Landlord help for funding your new business

Include your landlord in your financing plans for your startup business.

"I think all businesses should start out at home in a garage operation," says Andrew Zacharakis. "But at some point, especially if you have a retail operation, you'll need a storefront, and a landlord will often give entrepreneurs three months without having to pay."

Landlords may also do leasehold improvements for free, building out the space with features you'll need without any cost to you. One Boston landlord offers Babson students six months of free rent if they launch their businesses in one of his properties, Zacharakis says. "The expectation is that they'll become long-term paying tenants down the road."

On to You will need some time in business before banks will help fund your new business...