions--sales, marketing, R&D, production, engineering, and finance. Although there are many venture capitalists financing new ventures, there can be a significant difference in their abilities, staying power, and resources. The better venture capitalists have successful track records and direct experience with the type of companies they financed.

The best VCs have industry specialization and many are staffed by individuals with direct operating experience within the industries they finance. The amount of capital a venture capitalist allocates to the startup for future rounds is also important. An otherwise good VC group that has exhausted its allocated funding can be problematic.

After determining that the caliber of the management team and venture capitalists is high, a venture lessor looks at the startup's business model and market potential. It is unrealistic to expect expert evaluation of the technology, market, business model and competitive climate by equipment leasing firms. Many leasing firms rely on experienced and reputable venture capitalists who have evaluated these factors during their 'due diligence' process. However, the lessor must still undertake significant independent evaluation. During this evaluation he considers questions such as: Does the business plan make sense? Is the product/ service necessary, who is the targeted customer and how large is the potential market? How are products and services priced and what are the projected revenues? What are the production costs and what are the other projected expenses? Do these projections seem reasonable? How much cash is on hand and how long will it last the startup according to the projections? When will the startup need the next equity round? These, and questions like these, help the lessor determine whether the business plan and model are reasonable

The most basic credit question facing the leasing company considering leasing equipment to a startup is whether there is sufficient cash on hand to support the startup through a significant part of the lease term. If no more venture capital is raised and the venture runs out of cash, the lessor is not likely to collect lease payments. To mitigate this risk, most experienced venture lessors require that the startup have at least nine months or more of cash on hand before proceeding. Usually, startups approved by venture lessors have raised $ 5 million or more in venture capital and have not yet exhausted a healthy portion of this amount.

Where do startups turn to get their leases funded? Part of the infrastructure supporting venture startups is a handful of national leasing companies that specialize in venture lease transactions. These firms have experience in structuring, pricing and documenting transactions, performing due diligence, and working with startup companies through their ups and downs. The better venture lessors respond quickly to lease proposal requests, expedite the credit review process, and work closely with startups to get documents executed and the equipment ordered. Most venture lessors provide leases to startups under lines of credit so that the lessee can schedule multiple takedowns during the year. These lease lines typically range from as little as $200,000 to over $ 5,000,000, depending on the start-up's need, projected growth and the level of venture capital support.

The better venture lease providers also assist customers, directly or indirectly, in identifying other resources to support their growth. They help the startup acquire equipment at better prices, arrange takeouts of existing equipment, find additional working capital funding, locate temporary CFO's, and provide introductions to potential strategic partners--- these are all value-added services the best venture lessors bring to the table.

What is the outlook for venture leasing? Venture leasing has really come into its own since the early 1990s. With venture investors pouring tens of billion of dollars into startups annually, this market segment has evolved into an attractive one for the equipment leasing industry. The most attractive industries for venture leasing include life sciences, software, telecommunications, information services, medical services and devices, and the Internet. As long as the factors supporting the formation of startups remain favorable, the outlook for venture leasing continues to look promising.


George Parker is a Director and Executive Vice President of Leasing Technologies International, Inc. (“LTI”), responsible for LTI’s marketing and financing efforts. A co-founder of LTI, Mr. Parker has been involved in secured lending and equipment financing for over twenty years. Mr. Parker is an industry leader, frequent panelist and author of several articles pertaining to equipment financing.

Joint Ventures - Your Unlimited Opportunity



"He who has a thing to sell, and whispers it into a well, is not as apt to make a dollar, than he who climbs a tree and hollers."

This information is based on my experience over many years of doing business successfully in Africa, Canada and the United Sates, using the leverage of Joint Ventures, incorporating the Mastermind, Strategic Alliances and Barter to do business and create value and wealth with no money and no risk. Tried and tested, proven in the field with thousands of business owners, these principles work on one condition: You can only succeed in Joint Ventures with people who are honest, professional, smart and disciplined. Once you have found people like that, JV's can open the doors to unlimited wealth and success for you.

Joint Ventures work when people realize that we don't have to own skills, money, employees, inventory or other resources in order to do business, create value and make money. And it can be done VERY FAST if we use existing resources.

Your business can skyrocket to new levels of performance and profitability using Joint Ventures. The purpose of Joint Ventures is to access new markets, grow your business and access new competencies, while leveraging your hidden assets and business partnering to optimize sales and profits. Don't create competencies; borrow them. Don't compete; partner. Two companies essentially spawn a new company. One plus one equals three through synergistic and exponential growth. JV's inject new energy, excitement, commitment, loyalty, purpose, optimism, enthusiasm, creativity and fun into businesses. This increases value and thus profits. From Proctor and Gamble, Wal-Mart and Pfizer, to Sony, Tom's Corner Cafe and Bert's Dog Grooming, business owners are discovering the magic of Joint Ventures. In fact, you don't even need a business, a product or a service to make money from Joint Ventures.

If I was to add Bob's dog grooming services to Alan's Animal Hospital and everyone (me, included) got a piece of the action, I could literally start earning money immediately. The distribution channel is already in place. The overhead is already paid for. This is incremental business with the corresponding high profit margin. All Alan has to do is offer each of his clients the option to use Bob's dog grooming services. He could hand them a discount voucher or merely a flyer. That is additional business for Bob, with no cost of sales (acquisition cost) at all. Bob has already paid salaries, rent and other overhead, so it's found money for him. He pays you and Alan a commission on all the business thus generated. Everyone wins. This money is 100% profit in Alan's hands. And at no risk, because you set it all up.

Joint Ventures can be very simple or more involved, but they usually cost very little to set in place, because most of the infrastructure already exists. If I sell landscaping, I can piggy-back my service on a realtor's services. Or I can TRIANGULATE that deal - I don't have to own the landscaping service or be a realtor to make money from that JV.

"Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe and enthusiastically act upon, must inevitably come to pass" - Paul. J. Meyer.

Napoleon Hill educated millions on the power of the Mastermind. He said: "The 'Master Mind' may be defined as: 'Coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.' No individual may have great power without availing himself of the 'Master Mind.'"

"We do not conquer mountains, nor tame elements. The true conquest lies in penetrating the mental barriers; those self-imposed limitations that we carry in our minds." -Sharon Wood (First North American woman to the summit of Mt. Everest)

Together, we can do amazing things.
Tap into other peoples' goodwill, database, capital, time, distribution channels, sales efforts, everything. Upsell existing customers on a new, additional product or service. The sky's the limit.

Do you have or control anything that other JV partners would want?

The KEY is finding Good, Honest, Smart people. Start with people you know and trust: NEER: Naturally Existing Economic Relationships.

Talk in the other person's interests, not your own:
When we understand that people are basically self-interested and that they don't care about what you want, but rather about what they want, we should change our approach. Instead of thrusting your business card at someone and telling them how great you are and begging for their money, smart operators think about what THEY want.
Imagine your response if someone was to approach you with the following pitch:
"What can I do to help you achieve your goals? How can I use my resources and the resources and hidden assets of my network of associates, friends, family, customers and vendors, to help you? How can I utilize my distribution channels, relationships, underutilized assets, salespeople, personnel and equipment, to generate more business for you?" I'm sure very few people, if any, have approached you in that way, right?
By the same token, you could approach someone with this offer: "If I bring you access to markets, prospects, buyers, customers, advertising, that you never had and I turnkey it all, can I have 50% of the profit?"
You're offering Found money - incremental profits and no upfront costs or risk.

If you want to open the door to JV's with successful people, you have to differentiate your approach. They're being hit on multiple times every day, but few if any are using this approach. Do your homework; study their websites, Google them, do your research and due diligence and be well prepared for your meeting. Forget about what you want and concentrate on looking for ways to benefit them. You will definitely get their attention. That's why my website is called, DollarMakers.com

Let's look at some FREE options for promoting and selling services and products:

Remember, you don't even have to own a business to make money from JV's, but it does help to have one.

1. Use your own, or others', E Newsletters (ezines). The two ezines that I write (Eagle Attitude and Entrepreneur Newsletter) each reach over 6,000 people internationally every week. My cost to have an ezine sent out every week is only $50 per month! Regular information that is actually READ, ids a powerful communication and selling tool. Use others' ezines - I write for someone else's ezine that reaches 20,000 people per week. That's great free exposure for me. Other people use my articles free of charge, in exchange for displaying my contact information and giving me credit for the writing.

2. Use a BLOG - mine works well for me, and I use my EzineArticles on it. It's FREE!

3. Use a website. http://www.DollarMakers.com has made me hundreds of thousands of dollars in sales.

4. Give away free reports and e books like this one - free advertising and you get to create massive credibility. (Given that you know what you're talking about.)

5. Give away or sell audio CD's, or have them available free of charge in audio streaming on your website.

6. Give away free CD's and charge for Shipping and Handling to cover your costs and even make a profit. Team up with others who already have CD's made. Use my CD's to market your business. I can show you how to do that. Use other peoples' skills, competencies and resources.

7. Offer to convert other people's inactive customers into active customers for an on-going piece of the action. This idea, alone, can be worth a fortune to you, when you consider the amount of customer attrition going on.

8. Piggy-back your product or someone else's product, on to existing sales streams and have someone else's sales team sell your products and services as an add-on to their existing sales.

9. Convert unconverted leads or triangulate the deal. Switch leads between two realtors and take a piece of the action.

10. Find people who have products they can't move, get the products on consignment and sell them through other people distribution channels - on consignment! No risk.

11. Create multiple add-on sales options - wedding planners, lube centers, webmasters, courier services and home improvement services are great for this.

12. Buy and resell advertising space and / or services.

13. Offer Free Seminars - either you do them or have someone else present them.

14. Sell Bill's CD's on consignment through Jack's gas stations.

15. Free Conference Calls are very powerful selling tools. Interview experts and they will help you sell. You don't need any skills or money - use other peoples' skills time, energy and money.
Bundle your products with someone else's - every time they sell a course, they can include your CD's!

16. Join forces with your competitors - together you can accomplish a lot more.

17. Share advertising space, mailings, seminars, radio and TV time and database communication.

18. Use Gift Vouchers - give away samples of other peoples' services and take a piece of the resulting, ongoing business. Carpet cleaning, accounting, consulting, car services,

Always ask yourself, "What does the other party REALLY, REALLY want? What is his or her HOT BUTTON? And always ask them, "What will it take?"

Simple Examples:

1. I gave a restaurant owner 400 free paper placemats, each including some nice graphics and interesting information, PLUS a pitch for my business broking services and my contact information. I also gave him a gumball machine full of gum, with an advertisement for my business services right on top of it. He will get paid a generous commission on any resulting sales.

2. With my friend, Antonio, we created an amazing marketing package for small businesses including 11 CD's, a powerful marketing program worth $900, plus six months of conference calls and a two day convention in Vegas, all of which sells for just $695.

3. I'm not a realtor, but I recently earned a few thousand dollars on a simple referral to realtor. I do the same with websites, cars, you name it. I don't need an office or employees and I can work form anywhere in the world where I have access to a telephone and the internet.

I have been arranging JV deals since I was at high school. I was seldom at risk and my business has been thriving for 18 years because of this simple, yet highly effective mindset.

If you qualify, I can show you how to create a joint venture with me, using your existing resources, in one hour. It's easy to do and it works well, with virtually no cost or risk. It's a true Win/win deal.
BARTER is a form of Joint Venture.

Leverage and barter underutilized goods, resources, services, capacity, raw materials, storage space, a sales team, personnel, intangible assets like distribution capabilities, etc.

In the 1970's, Chrysler had 10,000 small cars they couldn't sell. They exchanged those cars for radio & TV credits all over the country, to be used over a five year period, and traded the cars at full retail. (Window sticker) Their money was tied up in the cars. They weren't spending cash on the advertising. The radio stations were selling unsold, future time and getting the cars right away.
Chrysler took the advertising credits to the bank and got money on them to pay for the manufacture of more cars that were sold with the advertising, so the bank financed the whole program! The radio and TV credits appreciated in value over the five years! That's leverage.

Restaurants - a $10 meal costs around $3. The restaurant can barter that for $10 meal for $10 worth of radio advertising or whatever, so they're saving 70%! Plus there are incremental sales - people buy drinks, tip waiters, new customers are generated that continue to spend money. The gift certificates are called SCRIP in the Barter business. The advertising they bought brings in more customers. A lot of the meal vouchers are never cashed in - this is called BREAKAGE. Remember, the overhead is already covered - electricity, server salaries, uniforms, telephone, etc., is already paid for, so the profit is high.

A commercial printing business has staff and machines on hand but not is fully utilized. His only cost is the paper and ink. The rent and payroll is already paid. So he can produce printing very cheaply and trade it for things he needs now, without using cash.

Soft dollars and hard dollars: Trade TV sets that cost $300 at $1,000 retail, for hotel rooms that cost $7 and retail at $100. Both win. Soft Dollars are Barter Dollars and Hard Dollars is cash. Conserve your cash by setting up barter deals.
That's why we're called, http://www.DollarMakers.com

HOTEL EXAMPLE - trade room for $100, cost is only $7.
If the average person spends $50 in other services that the hotel has, and your cost is only $7, you've made extra cash right away, plus many gift certificates never got utilized! AND you got 100% retail value in barter! And you can sell bartered goods and services for CASH.

A Beverley Hills hotel was bought out of Chapter 11 and immediately issued $3 million worth of rooms, food and drink credits to be used over a five year period. Scrip brokers bought it up for $1.5 million in cash. They cash converted future rooms.

Cash converting means trading for goods or services and then immediately selling those goods / services for cash.

Advertisers of a Shopping Mall set up a deal to pay people back the money they spent in the mall. "Prove you spent $1000 in the mall and we'll give you $1,000 in cash!" This creates what we call THE FLOW - it's ongoing, resulting business from barter. Store owners in the mall happily paid for advertising because they knew that, this way, it was much cheaper - they only paid for the cost of goods sold (They reimbursed the retail price) so this was cheap advertising - it forced people to buy in the mall.

Dentists and doctors, chiropractors and consultants, couriers, web masters, writers and such trade or barter services. I know a dentist who traded dental work for radio advertising.

Instead of using cash and time, spend more time thinking about value and JV's!

You can exchange apartments for services and pay your employees and vendors with barter and apartments,

Barter SCRIP is like printing money. It can be transferred and assigned - it's legal tender.

Scrip Expiration dates - the further out, the better - there are many permutations. BREAKAGE is the barter credits which aren't used - up to 40%!

SET up a barter deal and take a piece of the action/ savings in cash or in scrip that you can convert to cash.

Remember: The key to successful JV's is the people who are involved. Integrity, Professionalism, Punctuality, Accountability and Passion and Generosity are essential ingredients. JV's is the way business is being done by smart people. Join us and take advantage of this wonderful tool.


About Robin J. Elliott

For more than 19 years, Robin J. Elliott has worked with thousands of businesses in over 49 industries across the United States, Canada, and Africa. He specializes in helping small business entrepreneurs build wealth and gain access to new markets and profit centers through Joint Ventures. Through his Joint venture Seminars across North America he has thought thousands how to create increasing, multiple streams of income without cost or risk and very little time.