If you’re thinking about starting a business, one of the most crucial aspects of surviving the first few months is how you’ll finance your ideas. It’s not just incorporating it that takes money either; it’s running it for a few months before regular cash starts to come in. These initial steps will determine how successful you could be in your first years of trading. So, it’s vital to get them right.

Take a look at some of the funding avenues you could explore when starting a business.

1. Personal savings

If you’re able to use savings when starting your business, this could put you in a great position in your first few months. Using personal money means you won’t have debt when starting out, and depending on how much you have set aside, you could also use this for operational costs.

2. Business loans

Many new business owners use a loan to get a business up and running. There are several different options, such as these business loans from Become, which offer you flexible arrangements to suit your requirements. A business loan is a great way to get a company off the ground.

Plus, it provides you a manageable way to pay the money back while you start growing your brand.

3. Angel investors

This type of investment opportunity is becoming increasingly popular for businesses that cannot get access to typical forms of finance. This form of funding usually involves private individuals and small groups investing in a business in a number of ways. They can often provide money, expertise, and advice for your company. However, they will usually want a stake in the equity of your business. It can be challenging to get funding via this method unless you can show the potential for growth early on.

4. Crowdfunding

Another popular method for raising business finance is to crowdfund your idea. This process involves asking people to contribute to the start-up of your business in return for something. You can offer increments of investments with varying levels of return. Depending on how much you need, people can give you small amounts or more substantial sums of money according to the things you offer in return. For example, you might offer a mention on your website for $5 or a ticket to your launch for $50. The options are endless, and if you have built up a social following beforehand, it can be an excellent way to fund your start-up and get the word out there.

5. Credit card

If you’re looking for short-term cash options in the first few months, getting a company credit card may help. This is often not a great idea for a long-term solution, but it could help with fluidity while you find your feet with regular custom. Opting for a smaller credit limit can help too, as you can limit yourself to the essentials and use other funding for larger purchases and running costs.

These are some of the ways to finance your new business. To get the right finance product for your situation, be sure to research your options before committing.