General Articles Directory

Private Investors Bring Big Ideas To Reality
If you are a growing company with the next fantastic product, sometimes you need an angel on your side.

A report by the University of New Hampshire's Center for Venture Research showed that "angel investors" - high-net-worth people willing to invest in entrepreneurial businesses at an early stage - spent over $18 billion into early-stage companies last year alone, in comparison to $304 million by venture capitalists.

Finding an angel investor, however, isn't an easy task. Safer Smokes Incorporated is one company that is aware of the difficulty of attracting the best investors.

This development-stage business is tapping the smoking cessation market with a unique tobacco-free, nicotine-free smoke known as Bravo, which has the appearance of a traditional cigarette and burns like tobacco, but is actually produced from lettuce fibers.

"Bravo helps you smoke your way out of the tobacco addiction slowly and gradually," said Puzant C. Torigian, chief executive officer of Safer Smokes.

For companies like Safer Smokes, it may be too soon to approach big venture capital firms, yet time to move beyond networking with loved ones and good friends. Private investors to the rescue!

"The challenge for raising money in today's market is in harnessing the guts and vision of the angel to see through to the real investment opportunity," said Torigian.

If you work for or own company going public that's in need of an Angel Investor, you might need some restructure management help. Most companies restructuring enlist the aid of investment consultants before making any serious business changes. You should do the same.

So how do companies like Safer Smokes attract their angel?

* Have a clear target market for your item or service. For instance, Safer Smokes is targeting the tobacco market, which has sales approaching $10 billion per year, up from $6 billion just three years ago.

Most angel investors prefer companies that are most likely to show positive cash flow within their initial eighteen months, so having these types of statistics about your market may be an incentive.

* Match the business plan objectives to the angel's risk tolerance. Investors want to know the product or service is going to be one of a kind and well-cultivated. Safer Smokes has a patented remedy that company officials say will "affect the conditions of the health care industry."

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