I second finding investors who will invest in your idea in exchange for a share. There is a certain type of investor, called Angel Investors, who are known to help fund start-ups and more high-risk ventures.
Finding investors who will support you is hard, so in my opinion the best way to approach this is to create a solid business plan in writing. Make it very detailed and include everything from prices, expected profit/loss, expenses/overhead, initial costs, how you will market the business, the target market, competition, an exit plan if things don't work out, etc. Angel Investors need to be 'sold' on your idea and feel confident that it will work before they get involved.
Presentation also matters, so think about making a PowerPoint as well as having written handouts, and dress to impress. Try to approach several Angel Investors and consider how much of your idea you're willing to share before you meet the investors. Don't be afraid to counter their offer either - some investors take a portion of each sale until a certain point, while others take a portion of the company ownership. I don't think this is a bad thing, as it also shares the responsibility if they own part of the company.
If you do these things and the investors aren't sold on your idea, you can turn around and go to a bank or credit union and ask to get a 'small business loan'. I was told to avoid personal loans for business reasons unless you can't get approved. The paper handouts and presentation from your Angel Investor interview will likely help a lot when applying for a business loan at a bank or credit union. You could alternatively look for a private loan with an individual, but these tend to be more risky with higher interest rates.
Menashe Avramov Head of SEO @ http://mysticsense.com
