Working with Investors

Lessons From Shark Tank

Shark Tank is an ABC reality TV show that matches startups with high net worth angel investors who will offer to invest in their business company in exchange for a proportional equity stake. The reason why I love this show is that it not only demonstrates the power of the startup…

The Benefits of Crowdfunding

When you have a small business, it can be tough to raise the money you need to launch, expand, or promote your company. That’s one reason a lot of smart small business owners today are turning to the newest fundraising technique—crowdfunding.

Investors Seek Out Entrepreneurs with Resilience

If you haven’t had a failure, you aren’t pushing the limits. If you are really an entrepreneur, you are a risk taker and less cautious by nature, so failures should be expected. Wear you startup failure as a badge of courage. Don’t go after failure, but embrace it when it does happen and grow from it.

Seed Capital from Friends and Family

You have a great idea but you need more cash than you have in your account. You don’t have a proven track record and potential investors are not giving you a chance. Your options are limited to friends, family and a small local network. You need to sell your idea, but you don’t want to over-sell your friends and family.

Do Investors Back First-Time Entrepreneurs?

Investors do indeed back first-time entrepreneurs, but it’s clearly their second choice. Most investors prefer to find an entrepreneur who has a proven track record—at least one successful venture—and then bet that the success can be repeated. Their mantra is: “We back the jockey, not the horse.”

8 Key Focus Elements Will Attract Startup Investors

One of the most common failures I see in startups is lack of focus. Unfocused entrepreneurs boast that their new technology will generate multiple disruptive products for consumers as well as enterprises around the world. Investors hear this as trying to do too many things with limited resources, meaning the startup will not shine at anything, and will not survive the competition.

How to Find the Right Venture Capitalist for Your Startup

As an entrepreneur, you’ve got to choose the right VC to work with, because the right marriage can help define how successful your business will be and how happy you will be running it. Here are 4 key points to consider for a happy and long-lasting marriage with a VC.

3 Ways to Make Your Business More Attractive to Investors

Small businesses looking to expand are often looking for investors—but don’t know what they should do to make themselves more attractive to those investors. To make your business more investor friendly, follow these 3 key steps.

More from Working with Investors

Back to Parent Category

Top Articles in This Category

    Stay up to date with