One of the biggest challenges we face is how to fund our business start-up expenses and to find necessary capital when it's time for expansion.

Apply the same creativity you have put into creating your business, in securing the money you need to reach your goal.

While we can't begin to cover all of your options here, we will present resources and links to research, so you can determine if any of them are viable options for your situation.

New small businesses usually experience difficulty in securing conventional financing because they present a high risk to lenders and investors. The result is that nearly three-quarters of startup businesses are funded through the owner's own resources, such as personal savings, residential mortgages, or consumer loans. Family members, friends , and investments by private contacts or "angels" provide most of the remaining "seed" funds for new small businesses.

When you've determined the amount of money you actually require to launch your business, investigate all avenues of funding.  Don't become discouraged if it all doesn't fall into place right away. Securing adequate funding may take some time.

Have you utilized a particular resource and had success in securing funds for your business? If yes, we'd love to hear from you.  Just » email us the particulars and we will share it here with our viewers.

» Read this story about one young man, who started his now-successful company with a little cash, and his American Express credit card.  » click here

Click Here to Apply for your own American Express® Small Business Gold Card from OPEN: The Small Business Network. Enjoy flexible payments, free fees for the first year, insurance protections & more.

» Browse here for established companies which will loan you money for business development, home mortgages, and personal purchases.

» Business Funding Directory
» Listing of Venture Capital Firms
» Count Me In - business loans for women
Provides loans for startups. Must meet their criteria
and submit an application for consideration.
» Best Banks for Small Business
A good place to turn to for loans. Updated annually
by Entrepreneur.com
» Women's Growth Capital Fund
..."established in 1997 to make equity investments
primarily in early and expansion stage women-owned
and/or managed businesses. ... The Fund has more
than 70 individual and institutional investors; 70% of
the individual investors are women."