I have had the great fortune to meet at least 3 terrific angel investors over the last 3 years including swallowing hard and asking for funding and support.

I found the whole experience to be very worthwhile and actually surprising. Each of the individuals I met was very supportive, tremendously interested in my business plan and management acumen.

This article provides some very good advice around angel investing:

Like a blessing from the heavens, angel investors bring what a small business needs in a time of growth. Angel investors don't just appear overnight out of the sky. You must juggle the time demands of running your business and conduct a time-consuming search for an angel.

On a wing and a prayer, an angel investor can help take your company to the next level in one swoop. At what time in your company's lifecycle are angel investors a best option?

Time for an Angel Investor?

When your business is simply an idea and in need of seed money, angel investors aren't yet your source of funding. It's advisable to wait until you have used your own and friend and family funds before searching out an angel. A powerhouse method of moving your business forward during start-up, often overlooked is bootstrapping. Run your business as tight as possible, cutting costs, and using creative means of marketing.

Read more Finding an Angel Investor