Sme business consultants- Providing impetus to small businesses

Not all business has the capacity to start king-size. Many have meager sources of capital or funds. Such concerns used to be lost in oblivion in the past but with the advent of new ideas and assistance, they are growing in numbers and slowly but steadily charting new barriers to be at par with big corporate houses.

SME Consulting Services offer a range of consulting services particularly designed for small and medium enterprises. Support may include providing SAP solutions to SMEs to helping them in planning, building, running and managing complete life cycle of the business systems, garnering satisfactory returns. The concept of website designing, E-commerce development, content management systems, customer relationship management- comes under the purview of SME consulting services.

Sme Business Consultants offers the necessary helping hand to the small businesses through their expertise and also by creation and designing of solutions to problems. It is clear that their overall goal is to help making a business better through addressing dilemma and suggesting way outs for the same.

A small business consultant should be able to write a business plan and a marketing plan effectively. He/she must be well aware about the plight of SME proprietors. Their work should not be confined in one particular area of the SME but should spread out in all directions, since the ambit of SMEs are small.

One of the serious issues that the SMEs are plagued with is the difficulties encountered while raising funds. Big Banks and Consortiums are reluctant to provide finance to SMEs since they are miniscule in nature and are regarded as non-viable for investment or loan repayment purposes. But, with the intervention of new rules and regulations, assistance by Government, and the hopes of big corporations joining hands to bail the SMEs out, there has been a new leash of life for them.

Funds can now be raised through the following means:

1. Inter and Intra company borrowings in case of Working Capital requirements

2. Equity Investments for business expansion

3. Need of fund for equipment, hire purchase or leasing are good options

4. Alternate Investment of Funds- another concrete way of fund raising being approved by Ministry, the Government and FEMA.  It includes venture capital, and hedge funds and private equity.

5. There are Angel Investors who are interested to invest in startups and SMEs allowing them a fair share of profit, control and involvement.

Antar Consultants has spread its wings in the direction of SME Consultancy Services and extends all kinds of help be it through raising of funds or creating solution based strategies. With the lifting of sanctions from Iran, many corporate shall be ready to enter it. Antar, working around this area, has the proper infrastructure and expertise to guide the companies and contribute in opening up the doors for them. Be it finding local partners or company formations, scouting for business and allied support or regulatory aid-Antar will be acting as a friend and guide in all areas possible.

About Author:
Amer Ali is a management consultant who provides various startups, Sme business consultants and SME Consulting Services. The above article is his take on the topic.