So you’ve created a widget that’s going to change your industry or you have an idea that could make millions, no you need the money. The truth is, creating a ground shattering concept with multiple avenues of capitalization potential is only 1% of the equation.
Before you start trying to raise capital you have to look at your company as a whole. Are your corporate executives in place and who are they? Are they friends and family or are they the who’s who of your particular industry? Unless your brother is the premier and most sought after CFO in the widget manufacturing industry, he needs to be replaced with a professional CFO; the same goes for other executive positions.
When a VC reads the bio section of your business plan their eyes need to tear up as they see that you’ve strategically collected the best of the best in the industry for your company’s launch and you’ve just succeeded in passing the initial test of the VC. You must have an elite and specialized executive staff with a tried and tested career yielding success in previous business relationships with companies at the same stage as your company.
The next thing you have to look at is your board of directors. Again, each member must have a full bag of tricks and contacts that they intend on using liberally to help you grow you company at a rapid pace. After your business structure is sound and your board of directors is ready to start moving forward with their strategies, you need to use the contacts in the portfolios of your executives and board members to start creating strong and long term minded strategic alliances and partners that will enhance your company. These alliances must be solidified by contracts spelling out what each party will contribute to the relationship.
Leave nothing to chance, unless they are willing to sign a contract with you, it’s not a relationship that can be taken seriously and will only convert into negative baggage that will haunt you down the road. Now with all this in place, you’re ready to put together a business plan. Find a consultant who can not only author a premium grade business plan but also offer corporate structuring and turnaround services to look for holes in your business model and correct them. The author of your business plan is playing a vital role in your company’s ability to raise capital and grow. Choose your BP author wisely.
Now that your company is structured and your business plan is done you’ll need a way to distribute equity that protects you from lawsuits and gives the investors the comfort of knowing that you are ready for funding if they decide to invest, you need a PPM (private placement memorandum). Your business plan author is the natural ‘go to’ consultant for this as they already have an intricate knowledge of your business and have the writing experience to author such a technical document. After all this is done you are now ready to start talking to venture capital firms. Don’t leave the success to chance, hire a consultant that matches companies like yours up with the global venture capital market. Go to Google or another search engine and search for “investor finder” or “Venture capital finder service” these investor finders are a elite group that has substantial contacts in the funding world and can often match you up with investors and equity firms who are seeking investment opportunities like yours.
Raising capital is the last thing you do after you’ve gone through the process of structuring your company properly, now that you have, get out there and start raking in the cash! Here’s to your success!
For Corporate Consulting or Investor Finder Services, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!