Angels are everywhere.

Each year angels (wealthy individual investors) invest close to $30 billion dollars in growing businesses. There are an estimated quarter of a million angels in the U.S., and because of an overall robust IPO and stock market in the past 15 years, their ranks are swelling. They may be senior or retired executives, successful entrepreneurs themselves, or professionals. They are everywhere, searching for investment opportunities as well as other ways to help out a growing business-with advice, experience and business and personal contacts.

Angels are easy to find.

Angels tend to hover around easily identified, and in many cases, easily accessed centers of activity. Chambers of commerce, economic development coalitions, and professional services organizations such as law and accounting firms often sponsor venture capital forums which provide networking opportunities. Venture capital clubs consisting of angels meet regularly to hear formal presentations from entrepreneurs seeking capital. Private capital networks, essentially electronic matching services, put entrepreneurs and angels together, based upon a similarity of needs and preferences.

Angels add value to your business.

Angels who are successful entrepreneurs themselves often look for synergy with their current business. They can provide industry contact, sale leads, technical expertise, and contacts among sources of capital. Professional angels like lawyers or accountants can offer legal, accounting, or financial expertise for which a new company would otherwise have to pay hefty fees. Corporate angels (senior or retired executives) can provide the kind of assistance in strategic planning and other business issue that a growing company typically needs.

Angels invest for reasons other than economics.

Many angels are motivated to invest because they want to give something back to the industry which provided the venue for their success, or because they want to provide a resource they wish they had. This means that even if your business won't provide a "venture capital" return, it can still attract a lot of angel investors.

Angels are connected to more money.

Because of their past business and financial successes, angels usually have professional and personal contacts among sources of capital and can provide excellent networking opportunities. They often bring their friends into a deal-or lead you to their contacts among professional venture capitalists, Wall Street investment bankers, or otherwise well-heeled but hard to find investors.