SBA
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
SBA doesn’t seem to like anything remotely related to firearms. I never get responses from any lenders.
I've been in tech start ups my whole career. Most people start with family money, then angel investors, then VC's.I own a security company and firearm manufacturing startup that I’ve been looking for in state investors on but have had no luck. Does anyone here invest or know of any leads?
Like he said. I would opt for loans from banks or capital investment groups (many of the large banks have them). This way you have more control over your business plan & operations. If a personal investor doesn’t like something you do it would be easy for them to pull back or divest/liquidate their investment.1) Get your business plan, including reasonable financial projections, in shape. Lots of online help for how to do that.
2) Practice your pitch: You should be able to make a compelling case that the investment will have a good return, worth the risk. You should be so practiced in your pitch that you can recite it will sleeping.
3) Take that pitch and your business plan, and start with banks, and possibly the Small Business Administration (SBA) lenders. Borrowing is usually easier than finding an investor for a business like yours. Start networking with those folks, even if they turn you down. Bankers, business lawyers, CPAs, etc., typically have investors in their networks. Sneakypete is right: You can find those folks hanging out in networking groups of their own.
Your best bet is to bootstrap the security business as best you can, and use the profits from that to fund the manufacturing startup. Once you have a working business generating profit, discussions with investors become MUCH easier.
Also, beware, the nature of your business will turn off many potential investors. "Social responsibility" is a big deal in investments these days, and at least half the population won't view a firearms related business as that. One more reason to self-fund, if you can.