Next Steps and Support Resources

Your 90-day action plan

Knowledge becomes valuable when you turn it into concrete steps. The plan below is a starting point you can adapt to your business's stage — whether you are just starting out or already thinking about investors.

1. Days 1–30: Clarify your starting pointSeparate your personal and business accounts, gather your financial statements from recent years, calculate your debt-to-equity ratio, and determine how much you need, for what, and by when.
2. Days 31–60: Prepare your documentsUpdate your business plan, build a financial model with three scenarios, draft a pitch deck, and organize your documents for a future due diligence review.
3. Days 61–90: Test and connectPresent your plan to a mentor or a group of women entrepreneurs, talk to at least two different funders (for example, a bank and a capital market intermediary), and decide on your next suitable source of financing.

Mentoring networks, community, and resources

You don't have to make this journey alone. Many kinds of support can give you knowledge, contacts, and confidence. Look for them in your community and check their credibility before getting involved.

• Business associations, including those dedicated to women entrepreneurs — events, experience sharing, partnerships.
• Mentoring programs — an experienced entrepreneur or specialist can guide you through key decisions.
• Business incubators and accelerators — space, training, and sometimes access to investors.
• Financial institutions — banks, leasing companies, and licensed capital market intermediaries, which often offer initial consultations.
• Professionals — accountants, auditors, lawyers, and financial advisors for technical matters.
• BIMx Academy events — lessons, seminars, and meetings about how the capital market works.

Case study: from idea to bond issue

Notice the logic of the journey: Elena did not jump straight to the capital market. She started with sources that did not require a financial track record, built her reputation with funders, and invested in transparency before turning to investors. Thanks to the bonds, she kept full ownership of the company.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Seeking financing without a clear purpose — define exactly what the money is for and what results it will deliver.
• Underestimating costs and timelines — audits, advisory services, and document preparation take time and money.
• Giving up too large a stake too early — valuations are low at the start, and dilution is costly in the long run.
• Borrowing beyond your ability to pay — check the interest coverage ratio in the conservative scenario, not just the optimistic one.
• Mixing personal and business finances — this undermines your credibility with any funder.
• Not communicating after raising the money — your relationship with investors begins, rather than ends, on the day you are funded.