Are Most Venture Capital Firms Profitable,

Yes, even today in 2018, the Best of Times, venture capital overall isn’t worth it. The average returns don’t beat Nasdaq, and the funds themselves are highly illiquid. Vs. Nasdaq, you can sell shares anytime. But the top funds and the top firms beat Nasdaq, and handily. Start-up investments, to paraphrase Fred Wilson, are one of the few ways you can repeatedly make 10x-100x-1000x your investment. 10b is a type of gain you just can’t really get anywhere else.

And it’s rare, but also, it happens every year. Every year, at least some new start-ups will start-up that can make you 1000x your money — if you invest early stage. Scores more can make you 100x your money. And many, many more can make you 10x. The vast majority make you 0x, but that’s not really the point. The point is that as a group, a handful of new start-ups evolve every single year that can make you 100x-1000x your money. The question is, can a specific venture fund reliably get into these investments, It’s not remotely easy. But the very best funds have proven they can, repeatably. If so, that’s a risk worth taking, at least with patient capital. Capital that can tolerate a decade or more of partial illiquidity.

5,000 in the first three months. Try some tricks to nab a higher bonus than is advertised. Another idea: If the issuer's website has a page on which you can check whether you prequalify for its cards, try filling out the form -- you may be offered a bigger bonus, says Tyschuk.

Don't overlook cards that offer a bonus after one year or provide annual bonuses, which could prove more valuable in the long run. The Discover It and Discover It Miles cards (no annual fee) both match the cash back or miles you've earned at the end of your first year of membership, doubling your rewards for that year. Lisa Gerstner is a contributing editor to Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine. Send your questions and comments to moneypower@kiplinger.com.

Do you want to start a business of your own, Corn roasting business is a very good business idea because it is easy to start and it does not require a huge capital. All you need to hard work to find real success. Are you thinking of starting a business but you have a limited capital,

There are a lot of small businesses that you can venture with. One great example is the corn roasting business. Corn roasting business is a very good source of income because you can earn a lot especially during the peak season which is summer. It also does not need a very high capital since you can purchase the equipment at a reasonable price.

If you want to try this business idea, here are the things that you need to include in your checklist. First, you need to decide how small or how large you want the business to be. The size of your operation will depend on the initial budget that you have. If you can afford a bigger production, you need to invest on heavy duty equipment because they last longer.

You must also consider the location. Your business may be big but if the location is good, you will not be able to profit so much. Second, you need to decide on the menu. Basically, you are going to sell roasted corn. However, you can be creative with the food that you will be serving.

You can serve plain corn or flavored ones. You can also add other food items in your food shop such as drinks and side dishes that compliment the main product. It is always better to give your customers some options when they buy. Third, you need to be keen in choosing the equipment and tools for your business. You can either buy brand new or used roasting machines. However, you need to make sure not to compromise the quality and effectiveness because of the price. It is always better to buy cheap and good quality products.

In most cases though, you will really need to invest a little more dollars to purchase really good tools. Do not worry though. As long as the business is good, the investment will be worth it. Fourth, you should never forget to register your business. Every business should be legal.

You need to get the necessary permits from the government offices and the city hall. The process is usually different depending on the location. If you are not sure what to do, you can always go to your local government office and seek guidance from the public servants. Fifth, you need to be vigorous in attending events. Roasted corn business is not that big and sometimes, you need to go out of the conventional way to make it popular.

For instance, you can join events in your area such as festivals and concerts. Secure the necessary permit and grab the chance to offer your product to the people attending such events. It can be very good for your profit because there are always many people and the chances of getting a lot of customers are high. If you are lucky, you can find loyal customers there. These are just a few tips to add on your checklist. A small business may sound discouraging to some people but with a good balance of hard work and luck, you can really turn it into a fortune.