Dr. Earl R. Smith II

(Why Investment Banks are a Better Source of Financing)

By now we all are painfully aware of the worldwide credit crisis that affects us all.  If you have a business or a project that needs capital, keep reading.    Because the traditional retail banks of the world have virtually frozen their lending practices it is imperative to locate financing that is liquid and secure!  While most of the capital that is missing from the market is being held by the banks, a great portion of the liquidity has moved from the public markets to the private.  Where do you go to find this liquid capital?  The answer is investment banking. Read the rest of this entry »

By Erica Drake, Managing Partner
Maverick Management Consultants, LLC

I’m a veteran entrepreneur. I’ve experienced the entire process of taking an idea from conception to funding with Angel investors many times now, (and I have the battle scares to prove it).  Over the past 15 years, with limited start-up funds, I’ve raised millions with Angel investors.  Now I advise and assist other entrepreneurs in their quest for capital.  My advice to you isn’t something I learned at Harvard or Wharton, but rather at the “school of hard knocks.”  What I offer to you are hard-core recommendations straight from the trenches. Read the rest of this entry »

By Erica Drake, Managing Partner
Maverick Management Consultants, LLC

Going to Battle …

Build and Lead your Army into Battle. Investors invest in people and their ability to make a company work.  In my experiences, there are two categories of people who will want to be part of your management team: The first category is what I call “the prima donnas.” They have the impressive resumes and pedigree, and at some time in their life have earned their stripes.  They may be the founder of your intellectual property, such as a doctor, engineer, or scientist.  Typically, these veterans of past wars sit back in safety and watch the battle unfold, with no risk to their lives.  When victory seems inevitable, they’ll be the first ones to arrive at the escrow closing, dressed in their uniforms and willing to step in and claim victory. Their resumes are strong, but may lack entrepreneurial experience.  Many have grown up with the cushy-comforts of the corporate world, or, if they have been an entrepreneur, it’s been a long time since they’ve been in the trenches. Read the rest of this entry »

Andrew

Now during the first riveting installment I tackled the most common and probably the most predominant motivation of angel investors – the profit motive or the desire for a significant financial return. Now at this point, anyone who has had anything to do with angel investors have probably stopped and thought to themselves… “Well, isn’t that always the motive of an angel investor?” and I would argue that “Yes – it can often be the key motivator” but in my opinion it is not always the main motivation and often, even if it is, its blended with what I consider one or more of five of the other key motivations. Read the rest of this entry »

Andrew

I was recently asked “What are angel investors looking for?”

My knee jerk response was “a significant return on their investment…”

…and like most knee jerks responses, I was both right and wrong at the same time and (and this is probably where the phrase comes from…) I was a bit of a jerk for not thinking it through better… Read the rest of this entry »

This is a guest post by Mark Suster, a 2x entrepreneur who has gone to the Dark Side of VC. He started his first company in 1999 and was headquartered in London, leaving in 2005 and selling to a publicly traded French services company. He founded his second company in Palo Alto in 2005 and sold this company to Salesforce.com, becoming VP Product Management. He joined GRP Partners in 2007 as a General Partner focusing on early-stage technology companies. Read the rest of this entry »

By Scott Duke Harris
sdharris@mercurynews.com

Silicon Valley earned its name and first great fortune as the cradle of the computer age. Then it built a launching pad for the Internet age. Now the valley has assumed a leading role in the global competition to develop renewable energy and other clean, green technologies. Read the rest of this entry »

How to Get Money to Start Or Expand Your Business!
Author: Gressly Stevens
January 30, 2010 · Posted in Alternative Financing

Are you a business owner or do you have a business idea and you want to open up the doors to your own business? With the way the economy has turned starting a small business could be a great thing to do. This will give you control over your life, your finance, and your well being. Here are some tips to help you get government small business loans. Read the rest of this entry »

On Forbes.com, Shaun Rein exposes what he believes to be three myths regarding starting your own business.

Rein establishes his credentials by saying: “I’ve started three businesses, and I’ve invested in others as an angel investor and venture capitalist. I’ve often struggled and failed… I’ve learned a lot from my experiences.”
Read the rest of this entry »

By Timothy Hay

Many venture investors are expecting the pace to pick up in 2010, with more money flowing into more deals. But it’s hardly going to be a funding free-for-all, and entrepreneurs making their pitches must avoid some of the mistakes that raise red flags in the minds of investors. Read the rest of this entry »