--- title: Making a Business a success | SFC Capital description: The journey from business concept to successful exit is long and full of obstacles. Even the best entrepreneurs cannot be ready for everything – there is n image: https://sfccapital.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/banner_1526902641.webp --- Disclaimer Please note, company introductions through SFC Capital Ltd ('SFC') are only suitable for ‘High Net Worth Individuals’, or ‘Sophisticated Investors’ as defined by the Financial Services & Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) who are familiar with and willing to accept the high risk associated with private investments. Any investor requesting to contact a company through SFC Capital does so at his/her own risk and is solely responsible for conducting any legal, accounting or due diligence review. There has been no investigation to the accuracy of any information or terms contained herein and we strongly suggest that you seek advice from a person authorised under the FSMA who specialises in advising on investments of this kind prior to commencement of any potential transaction. All content provided by SFC Capital is strictly for informational purpose only and does not constitute business, financial, investment, hedging, trading, legal, regulatory, tax or accounting advice or services. SFC Capital is an appointed representative of SFC Capital Partners Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) in the United Kingdom (FRN 736284). This website is intended for professional investors only; any reproduction of this information, in whole, or part, is prohibited. SFC Capital does not sell or offer to sell any securities and no information provided by SFC Capital is intended to constitute or to be interpreted as any such offer. SFC Capital simply provides an introductory service where potential partners of all sorts can meet. The SFC Angel Fund is managed by SFC Capital Partners Ltd (‘SFCCP’) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, firm reference number 736284. Information on the Fund is intended for professional investors only; any reproduction of this information, in whole, or part, is prohibited. The content is for information purposes only and should not be used or considered as an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell the securities mentioned herein. The SFC Angel Fund (the ‘SFC Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) is defined as an ‘unregulated collective investment scheme’ (‘UCIS’) and the promotion of a UCIS either within the UK or from the UK is severely restricted by statute. Consequently, this document is only directed at professional clients and eligible counterparties as defined by the FCA and also to persons of a kind to whom the Fund may lawfully be promoted by an authorised person by virtue of Section 238(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and COBS 4.12.4R. Any decision by an investor to buy shares in a fund must be made solely on the basis of the information and terms contained within the Fund’s offering memorandum. Investment in the Fund is made entirely at the investor’s own risk and professional advice should be sought in case of doubt. SFC Capital Partners Ltd (‘SFC’) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) in the United Kingdom, firm reference number 736284. This document is intended for professional investors only; any reproduction of this information, in whole, or part, is prohibited. The content is for information purposes only and should not be used or considered as an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell the securities mentioned herein. The SFC Angel Fund (the ‘SFC Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) is defined as an ‘unregulated collective investment scheme’ (‘UCIS’) and the promotion of a UCIS either within the UK or from the UK is severely restricted by statute. Consequently, this document is only directed at professional clients and eligible counterparties as defined by the FCA and also to persons of a kind to whom the Fund may lawfully be promoted by an authorised person by virtue of Section 238(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and COBS 4.12.4R. The SFC Angel Fund is managed by SFC Capital Partners Ltd (‘SFCCP’) which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the United Kingdom, firm reference number 736284. Information on the Fund is intended for professional investors only; any reproduction of this information, in whole, or part, is prohibited. The content is for information purposes only and should not be used or considered as an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell the securities mentioned herein. The SFC Angel Fund (the ‘SFC Fund’ or the ‘Fund’) is defined as an ‘unregulated collective investment scheme’ (‘UCIS’) and the promotion of a UCIS either within the UK or from the UK is severely restricted by statute. Consequently, this document is only directed at professional clients and eligible counterparties as defined by the FCA and also to persons of a kind to whom the Fund may lawfully be promoted by an authorised person by virtue of Section 238(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and COBS 4.12.4R. Any decision by an investor to buy shares in a fund must be made solely on the basis of the information and terms contained within the Fund’s offering memorandum. Investment in the Fund is made entirely at the investor’s own risk and professional advice should be sought in case of doubt. The SFC Angel Fund is an SEIS/EIS fund which raises money for early-stage businesses by investing in SEIS and EIS eligible ventures with the aim of returning a profit for investors in the fund. Investment in early-stage companies involves risks such as illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution. Investment in SEIS/EIS funds should be considered as part of a diversified portfolio. The availability of tax relief depends on individual circumstances and may change in the future. The availability of tax relief depends on the company invested in maintaining its SEIS/EIS qualifying status. There is no assurance that the investment objectives of any investment product will be achieved or that the strategies and methods described herein will be successful. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of an investment may go down as well as up. Investors may not get back the full amount invested. No warranties or representations of any kind are expressed or implied on this website. I Accept The Terms ## FCA Mandatory Risk Warning & Risk Summary > ## Risk Warning > > **Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong.** ## Risk Summary **Estimated reading time: 2 min** Due to the potential for losses, the Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) considers this investment to be high risk.   What are the key risks? 1\. You could lose all the money you invest. Investments made by the SFC Angel Fund SEIS (the “Fund”) will be in shares in early-stage businesses. Investors in these shares often lose 100% of the money they invested, as many early-stage businesses fail. 2\. You are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong Protection from the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS), in relation to claims against failed regulated firms, does not cover poor investment performance. Try the FSCS investment protection checker here: [https://www.fscs.org.uk/check/investment-protection-checker/](https://sfccapital.com/fca-mandatory-risk-warning-and-risk-summary/%20https://www.fscs.org.uk/check/investment-protection-checker/)    Protection from the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) does not cover poor investment performance. If you have a complaint against an FCA-regulated firm, FOS may be able to consider it. Learn more about FOS protection here: [https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers](https://www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk/consumers) 3\. You won’t get your money back quickly Even if the businesses the Fund invests your money in are successful, it may take several years to get your money back. The most likely way to get your money back is if the businesses invested in by the Fund are bought by another business or list their shares on an exchange such as the London Stock Exchange. These events are not common. 4\. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments makes you less dependent on any one to do well.  A good rule of thumb is not to invest more than 10% of your money in high-risk investments.  [https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5-questions-ask-you-invest](https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart/5-questions-ask-you-invest) 5\. The value of your investment can be reduced The percentage of each investee company that the Fund owns will decrease if the business issues more shares. This could mean that the value of your investment in each investee company reduces, depending on how much the business grows. Most start-up businesses issue multiple rounds of shares.  These new shares could have additional rights that your shares don’t have, such as the right to receive a fixed dividend, which could further reduce your chances of getting a return on your investment. 6\. S/EIS tax reliefs are not guaranteed Whilst it is the Fund's intention to invest mostly in companies qualifying under SEIS legislation, SFC cannot guarantee that all investments will qualify for S/EIS relief (or IHT relief) or, indeed, if they do initially, that they will continue to do so throughout the life of the investment. The tax advantages of investing through the Fund are therefore not guaranteed.  If you are interested in learning more about how to protect yourself, visit the FCA’s website here: [https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart](https://www.fca.org.uk/investsmart)  Close Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high risk investment and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 minutes to learn more. [![SFC Logo + Title x web](https://sfccapital.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SFC%20Logo%20+%20Title%20x%20web.png?width=2000&name=SFC%20Logo%20+%20Title%20x%20web.png)](https://sfccapital.com) - [Startups](https://sfccapital.com/raise) - Investors - [SEIS Fund](https://sfccapital.com/seis-funds) - [EIS Fund](https://sfccapital.com/eis-funds) - [SEIS Explained](https://sfccapital.com/seis-explained) - [EIS Explained](https://sfccapital.com/eis-explained) - [Angel House](https://sfccapital.com/angel-house) - [Advisors](https://sfccapital.com/advisors) - [Portfolio](https://portal.sfccapital.com/portfolio) - [About Us](https://sfccapital.com/about-us) - [Blog](https://sfccapital.com/blog) - [Login](https://portal.sfccapital.com/login) # Making a Business a success [Angelika Burawska, Chief Operations Officer](https://sfccapital.com/blog/author/angelika-burawska) SFC Capital's COO since 2014, uses her extensive business education and experience to drive operations, growth projects, and strategic implementation. - - 21 May 2018 [Startups](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/startups) ##### Share on - - - #### The top 3 rules that successful entrepreneurs should follow at any stage of business. The journey from business concept to successful exit is long and full of obstacles. Even the best entrepreneurs cannot be ready for everything – there is no way of knowing what new challenges will come! However, you can take some measures to be prepared for the unknown. Here are three rules that successful business owners always follow in order to ensure they will be able to face the unexpected no matter where they are in their entrepreneurial journey – just starting out or steps away from an exit. ##### **1. Keep Financial Discipline** Successful entrepreneurs know their numbers and monitor their businesses on a very regular basis. They have control over their accounts, but they normally entrust this work to accountants or financial officers to ensure things are done right. These entrepreneurs understand the rules of cash flow, know their profits and losses inside out, and go out of their way to keep their accounts healthy. To do this, they keep their fixed costs reasonably low – this means no high salaries and no fancy offices before the business is stable and in a good market position. Finally, they work on healthy margins and are able to adjust their business in order to keep the margins high. ##### **2. Grow and Build the Core Team** People come and go, but savvy entrepreneurs know that keeping the most talented members in the company is a must to create a strong core team. A strong team provides stability and adds to the longevity of the company, which is why having an employee option pool and sharing the equity among team members is so important. A stable team that is dedicated to the company is a must. Sharp entrepreneurs are able to recognise a strong team and implement its capabilities into their business strategy. Developing the core team means that the decision-making power will not fall on just one person – you – and that you will rely on the opinion of the experts – your team – when making life-changing decisions. ##### **3. Adapt when Needed** In order to survive, businesses have to react to the changes in their environment. If they are not doing well, they have to alter the way they operate or even pivot their business models; if they are successful, they need to be aware of potential competitors that may spot market opportunities in their field. Adaptability means not only reactiveness, but also the acceptance of things that cannot be changed or that make up the game – even if they cost money, for example, professional fees that have to be paid to an expert as opposed to doing things themselves. Finally, adaptability means acting upon given circumstances. Sometimes things do not go as planned, so it is important to be versatile to be able to quickly change the plan and go ahead under new terms. Keeping an eye on the prize alone is not enough to succeed. In order to bring your startup forward, you also need to keep an eye on numbers, build a solid team, and be ready to shake things up when it is time for a change. All entrepreneurs should keep these golden rules in mind at all times, stick to them and your company will be ready for the rainy days ahead – and the sunny ones too! ## Related Articles 12 Oct 2018 [Startups](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/startups) ##### [Healthy Business Habits](https://sfccapital.com/blog/healthy-business-habits) Having a successful business is every entrepreneur’s dream. But how do you build a successful compan... [Read More](https://sfccapital.com/blog/healthy-business-habits) 27 Feb 2018 [Events](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/events) ##### [SFC's Investor Event at The Club at The Ivy](https://sfccapital.com/blog/sfc-celebrates-february-investor-event-the-club-at-the-ivy) Startup Funding Club presents a stellar lineup of investment opportunities at its February Investor ... [Read More](https://sfccapital.com/blog/sfc-celebrates-february-investor-event-the-club-at-the-ivy) 22 Jan 2018 [Events](https://sfccapital.com/blog/tag/events) ##### [SFC holds its first Investor Event of 2018](https://sfccapital.com/blog/sfc-holds-first-investor-event-2018-home-house) Startup Funding Club introduces five up-and-coming startups at its first Investor Event of 2018 at H... 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This website is intended for  professional investors, high net worth investor or certified sophisticated investors only for the purposes of the FCA's Conduct of Business Sourcebook.; any reproduction of this information, in whole, or part, is prohibited. The content is for information purposes only and should not be used or considered as an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any securities. Investment in early-stage companies involves risks such as illiquidity, lack of dividends, loss of investment and dilution. Investment in SEIS/EIS eligible companies should be considered as part of a diversified portfolio. The availability of tax relief depends on individual circumstances and may change in the future. The availability of tax relief depends on the company invested in maintaining its SEIS/EIS qualifying status. There is no assurance that the investment objectives of any investment opportunity will be achieved or that the strategies and methods described herein will be successful. The investment products cited herein may place capital at risk and therefore investors may not get back the full amount invested. Past performance is not necessarily a guide to future performance and the value of an investment may go down as well as up. Investors may not get back the full amount invested. Companies’ pitches for investment are not offers to the public and investments can only be made by members of SFC Capital. SFC Capital takes no responsibility for this information or for any recommendations or opinions made by the companies. Neither SFC Capital nor any of its employees provide any financial or tax advice in relation to the investments and investors are recommended to seek independent financial and tax advice before committing. This website is not directed at or intended for publication or distribution to any person (natural or legal) in any jurisdiction where doing so would result in contravention of any applicable laws or regulations. No warranties or representations of any kind are expressed or implied herein. This material is confidential and is the property of SFC Capital. © SFC Capital - 2026 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Angelika Burawska, Chief Operations Officer", "url" : "https://sfccapital.com/blog/author/angelika-burawska" }, "dateModified" : "2024-03-20T11:50:54.336Z", "datePublished" : "2018-05-21T05:38:00.000Z", "headline" : "Making a Business a success | SFC Capital", "image" : [ "https://sfccapital.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/banner_1526902641.webp" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://sfccapital.com/blog/top-3-rules-successful-entrepreneurs-should-follow", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" }, "name" : "SFC Capital" } } ```