Dreaming of starting your own business but think you don’t have enough money? Whether you want to be your own boss, make money from a side hustle, or achieve a better work-life balance, so long as you are willing to work hard and be creative, owning your own business is within your reach. The internet, Software as a Service (SaaS), and marketplace and sharing economy platforms have all but erased many of the capital requirements to set up a business. It’s faster and easier than ever to get up and running in a wide variety of businesses, with barely any financial investment. There are also many options for low-capital businesses and options for funding them if you don’t have money set aside to invest.

The application process can be lengthy and exhaustive and to win grant funding, you must have a detailed business plan. This kind of funding can come with spending constraints and reporting requirements that may restrict the way you do business and force you to spend time and money on compliance. It is important to understand the terms and conditions of the grant, first to see if you qualify before spending time applying, and then to understand how those will impact your business because the grant can be revoked for noncompliance.

Once you have your business plan in order, it’s time to prepare the pitch you’ll use to convince investors to fund your business. In general, you want your pitch to be around 45–60 seconds long—about the length of an elevator ride between floors. It’s not enough to rehearse your pitch mentally. It may feel silly at first, but practice in front of a mirror and see if your facial expressions and delivery.

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