Article

Yuval Shahar : Starting a business is a lot like having a baby.

Topic: Business Start-upPublished January 9, 2012
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Starting a business is a lot like having a baby. In the initial years it will require constant attention. As the years go by, you will have to nurture and sustain it. You have to aim at making it self-reliant within the span of a few years. Yet, as I have already mentioned, the initial years are tough work. You cannot afford to shirk your duties as an entrepreneur in the first few years. This will require you to spend much time and effort in finding great bargains for your business. You will have to work very hard, sometimes round the clock, to meet targets and objectives. Deals will not come easily and you will have to cut down on costs. 

You will feel the pinch irrespective of whether your business is a sole trading concern or a partnership.
The initial years will also require you to invest a great deal. At times the money that you require may have to come out of your pocket. 
The business person will advance the required amount from his own savings. Sometimes, when cash is required urgently, the fastest way to meet that need is to get a loan from the owner himself. This will be treated as a business loan which the organization will have to repay when the money comes in. This is a popular choice that is resorted to by many smaller businesses when money is needed. This might spell doom for the business. However, the convenience of this method has a disadvantage. If the business continues to borrow from the owner, there could come a time when the owner's 

The advantage of this is that it has a limit so you could apply for a term loan for your business. This would require the business to stay within a particular budget. On the other hand, a major negative of this mode of borrowing is that it can be rather costly. And one point to remember is that the interest that you pay on the loans is subject to taxes.

If you find a cheap credit card, you could end up saving on a lot of money. Yet another way of providing for your business in the early years is by securing a business credit card. Moreover, with the hundreds of credit card rewards that are available today, you could actually save on your business expenses in the long run. So, if your nascent business needs cash, some 0% credit cards might solve the problem.rnRead more about investing, entrepreneur stories and angel investing.rnYuval Shahar co-founded PentaCom in 1998 ( recently acquired by Cisco) and has created one of the world's first web appliances, leading to the creation of Infogear Inc. in 1995 (recently also acquired by Cisco). Yuval Shahar held senior positions at both National Semiconductor Corporation and Motorola, where he worked on data and voice communications products and protocols. Prior to joining VocalTec, Shahar worked for developing fax, data and voice communications protocols and products. Mr. Yuval Shahar is a seasoned entrepreneur and angel investor involved as a co-founder, Chairman or Board member in a variety of companies. Yuval is a highly respected executive with an extensive track record in establishing, developing and selling high tech companies. He started his career at Motorola and National Semiconductors in a variety of technology and software development and management roles. Yuval Shahar has been a Director of XConnect Global Networks Limited since November 2009.

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