10 Major Sources of Finance for Business

In this article, we will look at the 10 major sources of finance for business. We all dream of being our own bosses sometime. When its time, you will wonder about the 10 major sources of finance for your business. Therefore, in our article today, we will focus on discussing these sources.

Major Sources of finance for business

It is worth to note that sources of finance for businesses are mainly divided into two major parts. There are those that are short terms which facilitate day to day running of the business while there are those others that are long term. The long term sources are majorly used to facilitate business growth.

Therefore, today we will discuss the various sources of finance divided into these two major sections.

A) Long term sources of business finance
B) Short term sources of business finance

Short term sources of business finance have a repayment period of less than a year while long term sources have a repayment period of ten years and above.

Sources of Long term financing for business

There are various sources of long term finance for business. The major ones include equity shares, issuing debentures as well as acquiring secured loans from financial institutions.

Below is a list of some of the best sources of long term financing for a business.

1. Equity Shares

Equity shares is the main source of long term finance for most business. Equity shares is also referred to as ordinary shares. A business owner raises capital for his/her business by selling a stake of ownership of their business. A person who has bought these shares becomes the owner of the business and can participate in making decisions.

2. Loans from financial institutions

Acquiring loans from financial institutions in order to fund your business is one of the major and mostly used sources of long term capital. A bank will always lend you money if you can clearly show that you are capable of repaying the loan back in time.

3. Retaining profits back into the business

If the business that needs financing already exists, then it may be possible to raise long term finance by retaining the profits you make in the business. You may decide to pay only a percentage of the profits to the investors and reinvest the whole chunk back into the business. When this happens it is referred to as the act of ploughing back profits.

4.  Venture capital

Venture capital financing is the newest mode of long term financing for most start up. Instead of acquiring a loan from a bank, one may opt to offer a part of their equity stake for them to get funding. Despite the process of acquiring venture funding being long, this source of long term financing is still one of the best. Most times, an entrepreneur may also be mentored by some of industry leaders in his field if they opt to invest in his business.

5. Preference shares

Preference shares is the other source of long term finance for businesses in Kenya. These shares work the same way as equity shares only that they have fixed dividend rate and that have to be paid. In case the business goes into liquidation, these shares have to be paid first. Preference shares have a fixed term and they have to be paid back.

Read more: Top 7 Long Term Sources of Finance

Just like there are a variety of long term sources of finance for business, there is also a number of short term sources of finance which a business can resort to using whenever it is in urgent need of cash and goods for business continuity.

Short Term Sources of Finance for business

These sources of finance for business include:

6. Trade credit

Trade credit is a major short of short term financing that happens during the normal course of business transaction. Most manufacturers have adopted this form as a result of the high competition being experienced all over. What this source of financing involves is that the supplier will offer to deliver goods or services to their customer on credit.

However, it is very important that as the buyer that you be very credit worthy for the buyer to trust that once you are able to repay you will do so without fail.

7. Deferred Income

Deferred income is a source of short term financing whereby a business receives payment in advance before delivering the agreed upon services or goods delivered. For instance if I deal with buying and selling of building materials and I lack enough funds to stock my business in order to complete some orders. If I’m using this method as a source of financing, I will go to one of my biggest customers, ask them to pay in advance, stock up my business and then pay later.

8. Accruals

Accruals are expenses which a company owes to another. These expenses however are not yet paid because they are not due. However, the company acknowledges that it has them and that they have to paid. Some of the major sources of business accruals include wages and salaries.

Moreover, accruals are interest free sources of short term financing for businesses.

9. Commercial banks loans

Most businesses are surviving this period with loans from commercial banks. Commercial loans are a huge source of short term financing in Kenya. Most commercial banks in Kenya have signed MOU’s with companies to either allow overdraft or extend loans to them as and when needed.

However, it is important to understand that commercial bank financing may come in many forms and shapes. It may be in form of a loan, discounting & Purchase bills or even in form of overdrafts as I had mentioned earlier.

10. Factoring

Factoring is the opposite of trade credit. Here a business sells its accounts receivable at a discount. It may sell it to a bank in order to receive financing to ensure continuity of business or any other institution.

This method of short term financing is not very common despite the fact that it is a good source of financing.

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Mary is one of the leading writers on Urban Kenyans. She is knowledgable on matters Kenya and has been able to educate many Kenyans on this platform.

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