Determine how much money you really need and why your business plan is so important. Examine legal structures for your business and the choice between debt and equity. Look at financing during different stages of growth, from obtaining support from relatives and friends to angel investors to venture capitalists. Learn about the types of loans which banks offer and how to prepare before you apply. How to use leasing as off-balance sheet financing. Look at factoring as a method of financing accounts receivable. Learn how to sell shares to the public in an Initial Public Offering (IPO) and what's involved in Employee Share Ownership Plans (ESOPs).