Know your funding options

There's more than one way to fund a business, and they're not equal. Most small businesses run on savings plus a loan — investors and grants get the headlines but fit very few. Knowing the real menu keeps you from chasing money that was never meant for a business like yours.

Do this

1. Self-funding — savings, or friends and family. Fastest, keeps you in control, but it's your money at risk.
2. Debt — a loan or line of credit you pay back with interest. The workhorse for most small businesses.
3. Grants — free money you don't repay, but rare and narrow (specific industries, exports, research). Great if you qualify.
4. Investors — money for a share of the business. For high-growth companies, not most local shops.

Which funding fits you?

Match the money to the business:

SAVINGS / F&F Almost every small business starts here. Put F&F terms in writing. LOAN / CREDIT Most common for a real, ongoing business. Bank, credit union, CDFI, or an SBA-backed loan. You repay with interest. GRANT Free but rare — usually tied to exports, manufacturing R&D, or a specific group/place. Worth a look; never your only plan. INVESTOR Trades ownership for cash. Right for fast-scaling startups — wrong for a lawn crew or a lube shop.

Most owners: savings to start + a loan to grow. Bizer's Capital tool (open /capital) checks what you're ready for and matches you to lenders.