When I’m speaking at events and in property investor meetings I get to talk to lots of investors and I’ve heard from so many of them who are just not happy and would really like to just get their money back. Which is not a great situation! So how can you stop this happening in your business so that you don’t lose your investors.
So today is the next in the series I’m doing around building your multi £million investor bank. I’m honing in specifically at what your potential investor wants to know about, what due diligence YOU should be doing in your business to protect the investor and de-risk the opportunity for them, but at the same time, understanding how it protects not only your interests but your investors too, and enables you to stand out from the crowd of a room full of people pitching their deal.
Today I’m talking about structuring the debt and equity effectively and how important that is to demonstrate to your investors you’re talking to, that you’ve taken this into consideration.
So let’s look at the lenders.
If it’s a first charge lender you’re going with, why have you chosen them?
It might not necessarily be on price – I hear a lot of people doing the “rate chase” – but there’s so much more to it than just the percentage rate.
- What’s their experience?
- What’s their background?
- How flexible are they if there’s some pressure?
- Do they take a commercial view on things?
They might have a great rate, they may be very strict on how they assess their draw down facilities to keep the project going, so if that lender charges a little more in rates but is much more flexible, then show your investor why it’s of value and in their interests to share this.
Show them how you’re going to make the investment work.
When you’ve got flexibility, understanding, experience and a good relationship with the lender, there can be so much more value there. There’s so much to take into consideration – so who are you bringing to the table? Who’s giving you that advice? Who is giving you that information that’s going to protect your investment?
This is key because if your investor isn’t a first charge investor they may be someone who is going to put equity on top of the debt and if that’s the case then you want to know that it’s structured in the right way and that their investment is secured and protected. Show your investor how you’re de-risking the whole model – is it debt and equity, or is it all first charge? All of this information for your investor is really vital and demonstrating how you’re assessing this in YOUR business is really key for them.
So what procedures are you putting in place in your business? What people do you have in place? Your potential investor wants to know that – it will give them great confidence when they’re talking to you about how this project is coming together and how their money will be used and you’ll build a great relationship with them so that they will only want to work with you.
Protecting the investment is paramount over and above the profit the investor makes!
Our friends over at Totem finance have put together a really great free guide on how to fund your projects which I thought you’d find useful.
Oh….and if you decide to go with them – make you sure you tell them Stuart Mellody sent you and you will get looked after very well 😉
Just click the button below to get access.
Best regards,
Stuart Mellody
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