A businessman or businesswoman is a person who owns or has shareholdings in a private establishment and engages in commercial or industrial activities for the purpose of generating cash flow, sales, and revenue through the use of a combination of human, financial, intellectual, and physical capital with a view to promoting economic development and growth in a given region.
An individual who founded, owns, or has a controlling interest in a private institution is referred to as a "businessperson." The phrase "angel investor" may apply to someone who invests in a private company on a short-term basis.