   I often recommend conducting your own due diligence review to determine areas of strengths and weaknesses in your company.  The idea is that fixing problem areas now will increase the value of your company and therefore improve your ability to raise capital.  These are the most obvious benefits of an internal due diligence review.
   However, there are other benefits.  When you establish proper systems to fix the problem areas, you learn what skills your management team must have and you can more easily determine the organization structure that is best for your company
    Once you have a qualified management team in place, an organization that is structured to deliver quality products and services on a consistent basis, and systems designed to minimize errors, you are in the best position to raise capital for your company.  Although your financial condition is an important consideration, people with money to invest place a higher priority on the quality of your management team and your ability to deliver.
    Interestingly, companies that buy from you have the same set of priorities as investors.  This is particularly true of larger corporations, which do not accept business from just any vendor.  In fact, many large companies require you to go through a thorough approval process before they will accept you as a vendor.
   What information does a company want to review when considering whether to name you an approved vendor?  The same information an investor wants to see:  management’s qualifications and experience, an explanation of you how you deliver your product or service, and details about your financial condition.
    If you have the right systems, management and organization structure, though, you greatly improve your chances of being approved as a vendor.  With that, you have gained the best unintended benefit of all—more sales.