Company Profiling

Whether you’re a seasoned investor or are looking to invest for the first time, knowing where to start and what to research can become major obstacles to success.

Before looking into potential investment opportunities, taking the time to self-evaluate is a must.

• What are your financial goals?
• Do you know your risk-reward threshold?
• Is high-risk okay with you or is a more conservative approach more appropriate?

Although you are the only one who can make these decisions, allowing professionals—like those at the Keystone Family Business Center—to come alongside and offer guidance and insight can be advantageous.

Once you’re sure of the direction in which you’re heading, the real work begins. In this case it may be more than what you’re aware of. Professional networks are great, but there is real data to examine prior to making an investment decision and knowing how to gather and interpret critical information is an important step in the process. Balance sheets, cash flow statements, creditor and competitor information and sales figures are just small pieces of the puzzle. Talking to employees and watching trends and legislation that could affect the performance of potential investments are also important.

Do you know which questions to ask? Do you know how to cut through the clutter to find the information that matters?

It might not be as simple as it sounds. According to Manta.com, fewer than ten percent of U.S. businesses are publically traded—the rest are privately held. This makes the research process even more difficult, adding frustration to a process that should be exciting.

The bottom line is this; without extraordinary research skills, patience and connections, finding the right company to invest in can be tiring, if not impossible, on your own.