A. Yourself
Often called “bootstrapping” or “cash-flowing,” the most straightforward way to finance your business is to do it yourself. Start small and finance growth through sales or use your savings to get off the ground. Being your own investor keeps things simple. Whether or not you decide to rely solely on yourself, you should be investing something in your business. If you don’t have a stake in the game, why should anyone else? Personal investment represents your commitment to your business and your confidence in its success.
| Advantages: | Disadvantages: |
| You maintain complete ownership and control and are not in anyone else’s debt. | Because you are reliant on you sales or savings, growth my be slow, you risk competitors outpacing you, and you might run out of money, putting you at great financial risk. |