Many people have great business ideas but simply don’t have the faintest idea of how to fund their venture. It can be quite frustrating to feel confident about a product or service but have to let it go because you simply don’t have the money to move forward. As the CEO and founder of James River Capital Corp., Paul Saunders is familiar with different strategies for funding that can provide you with the assistance you need to bring your idea to market.
Paul Saunders earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and attended the University of Chicago to obtain an MBA. The backdrop of his career includes positions in trading and investment banking. Needless to say, he’s familiar with economics, especially as it relates to investing. He has worked at A.G. Becker and Warburg Paribas Becker, holding positions in commodity and finance departments.
Another noteworthy venture was his role at Kidder, Peabody, and Co. where he worked as Director of Managed Accounts and Commodity Funds. The depth and breadth of his experience are extensive, including the position of President at KP Futures Management Corp. He eventually acquired the company and renamed it James River Capital Corp, which is located in Richmond, Virginia. After acquiring the business, he changed its structure to an independent investment firm.
One of the ways in which Paul Saunders recommends entrepreneurs obtain the capital they need is through bootstrapping, which is using money from credit cards or savings. This would also include borrowing money from friends and family members. Many successful business owners have launched a business that has experienced tremendous growth through this method. Learn more: https://patch.com/virginia/richmond/paul-saunders-principal-james-river-capital-corp-burnout
Another option for funding a business is crowdfunding, which involves having a lot of people that truly believe in your idea provide support by giving money. There are different ways in which crowdfunding can work. The people who donate in crowdfunding do not expect to be paid back. However, sometimes a business will offer incentives. An example of a company that crowdfunded and succeeded was Oculus Virtual Reality Headset, which raised $2.4 million before it was bought for $2 billion by Facebook. The company was still in the prototype stage when it was acquired.
You might also consider an angel investor, which are individuals that give people thousands of dollars through direct loans and other methods. You can learn more about this option through the Angel Capital Association or through local organizations that can be found online. There are a lot of different angel groups with the mission of supporting entrepreneurs.
Paul Saunders offers many different ideas for funding a startup. He’s also passionate about inspiring entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams and develop the leadership skills necessary to achieve success and build a lasting business.