Swansea Business Angels

Swansea is the second largest city in Wales , behind the capital, Cardiff , and is situated on the south coast. With a population of 225,000 people, including a large welsh speaking contingent, Swansea is a popular holiday resort for tourists - despite the fact it is considered one of the rainiest cities in the whole of the UK .

There is a vibrant night life scene in Swansea , with a whole street in the city centre dedicated to bars, pubs and clubs. Close by is a street filled with Indian and Bangladeshi eateries, which prove a popular stop off for many revelers as they make their way home.

Sport plays a big part in the lives of Swansea locals, whether their favoured pastime is cricket, football or rugby; all three are well represented. Swansea City FC are a First Division side in England's top tier of football leagues, and recently moved from their old venue, the Vetch Field, to the brand new Liberty Stadium in 2005. Narrowly missing out on promotion in 2007, Swansea fans will be looking towards next season for further success. The Ospreys rugby union team includes famous names such as Gavin Henson, and in fact ground share with Swansea City FC, a stadium with a capacity of over 20,000 people. The St Helens cricket ground plays host to the Glamorgan County Cricket club matches, and also enjoys a strong following amongst Swansea habitants. There is a strong rivalry with nearby Cardiff , whose respective rugby and football teams, the Blues and City, also feature regularly in the top tier action.

Compared with the rest of the UK , Swansea tends to lack high quality professional / managerial type jobs, with many companies choosing to locate their head quarters away from the factories and production units housed in the city.

If you are looking to set up a business in Swansea , it may be worth seeking investment from a Business Angel, rather than securing a normal bank loan / overdraft. This is mainly because Business Angels not only offer a capital injection, but also their own knowledge, experience and contacts within the specific industry, which is something no bank could provide. Whilst the Angel would not necessarily be involved in the day to day running of the business, they would certainly be involved in the overall management and decision making, using their market expertise to help guide the company on its path to achieving its growth targets as soon as possible.

Business Angels can operate alone, or as part of a syndicate made up of two or more individuals, often referred to as an ‘angel network'. Typically they will look to invest between £75,000 and £250,000, but again this number could be significantly higher if part of a network. Business Angels are not averse to a undertaking a large amount of risk with their investment - the vast majority of small, growing businesses fail within their first year, and to combat this they will look for companies/ideas to back where they can see clear potential for a significant return on their investment. The risk however is calculated; the money they invest is their own hard earned cash, and they are unlikely to throw it behind a project which has been poorly planned or thought through. You should be prepared for an intense grilling when you pitch your idea to a Business Angel, which means all of your estimates and cash flow forecasts should be accurate, with a clear idea of the objectives you hope to achieve with their backing. Of course one of the most important questions you will be asked is why you need their investment, and exactly where the money will be going once you seal it. It helps if you have evidence that you have spent a great deal of time/effort/money yourself, and that it is the end of the road in terms of what you can raise by yourself - this shows commitment, passion and rive for your company, which will undoubtedly rub off on the potential investors.

If you need financial help for your business whatever your reasons may be, contact angelstartups today for free, impartial advice on how to get the financial backing you need.