Unit 8

Word

Definition

Example

annual 

happening once a year

This slide shows a forecasted annual return of 19%.

annually 

once every year

We think your investment will rise annually by 9%.

attract 

to make someone interested in something, or make them want to take part in something

They tried to attract investors on crowdfunding websites.

attractive 

someone who is attractive is good looking, especially in a way that makes you sexually interested in them

Crowdfunding sites are attractive for small, new businesses.

based on

to use particular ideas or facts to make a decision, do a calculation, or develop a theory

Our predictions are based on last year's sales figures.

budding entrepreneur

they are starting to succeed or become interested in business

Here, budding entrepreneurs look for potential investors.

capital 

money or property, especially when it is used to start a business or to produce more wealth

She needed £100,000 in capital to open her new business.

commission 

an extra amount of money that is paid to a person or organizationaccording to the value of the goods they have sold or the services they have provided

These crowdfunding sites take a commission of around 5% of the amount raised.

crowdfunding 

a method of getting money for something, for example a new film or album, by asking many people to give part of the money needed, often on the Internet

She registered with the crowdfunding site Indiegogo.com.

demand 

the need or desire that people have for particular goods and services

The demand for student accommodation is going to increase.

dividend 

a part of a company's profit that is divided among the people with shares in the company

Crowdfunding sites are attractive for small, new businesses because you don't pay out dividends.

draw attention to 

to make others to look at or focus on oneself, someone, or something

I'd like to draw your attention to the first graph, which shows ...

entrepreneur 

someone who starts a new business or arranges business deals in order to make money, often in a way that involves financial risks

Entrepreneurs are expected to offer detailed business plans to investors.

equity 

the amount of money that you would have left if you sold your house and paid off the money you borrowed to buy the house

Crowdfunding sites are attractive for new businesses because you don't give away any equity.

expenses 

the amount of money that you spend on something

Can you claim travel expenses for your trip?

fall

to move or drop down from a higher position to a lower position

The share price is going to fall.

figure 

a number representing an amount, especially an official number

These figures are the sales results of each of our branches.

financial forecast 

an estimate of future financial outcomes for a company

The financial forecast for next year is not looking too good.

forecast 

to make a statement saying what is likely to happen in the future, based on the information that you have now

We forecast an annual return of 18%.

illustrate 

to make the meaning of something clearer by giving examples

The chart illustrates the growth in student numbers in the last five years.

in particular 

especially

Also notice in particular the figures for March.

indicate

to show that a particular situation exists, or that something is likely to be true

The red line in the chart indicates the number of visitors who purchased something.

investment opportunity 

any situation where you have the option of purchasing something that has a chance to gain value in the future

Which company is offering the best investment opportunity?

investor

someone who gives money to a company, business, or bank in order to get a profit

We need to find investors, to help fund the start-up costs.

loan 

an amount of money that you borrow from a bank etc

We went to the bank to ask about getting a loan.

pay back 

to pay money that you owe to a person, company etc

If you fail to reach the target, then you pay back any money to any investors.

pay for 

to give someone money for something you buy or for a service

In a cat café, customers pay for a meal while playing with cats.

pay out 

to pay a lot of money for something

How often do they pay out dividends to the shareholders?

pay towards

to contribute to paying part of the cost of (something); to contribute to (something)

One woman paid £20,000 towards Lauren's business in return for owning one of the cats in the cafe.

potential investors 

those showing the capacity to develop or to invest in something in the future

On this site, budding entrepreneurs can look for potential investors.

prediction 

a statement about what you think is going to happen, or the act of making this statement

What are your predictions for the year ahead?

raise money 

to collect money that you can use to do a particular job or help people

Crowdfunding is a good way to raise money to start a new business.

recession 

a difficult time when there is less trade, business activity etc in a country than usual

The possible growth in the Asian economy could mean that we avoid another global recession.

represent 

to be a sign or mark that means something

This figure represents a 2% increase in sales.

rise 

to increase in number, amount, or value

The share price has risen by 10%.

shareholder 

someone who owns shares in a company or business

We pay dividends to shareholders once we make a profit.

shares 

one of the parts into which ownership of a company is divided

I'm wondering whether to sell my shares.

start-up costs 

the amount of money needed to start a new business, project etc

What will the start-up costs be for the business?

target 

something that you are trying to achieve, such as a total, an amount, or a time

The company only raised $301,000 through crowdfunding, so failed to meet its $1 million target.

under budget 

involving less money than had been planned for

We spent less than we planned, so we are under budget for the year.

upward trend 

increasing to a higher level

This upward trend will definitely continue.