"The Desktop Global Marketer" (tm)

   A free on-line newsletter of Sidereal Designs, Inc.,
   for Internet Entrepreneurs, and those who are
   considering becoming one.
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                 December 2001

In this issue: "United Funding has now taken the step of 
extending its scope of operations by offering financing 
for development of commercial web sites. They have 
introduced a program called "LeaseWeb" offering financing 
on quite favorable terms even for relatively modest sites."


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*****  How to finance your commercial web site  *****


I don't think I could count the number of people who have
approached me with ideas for great web-based businesses, but
who lack the start-up funding to get the kind of web site
they need to make it a success.

For years smart manufacturing businesses have financed their
investment in production equipment. This provides a variety
of benefits.

* Equipment is purchased with revenue it generates.

* Cash flow is better managed.

* Working capital is conserved.

* Higher quality or more extensive facilities are affordable.

* Tax savings are realized.

Lenders specializing in funding such industrial equipment
purchases have evolved to serve this specialized
market. Frequently the loan is structured as a lease-to-buy
contract in which the lender purchases the equipment and
leases it to the manufacturer until the purchase price plus
interest is paid off, at which time title passes to the
manufacturer.

The same issues that face manufacturers in respect to
equipment also face internet businesses in respect to web
site development costs. Essentially the same advantages
would accrue if it were possible to finance their "equipment"
in the form of a web site.

This  is particularly true if your  business makes, or could
make, any use of  sophisticated web technologies such as
customized programming  to provide special  functions and
services,  or content  management  systems with dynamic  web
pages that  can be updated on  demand, or extensive catalogs
of product  presentations and e-commerce facilities, because
these are major cost-drivers for a web site as well as major
revenue generators.

Unfortunately the people who are happy to finance hard
production equipment for industry have been unwilling to
"finance air" for web-based enterprises. Now that has changed.

United Funding Group has been in the business of funding
industrial equipment since 1984, and in that time has
included software among the items whose purchase it would
fund. They are a rated Dunn and Bradstreet company, and
their clients have included Oracle, Dell, Pitney Bowes, and
other major as well as minor companies.

United Funding has now taken the step of extending its scope
of operations by offering financing for development of
commercial web sites. They have introduced a program called
"LeaseWeb" offering financing on quite favorable terms even
for relatively modest sites.

For sites under $25,000 only a simple, one-page application
is required. More expensive sites require a financial
statement. Terms can be up to 36 months, and rates can be as
low as 5.9%

The other requirement is that the web site developer be
certified by United Funding so they can be confident of the
quality of the site they're buying and that the webmaster
will stay in business. We think this is such a great idea
and will be so useful to so many of our clients that we've
gone through the process of becoming certified.

However, our involvement ends at that point. The financial
arrangements are between you and United; the web site
arrangements are between you and us. They pay us up front as
we build the site and you pay them in monthly installments. We
get no commission from them.

If there's one thing that has driven the growth of the
internet it's been that it gives the little guy access to
the kind of communications and connectivity formerly only
enjoyed by big companies. As the net has grown more
sophisticated however, the cost of entry has become a
barrier for the small business because competitive,
commercially-viable, web sites have become more versatile
and thus more costly. This step by United Funding puts that
problem back in balance.

I think that's exciting news.

Best regards,

Ernie Kent


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Sidereal Designs, Inc.               "Putting your business on the web"
http://siderealdesigns.com    301-916-5702   info(at)siderealdesigns.com