Owning your own successful business can be one of the most fulfilling experiences ever. You get to be your boss, you implement your ideas and take the business in the direction that you wish. This is why it is so appealing to many.

Unfortunately, startups need a lot of money, and that is the barrier that prevents most people from achieving their dreams. However, you should not necessarily give up on your dream just because you lack funding. There are multiple avenues through which you can get funding for your business.

• Microloans from non-profit institutions

There are non-profit institutions that offer microloans to aspiring business owners. If your startup plan is solid enough, you can get anywhere from $500 to $50,000, and these types of loans come with low-interest rates. They may also offer additional support if you achieve some milestones.

• Business credit cards

Business credit cards are one of the best avenues through which you will likely get funding for your startup. Statistics indicate that 80 percent of all the businesses that apply for loans through business cards are approved. This means the odds will be in your favor if your business idea has upside potential.

• Apply for a personal loan

You can simply apply for a personal loan from your bank and use that loan to fund your startup. Getting a personal loan is quite easy these days.

• Get friends or family to chip in

If the above options are out of your reach, then you should consider borrowing some cash from some friends or family.  Often times, the people that look forward to seeing you succeed will want to give you a push on your success journey.

How do you increase your chances of securing the capital?

1. Make sure you have a good credit score. This will increase your chances of not only getting a substantial loan amount but also the chance of negotiating lower interest rates.
2. Raise some of the funds before you borrow. It is important to have like 30 percent of the total amount you need before you attempt to get a loan from a bank or lending institution. This will show the lender that you are committed enough to source some of the funds, increasing the chances of securing more funds.
3. Have a ready and watertight business plan. This is the most important part of the process because you cannot obtain funds for something that is not well thought out.