Mana Financial Solutions works with entrepreneurs and investors from all around the world, helping new businesses find seed capital and growing companies secure financing. They have carved out a unique position for themselves in the fintech market. Drawing from a large pool of potential investors, they match new and growing companies with one ideally suited angel investor. In this way, they harness the global reach of crowdfunding while at the same time eliminating its pitfalls. In addition, they assist in the pitch process, saving time and protecting entrepreneursfrom the inherent vulnerabilities of the early stage financing process.
A NEW MODEL OF FINANCING
Deal-making is about more than money. Companies are legal structures that represent people. And investors are human beings, not wallets. Matching entrepreneurs with investors involves compatible timelines, values, and personalities and this is where Mana Financial Solutions excels. Established companies looking for growth financing may prefer silent partners, whereas start-ups can usually benefit from the wisdom of seasoned business people, who contribute much more than just money. Ideally, the investor also benefits from the arrangement in more ways than just a return on invested capital.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE BUSINESS
The following is an example of the true value that Mana Financial Solutions brings to its clients. Entrepreneur X is an immigrant to the Greater London Area. Investor Yalso lives in the United Kingdom. Entrepreneur X wanted to open a restaurant in a London suburb, and approached ManaFS about finding him an angel investor and a mentor. This particular situation is illustrative of the human element in matching entrepreneurs with angel investors. Out of respect to everyone’s privacy and to protect the business model, we have eliminated all identifying details.
Investor Y had been a high level regional executive in a multinational corporation and had been based in X’s home countryfor nearly two decades. Recently retired, the former expatriate was bored and restless, and also missing his host country where he had lived for a large portion of his adult life. Working together with X was beneficial to Y because he had a purpose and something engaging to do, and it eased his cultural transition in returning from overseas, a challenge formany former expatriates.
Entrepreneur X was an accomplished chef and came from a family of restaurateurs. However they were restaurateurs in a different generation and a different country, with a business model that did not translate well to the U.K. Restaurants need to adapt to their local market, deal with suppliers, employees, and abide by local regulations in addition to a plethora of other issues. On the plus side, immigration from X’s home country was increasing, as was travel by British citizens to X’s homeland, combining to increase demand for the cuisine. What X had was a good potential business that needed localized guidance, in addition to capital.
A HAPPY ENDING AND A NEW BEGINNING
In the end, after working together for several months, they changed the business plan to allow for greater success at the start, and setting the stage for future expansion. They established a simpler template than originally intended, with a plan to be able to duplicate it and sell franchises to other people coming from X’s home country. In this way, they were graduallyfulfilling a growing demand for the cuisine, which had also become trendy with local foodies and social media ‘influencers’. Financially this satisfied X’s need to establish a foothold in his new country, and Y’s need for ongoing return on his investment.
THE BENEFITS OF SUCCESS
The personal benefit gained on both sides in this particular match is without quantitative measure. Entrepreneur X needed financing, guidance and connections to the local market and new community. Investor Y needed a purpose and way to reconnect with his home country.This is a perfect example of how angel investing at its best is an art in matching people that goes far beyond the mathematical models of finance and the algorithms of the internet. This is Mana Financial Solutions’ strength and exemplifies their mission – they harness the global reach of the internet to access a large pool of potential investors in order to match them in every appropriate way to entrepreneurs and business people looking for financing, maximizing synergies and personal benefits to both parties. For learn more, please visit www.manafs.com.
