We have the opportunity to meet a lot of entrepreneurs at different funding stages in their life cycle. One thing that I’ve found is that it is important that you communicate to investors which stage you’re in and, if possible, how many rounds of…
In general, the following milestone of your business usually attracts, and become more valuable in the eyes of an investor: and, be prepared to deliver all these on a pitch in no more than 20 minutes. Key Takeaway: Think of the capital raising process…
Despite the fact that there is plenty of money out there, investors are still risk averse and more often than not prefer to say “no”. So, instead of trying to raise money on your own, should you engage a professional advisor? You probably want…
The answer is “Yes” if the firm and its team are ready to earn the commitment of investors. In my experience of watching market cycles of more than 20-years, general market conditions, no matter whether good or bad, do not correlate with effective fundraising….
There are two main types of money out there – smart investors’ money and dumb investors’ money. Dumb investors (e.g., friends and family) are not necessarily bad, since they have money and often with very good intentions. They tend to invest based on first…
Investors want to see a number of things, but the thing that they want to see the most is your equity story. Your equity story creates so many opportunities for you, not only for fundraising, but as a roadmap for your own success. 4…
I’m frequently asked this question from our entrepreneurs, “How do I raise capital given this economy?” There’s a lot of anxiety surrounding it, but don’t worry, options are available. Even though the banks have pretty much cut back their lending, and investment bankers are…
One expect that entrepreneurs almost always overlook is the cost of raising money. Most feel it will only cost their time and efforts. Granted, it will cost at least that and more. Consider the following: Direct costs: These are costs that are directly associated…
You need to begin the process of building your presentation by first gaining a thorough understanding of what your target investors want to see in both your investment proposal and what they expect to see in you as the CEO. Realize that most investors…
One of the first thing that investors looking at a company is whether it offer a feature, product, or business. Features don’t make a product and can be copied easily. Similarly, a product doesn’t make a business. Attractive businesses have a slew of products,…