Hi Folks, how are you doing? As we near the end of year 2008, I am happy to share this star project of MyOrbit with you. It has been in the works for a while, and now getting ready to go live soon in 6-8 weeks.
GSIBM: Graham School of Investing & Business Management
It could be considered as an online b-school that’s very practical in its approach, and aims to build business leaders. The program is based on successful business teachings by Ben Graham (and followed by Warren Buffet to produce financial results we all know).
The program has been carefully designed after extensive market research on the business knowledge needs of working professionals at various levels, and it will address a large unmet need.
The program will help working professionals in their career growth with the wide coverage planned: from Finance & Investing, to Sales & Marketing, and Legal Contracts, etc.
You are the among first to get this news, and it will be great if you can share it with others who may be interested, and also bookmark the website: http://GSIBM.com
Best Wishes,
Shankar AVSB for MyOrbit Team
Troubled economic times can bring all kinds of new projects. British Airways, bellweather of UK economy to a good extent, wants to outsource the operations for its flagship ba.com website as part of a major cost-cutting exercise.
It is estimated that ba.com takes about £30 million per year to run, and that BA is looking to save a big chunk here. BA Travel Booking and Servicing functions of ba.com – a major part of the ecommerce programme for BA’s online platform – will be outsourced to a third party under proposals being evaluated currently.
BA already uses third party vendors to for online FAQ service and payment system. Now even more will be outsourced, or maybe even sold, depending on how the proposals come. This blog post has more info.
In this post, we will answer 5 Questions on Venture Capital Investment, that we have seen from early stage companies seeking Venture Capital funding. The above video also expresses similar views.
Q1: How does Venture capital work?
Answer: Venture capital is the term used for unsecured equity funding by specialist investment firms (often focusing on a few sectors) in return for a part of the equity in the company being funded. Venture capital investments carry considerable risk because they are unsecured and it is estimates that only 1 in 10 early stage companies generates good profits.
Q2: How much equity stake do VCs usually take?
Answer: The most common equity stakes taken seem to be in the range of 20-50%, which ensure that if the company succeeds, then the VC makes a good return. Over 50% equity investment by any one VC is rare because the risk increases significantly.
Q3. What do a VC expect in return for the equity funding.
Answer: Because only a few ventures actually become profitable, a venture capital company looks for a high return (a compound return of 25% or more) on each plan, largely generated by growth in the share value of the invested company through increasing brand name and also increasing sales. Most VCs also seek a representation on the company’s board, though it is not a guarantee of producing success from the venture. A good VC would be a partner with the entrepreneur. So personal dynamics are very important. VCs help with raising additional money and financial strategy and also executive team strengthening.
Q4: How much time does it take to raise venture capital?
Answer: It takes about 6 months. Raising capital will take longer than you imagine. Plan for 6 months, and think beyond initial funding. Set realistic milestones, and keep planning for future capital. Learn from others, including other business owners and investors. If you are looking for funding, you have to be patient. For every VC who invests in your venture, there will be 10 VCs who would say no to you.
Q5: How should we approach the business plan writing?
Answer: When it comes business plans, you need a crisp 1-2 page executive summary and it must show a good story of what you want to achieve and what resources you have and what you are looking for. The more you precisely know your Haves and Have Nots, the better your business plan. So don’t get trapped in a 50 business plan that’s full of all kinds of data and it never completes itself.
A long business plan is not a good idea if the same message can be expressed in a couple of pages. Don’t confuse number of pages with clarity of thoughts. Go ahead with a business plan that’s brief and present a coherent logic that interests to the VC. Be honest on things you don’t know. Investors appreciate people who are transparent.
If you are looking to write a business plan, then use this website: BusinessPlan247.com
Troubled economic times can bring all kinds of new projects. 
