Like the year before it, 2024 has been a tough year for small businesses looking for capital to grow, as inflation and high interest rates have kept many investors on the sidelines.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t financing options available to startup brands, nor that they should themselves sit on the sidelines waiting for a smoother economic climate to make moves. In fact, experts say now is the time for emerging restaurant leaders to get their house in order and explore the finance options available to them as they prepare for a raise.
This Oct. 8-9, Nation’s Restaurant News is hosting an event designed to help restaurant leaders do just that. The second-annual Investment Summit, held in Nashville and leading into CREATE: The Event for Emerging Restaurateurs (Oct. 9-11), offers leaders of growing restaurant chains valuable education and networking with 25 investors and financial firms — all for free.
(Interested in attending the Investment Summit and CREATE in Nashville? Get more details and register here.)
Andrew Smith is cofounder and managing partner of the Utah-based private equity group Savory Fund, which is a gold sponsor of the Investment Summit. Smith joined the latest episode of Take-Away with Sam Oches to discuss the state of restaurant investing, whether now is a good time to raise money, and what founders must do as they prep their brands for a raise.
In this conversation, you’ll learn more about why:
- It’s better to be a speed boat in tumultuous waters than a cruise ship
- When raising money, you have to date around
- You shouldn’t try to time the market when you’re raising money
- Make sure your foundation is strong before you raise money
- Cut loose any anchors on your speedboat before you hit the throttle
Contact Sam Oches at [email protected]
