From finding the most convenient option to the risks involved with each, there is no doubt that there
are benefits and drawbacks to both methods. However, I have leaned towards the side that doesn’t
support Geordie’s decision. I believe that he should have gone with the second option rather than the
first. Here are my reasons:
Although bank loans give you the ability to budget and get a big sum of money at once, how Geordie
was going to pay back the bank loan should be put into consideration. Geordie needed the finance to
build the start-up; the premise will cost $400, 000 and the refurbishment cost will be $120, 000.
Already these two bills have a sum of $520, 000; this causes troubles as this number is more than the
amount the bank offered to loan him ($500, 000 without interest). This means that Geordie would have
to pay the remaining through personal savings. This would not be convenient to him as he also needs
enough money to pay daily expenses such as food, shelter (rent), house bills and many other things.
He also might have a family or want to in the future, this would mean the previous expenses would
increase and additional costs to take care of children would be added. If Geordie was to pay the
remaining money through personal savings, it would limit the amount spent on daily expenses. This
would make things very tight for him (and maybe his family). This amount doesn’t include the 4. 5%
interest that would increase the price to around $522, 500, making things even tighter. With a venture
capital, Geordie doesn’t have to pay back the money as the venture capitalist would have a certain
share in the business. This is one of the main reasons why Geordie didn’t make the right decision.
The second reason that drew me to this side was finances post-startup. His cash flow forecast
predicted sales of $0. 7 million and a running cost of $0. 47 million in the first six months. This would
mean that Geordie would make $0. 23 million in profits. This is great news however this number is
only predicted and isn’t one hundred percent accurate. What will happen if running costs are higher
than expected? What if the demand for this type of product decreases suddenly? What will happen if
the customer isn’t happy with the product given and asks for them to redo? What if their supply line
got cut off suddenly? These factors needed to be considered and were a very big risk to Geordie’s
business. Geordie was optimistic about the idea and had thought it through thoroughly. However,
Geordie needs to identify how strong his plan is and consider what will happen if things don’t go
according to plan. If things do go wrong, they still need to repay the bank since they still demand the
loan to be paid. This would make things more difficult for Geordie and is one of the biggest
disadvantages of bank loans.
The last explanation for my thoughts is the huge advantage of having a venture capitalist. Venture
capitalists are well connected in the business world, especially in this case with the venture capitalist
having experience in the construction industry. This means that they can introduce and bring more
customers and businesses, which will increase the profits for Geordie. One of the biggest
disadvantages of having a venture capitalist is that they normally require a certain amount of stake in
the business. In this case, the venture capitalists have 49% stake and Geordie will have 51%. The
advantageous 2% shows that Geordie would have more power and control over the decision making.
Therefore, he would still have some control over the business. This is another reason why Gerodie
should have chosen the second option.
Both were great options that offered huge benefits; the first option gave the privilege to budget and to
get large sums of money quickly and the second gave us the services of having a venture capitalist and
has lower risk overall. Ultimately, I believe that the venture capitalist outranks the bank loan due to
the advantages of having a venture capitalist, not having to pay the money back whilst still having
control over the business
From finding the most convenient
option
to the
risks
involved with each, there is no doubt that there
are benefits and drawbacks to both methods.
However
, I have leaned towards the side that doesn’t
support
Geordie
’s decision. I believe that he should have
gone with
the second
option
rather
than the
first
. Here are my reasons:
Although
bank
loans
give you the ability to budget and
get
a
big
sum of
money
at once, how
Geordie
was going to
pay
back the
bank
loan
should
be put
into consideration.
Geordie
needed the finance to
build the
start
-up; the premise will
cost
$400, 000 and the refurbishment
cost
will be $120, 000.
Already these two bills have a sum of $520, 000; this causes troubles as this number is more than the
amount the
bank
offered to
loan
him ($500, 000 without interest). This means that
Geordie
would have
to
pay
the remaining through personal savings. This would not be convenient to him as he
also
needs
enough
money
to
pay
daily expenses such as food, shelter (rent),
house
bills and
many
other things.
He
also
might have a family or want to in the future, this would mean the previous expenses would
increase and additional
costs
to take care of children would be
added
. If
Geordie
was to
pay
the
remaining
money
through personal savings, it would limit the amount spent on daily expenses. This
would
make
things
very
tight for him (and maybe his family). This amount doesn’t include the 4. 5%
interest that would increase the price to around $522, 500, making things even tighter. With a venture
capital,
Geordie
doesn’t
have to
pay
back the
money
as the
venture
capitalist
would have a certain
share in the
business
. This is one of the main reasons why
Geordie
didn’t
make
the right decision.
The second reason that drew me to this side was finances post-startup. His cash flow forecast
predicted sales of $0. 7 million and a running
cost
of $0. 47 million in the
first
six months. This would
mean that
Geordie
would
make
$0. 23 million in profits. This is great news
however
this number is
only
predicted and isn’t one hundred percent accurate. What will happen if running
costs
are higher
than
expected
? What if the demand for this type of product decreases
suddenly
?
What
will happen if
the customer isn’t happy with the product
given
and
asks for
them to redo?
What
if their supply line
got
cut
off
suddenly
? These factors needed to
be considered
and were a
very
big
risk
to
Geordie
’s
business.
Geordie
was optimistic about the
idea
and had
thought
it through
thoroughly
.
However
,
Geordie
needs to identify how strong his plan is and consider what will happen if things don’t go
according to plan. If things do go
wrong
, they
still
need to repay the
bank
since they
still
demand the
loan to
be paid
. This would
make
things more difficult for
Geordie
and is one of the biggest
disadvantages of
bank
loans.
The last explanation for my thoughts is the huge advantage of
having
a
venture
capitalist
. Venture
capitalists are
well connected
in the
business
world,
especially
in this case
with the
venture
capitalist
having experience in the construction industry. This means that they can introduce and bring more
customers and
businesses
, which will increase the profits for
Geordie
. One of the biggest
disadvantages of
having
a
venture
capitalist
is that they
normally
require a certain amount of stake in
the
business
.
In this case
, the
venture
capitalists
have 49% stake and
Geordie
will have 51%. The
advantageous 2%
shows
that
Geordie
would have more power and control over the
decision making
.
Therefore
, he would
still
have
some
control over the
business
. This is another reason why
Gerodie
should have chosen the second option.
Both were great
options
that offered huge benefits; the
first
option
gave the privilege to budget and to
get
large sums of
money
quickly
and the second gave us the services of
having
a
venture
capitalist
and
has lower
risk
overall
.
Ultimately
, I believe that the
venture
capitalist
outranks the
bank
loan
due to
the advantages of
having
a
venture
capitalist
, not
having
to
pay
the
money
back whilst
still
having
control over the
business