Venture Capital: The Definitive Guide for Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Practitioners

Book Description

How to attract the venture capital needed to grow any business
Venture Capital teaches entrepreneurs and small business owners everything they need to know about finding the venture capital they need to grow their businesses. Based, in large part, upon in-depth interviews with major players in the venture capital arena--including money managers as well as entrepreneurs who have dealt with them successfully--it provides powerful pointers on how to make a business attractive to venture capitalists, how to protect yourself in negotiating an agreement, how to manage a relationship with venture capitalists once a deal is signed, and much more. Perhaps most importantly, the reader learns what makes venture capitalists tick and sees things through a venture capitalist's eyes.
Joel Cardis, Esq. (Blue Bell, PA), consults both Fortune 500 companies and small businesses on an array of venture and start-up issues. Hildy Richelson, PhD (Scarsdale, NY), is President of the Scarsdale Investment Group, Ltd.

Customer Reviews:

Comes Up Short.......2006-08-02

Sadly, this book is similar to most on venture capital in that it is based on interviews of VCs. The weakness behind this approach is that it provides unorganized content that lacks depth and utility. In short, while it doesprovide some important insight, these insights are neither unique or critical and can be found in other books that provide a much better resource to the entrepreneur.

Finally!.......2002-04-02

Finally! A practical, hands-on guide to raising venture capital. This step-by-step handbook gives an entrepreneur a clear, real-world roadmap to the fundraising process. I only wish I had a book like this when I started my company.

No B.S. Wealth Attraction for Entrepreneurs (No B.S.)

Average customer rating:

Good, Interesting ... I'd really say three and a half stars
NO B.S. - Dan Kennedy is a the best
Adjust your attitude and Take Action !!!
This is the Bible of No B.S. Books
Beyond the Myth of Attraction

No B.S. Wealth Attraction for Entrepreneurs (No B.S.)
Dan Kennedy
Manufacturer: Entrepreneur Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 193253167X

Book Description

Become a money magnet

Read this book and in just a few months make more money than you have in years. Sound unbelievable? That's Dan Kennedy's specialty. Dan "Millionaire Maker" Kennedy has helped many thousands of entrepreneurs create "the wealth surge experience."

By making a few calculated changes, you'll attract more opportunity and money than you ever dreamed possible. That's right--attract--not create, not develop, not identify, but become an opportunity magnet. These eleven breakthrough strategies turn your business into a springboard to unimaginable riches. Eliminate ingrained "wealth-blocking" thinking with hard-nosed, practical tactics for organizing, marketing and managing a business for maximum profit.

The powerful tips in this book (and in the Wealth Attraction seminar--worth $2,000--on the CD) will change your life and put you on the fast track to magnetically attract much greater wealth.

INSIDE!

FREE--Wealth Email Course

FREE--$995.00-Value Seminar Tickets

FREE--Tele-seminar Invitation

FREE--Newsletters

Customer Reviews:

Good, Interesting ... I'd really say three and a half stars.......2007-08-10

This is my first Dan Kennedy book and I thought it a slightly better than the average book in the "wealth attraction" genre.

The chapters are short, sweet and to the point. There is a lot in the book that makes sense or, at least, resonated with me true or plausible. As with most books about wealth attraction, Dan Kennedy uses a lot of anecdotes about people who have "made it" by using the methods described in the book. He also offers advice that contradicts the conventioanl wisdom which I found refreshing.

It is obvious that he's read the genre and knows what advice is in other books. So, in some cases, he flat out says their stuff doesn't work and his stuff does. Fos some reason, that approach appealed to me.

Of course, the book is sprinkled liberally throughout with directions to go to his various websites to connect with his free newsletter or not-so-free programs and books. There are also the requisite stories in the back of the book by his proteges and buddies sharing how they became millionaires and, oh yeah, you can become one, too, if you connect with thier websites and programs.

I like Dan's writing style and a lot of his advice. A lot has been written about before so it's not a 5 star but definitely worth the price of the book.

NO B.S. - Dan Kennedy is a the best.......2007-08-08

Great book! Dan Kennedy is an absoulute craftsman with words. Look forward to reading the other B.S. series books.

Adjust your attitude and Take Action !!!.......2007-07-13

This book is all about the way you think.
Money, actions that you take, people that you hang around with are all discussed.
It's not one of those "If you dream or constantly think about it then it will happen" type of books.
I started putting into practice some of the ideas Dan discusses even before I finished the book and immediately saw results. A lot of the ideas I had known in the back of my mind but reading them coaxed me into taking action on them and not just thinking about them.
You know a book is good when it helps you before you get through reading it.
Some of the highlights are
* Don't wait till you get all your ducks in a row..start NOW, you can make course corrections as you progress and learn.
*Make sure you do at least one thing a day to keep the pipeline of future income filled.
* Don't just think in terms of daily transactions but also the value of future business.
* Get rid of negative people that hang around you. Dan gives them a great label of Wealth Blockers.
* Hope is not a strategy... is this not one of the truest things that you have ever heard and yet we all know people that live with no real plans of how to achieve success.
I could go on but if you combine this book with No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs (No B.S. Series) you will have a one-two punch that will put you miles ahead of the competition.
All of Dan's no B.S, books are not of the same level of quality, but I think this is the best one of the bunch.
If you have read this far then you need to take action. Buy this book along with Dan's Time Management and put what they teach into practice.
Kennedy's Time Management will show you how to get rid of the Time Vampires so that you can put the business advice he dispenses in this book to use.
Just knowing stuff is useless unless you put it to use. There is a phrase that NLP people will recognize called congruence... your actions and thoughts must be aligned to produce results.
By reading the various reviews you have shown that you are interested in achieving success as an entrepreneur. Now you must make your actions match your thoughts and get the info that is contained in this book.
Its cost is much less than a single night out and it will alter the way you act and think for the rest of your life. that's a pretty good bargain by any measure.

This is the Bible of No B.S. Books.......2007-07-04

Read the book cover to cover on a recent flight to Las Vegas.

Every word rings true. For readers who are sick of reading about "being passionate" about your business, and all of the other "feel good" books on the shelves right now, this is a must read.

I would go so far as to say that there is not 1 word in this book that is not on point. No fluff, no filler.

Just as the title states... No B.S.

Beyond the Myth of Attraction.......2007-03-19

Let's get the basics out of the way. (1) This book is full of self-promotion; (2) Kennedy can be offensive, irritating and arrogant;(3) Kennedy has helped create more than 100 millionaires and knows whereof he speaks in terms of wealth creation; (4)some or all of this information can be found in other books--but you just don't find it condensed and targeted like this. There is a lot of hype out there today about "focusing on a goal" and it somehow magically will be drawn to you. Kennedy says that defining and focusing on a goal is critical, but if you want to attract wealth into your life, you must consider your beliefs about wealth, your strategies to bring wealth into your life and your behaviors in implementing those strategies. So, think beliefs, behaviors and strategies. Most of us have unconscious beliefs about money (it is limited, it has to be hard earned) that get in our way of making it, and most of us don't have behavior congruent with our desire to attract wealth--that is, congruent with the behavior of those who have already attracted wealth. The book is really only 167 pages--26 "Wealth Magnets."(That's really all you need to read and re-read.) The rest is info from successful entrepreneurs and Kennedy's recommended resources. Read it or not, Kennedy will say he doesn't care. He has put the information into the universe and now its up to you. Thirteen bucks and a couple hours of your time might show you something you don't know. To be honest, Kennedy frequently ticks me off with his over the top no BS attitude, but you cannot argue with his results--or his comprehensive, no nonsense approach to wealth attraction. One final thought. The book is only 13 bucks because it is partially a marketing mechanism--he wants you as a customer so the book is cheap knowing the long term value of anyone who joins his Kennedy Inner Circle. But that is a marketing lesson and a wealth creation strategy, isn't it?

Angel Investing: Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies -- A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Individual Investors, and Venture Capitalists

Average customer rating:

more than a Guide
Great book
Good guide for entrepreneurs who need funding
Good Overview of Angel Investing
Place this in your shopping cart now!

Angel Investing: Matching Startup Funds with Startup Companies -- A Guide for Entrepreneurs, Individual Investors, and Venture Capitalists
Mark Van Osnabrugge , and Robert J. Robinson
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Startup Company Bible For Entrepreneurs: The Complete Guide For Building Successful Companies And Raising Venture Capital

ASIN: 0787952028

Amazon.com

According to Robert J. Robinson and Mark van Osnabrugge, so-called business angels--those generally unheralded private investors who usually specialize in high-growth fields and often involve themselves directly in the endeavors they fund--now provide 30 to 40 times more financing each year than their more famous counterparts, venture capitalists. In Angel Investing, Robinson and Van Osnabrugge use personal interviews, anecdotal evidence, and more than 300 research studies to show exactly who these financiers are, how they operate, and where they can be found. Robinson, an international management consultant, and Van Osnabrugge, an associate professor at Harvard Business School, also compare various financing options, explain precisely how angels and venture capitalists function differently, describe proven ways to attract them, and provide relevant resources. "The vast size and power of the business angel market in the United States is not well understood but is of incredible importance to our entrepreneurial sector and, indirectly, to maintaining our economic growth and standard of living," the authors write. They pack their book accordingly with valuable information for serious fund-seekers who have exhausted the traditional three F's (founder, family, and friends), as well as those who are considering entrepreneurial investments of their own. --Howard Rothman

Book Description

They deliver more capital to entrepreneurs than any other source. And they often receive an incredible return on their investments. They're angel investors, some of the most important--and least understood--players in business today. The United States has close to three million angels, whose investments in startups exceed $60 billion per year. Some of our most successful companies were funded by angels--companies like Ford, AOL, and Amazon.com. But until now, little has been written about these angels, due in part to their preference for anonymity. Angel Investors provides an inside look at who these angels are and how they operate. It also shows would-be angels and entrepreneurs how best to find each other.

To learn more about this book, visit its website.

Customer Reviews:

more than a Guide.......2003-11-11

I am the Founder & CEO of a business that within the next 8 to 12 months was seeking to raise between $2M and $5M to fund our expansion. I always thought of going straight to Venture Capital firms or Private Equity divisons of Invmt Banks that I have already been in touch with. This book, Angel Investing, was a truly priceless read to me. The education delivered by authors has helped me re-strategize my approach to inviting external investors and also the amount that I should try to raise and the schedule of funds. What I thought was most helpful was the detailed comparisons between Angel Investors and Venture Capitalist, as well as understanding the psychology behind their thinking and how an entrepreneur seeking outside funds should try to prepare every aspect of their presentation (themselves, their product and overall business plan). The book has given me tools to have most questions covered and more importantly has prepared me to become an angel myself in the years ahead.

Great book.......2002-10-29

This book starts off slowly but when it gets rolling it is very helpful ,giving good infromation where and when you need it.

Good guide for entrepreneurs who need funding.......2002-08-28

If you are planning to go after Angel funding, this book is a must-read. The book contains interviews with a broad spectrum of Angels, who discuss their investment experience, the thinking they go through, and key things they look for, when evaluating an opportunity. This book would serve as an excellent reference for anyone preparing to be in front of Angels.

Good Overview of Angel Investing.......2002-07-22

"Angel Investing" by Mark Van Osnabrugge and Robert J. Robinson gives useful information about angel investors and venture capitalists.

Van Osnabrugge and Robinson estimate that angel investors--wealthy individuals who invest their own money into start-up companies--invest three to five times more money than venture capitalists and back thirty to forty times more ventures, making angel investors the primary source of external capital for entrepreneurs.

But, how do you meet and present your business idea to an angel investor? What factors do angel investors give the most weight to when debating whether or not to fund a venture? How do angel investors differ from venture capitalists when valuing a start-up company?

"Angel Investing" answers these questions and many more. It is stuffed with studies, interviews, and solid advice. "Angel Investing" can be divided into three main categories:

* General background about angel investors and venture capitalists and their relationship and importance to business and the economy.

* Practical advice for entrepreneurs seeking start-up funds from angel investors or venture capitalists.

* Practical advice for individuals considering becoming angel investors and making investments in small companies.

Each topic in "Angel Investing" is well documented. It's a rather formal book, actually. Robinson is a professor at the Harvard Business School and Van Osnabrugge is a former fellow of the Harvard Business School.

I found the section about successful angel investment deals a bit too rich for my taste. For example, we learn that one angel investor who backed amazon.com got a 260 times return on his initial investment of $100,000 making him $26 million. Another angel who invested in the Body Shop received 10,500 times his initial investment. As a new angel investor, don't get overly excited about the prospects! Remember, many angel investments fail dismally. As the authors point out, you must only invest money you can afford to lose!

If you are already a financially successful entrepreneur who considers becoming an angel investor, you might want to read "Angel Investing" to help improve the chances of making successful angel investments. However, the book is not a complete analysis of the due diligence process.

And, of course, from an entrepreneur's standpoint, reading a book won't automatically put you in contact with serious angel investors, and much of the real work in financing a new venture involves finding personal contacts to introduce you to appropriate angel investors. Van Osnabrugge and Robinson note that most funded ventures involve personal introductions.

Maybe, if you're ready to invest $50,000 per company or more (and ready to lose $50,000 or more per investment!), you're tired of investing in public companies (with mystic accounting and lack of reportability to the investor), and you want to add value to your investment by contributing information and contacts to your investment, this might be a good book to help get you started. On the downside, you'll probably have no diversification and poor liquidity with angel investments.

The most important tip from "Angel Investing": Do adequate research before investing in a company. And, it's best if you know the industry and know business.

Peter Hupalo, Author of "Thinking Like An Entrepreneur."

Place this in your shopping cart now!.......2002-05-31

This book is one of THE BEST books on this subject matter that I have read in recent years. Having been in the venture capital industry for many years I was very interested to read what van Osnabrugge and Robinson had to say. I'll be the first to admit that I was a bit skeptical because the book was written by academics. However, after a careful read it became clear that these authors have done their homework and know what they are talking about. This book is an enjoyable read that has some of the most useful information I have found to date. I urge anyone interested in entrepreneurship and investing to read this book. You won't be sorry.

Affiliate Millions: Make a Fortune using Search Marketing on Google and Beyond

Average customer rating:

Basic tools for the online gold rush
Didn't work for me
Direct and Immediately Useful
Basic start but could leave you broke..
This is a great book

Affiliate Millions: Make a Fortune using Search Marketing on Google and Beyond
Anthony Borelli , and Greg Holden
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The AdSense Code: What Google Never Told You About Making Money with AdSense

ASIN: 0470100346

Book Description

Affiliate Millions

For more than a decade, the Internet has allowed people to make substantial amounts of money on both a full-time and part-time basis. Today, with even more online opportunities available than ever before, you can achieve a level of financial success that most people only dream about-and in Affiliate Millions, author Anthony Borelli will show you how.

With the help of coauthor Greg Holden, Borelli will show you how to make thousands, and eventually tens of thousands, of dollars each month through the process of paid search marketing and affiliate advertising. Along the way, they'll also share the secrets to mastering this often-overlooked strategy and provide you with the tools and techniques needed to maximize your potential returns.

Since making one million dollars through paid search marketing and affiliate advertising in his first full year of operations, Anthony Borelli has never looked back. Now, he wants to help you do the same. Filled with in-depth insights and practical advice, Affiliate Millions will introduce you to this profitable endeavor and show you how to make it work for you.

Customer Reviews:

Basic tools for the online gold rush.......2007-09-06

My experience was similar to that of "gordo the lordo." Plenty of clicks but just a few orders. Getting clicks isn't hard. What kind of clicks? That's the $1,000,000 question.

As a search engine advertiser, your task is to capture the clicks of consumers who have made a buying decision or are very close. These clicks will make money for you. The clicks of people who are "just browsing" will cost you money. You have to be a student of online search behavior.

You capture money-making clicks by finding highly relevant keywords and writing focused ads. How hard can it be? Get your ads up and running, tweak them, and watch the money roll in. You only need basic English skills and common sense. A degree in advertising or English is not going to help.

I would encourage anyone to try it because you may discover that you have the knack. By spending $500 or so, you should be able to get an idea how well you might do. Don't make the mistake I made, which was to let my ads capture several hundred clicks without getting any orders. I kept thinking "the orders will kick in." They didn't. Stop your ads after 200-300 clicks and wait for results. You can either tweak the ad (if it's close to break-even) or abandon it and try something else.

You are playing the keyword market on Google. Some keywords sell for $20 per click and more. Search engine advertisers don't get caught up in keyword "bubbles." They are only after potent "value" keywords that sell for 25 cents or less.

The keyword market is like a gold rush. Everywhere you look the ground is torn up by hordes of stampeding prospectors. You wander far and wide hoping to find a stone that hasn't been turned. How many thousands of other guys are out there trying the same thing? Good luck.

You never know. You might have the knack. Affiliate Millions gives you everything you need to know to get started. When I joined my first affiliate program and set up my first ads, I had the book open and followed it not step-by-step but word-for-word. It's just the kind of "excruciating" detail a beginner needs.

Mr. Borelli explains how to evaluate the earnings potential of an affiliate program. The profit, or course, depends on your revenue per click. An adgroup for $20 books may not be the way to go.

Should you actually make money, there is a chapter on campaign finance. You have to manage your cash flow to optimize performance. If another book on online advertising has this kind of chapter, I haven't seen it.

Mr. Borelli has set up the Affiliate Millions website for "prospectors." The only item listed for sale is the book. There is a free monthly newsletter. There are no ads. Mr. Borelli answers questions on the site's discussion board. If you are at all familiar with the "get rich online" racket you know how exceptional this is. Such sites are usually crammed with ads and have little useful information.

Mr. Borelli's advice is a bit sketchy and vague. That's because it has to be. If Mr. Borelli were to disclose his winning formula, everyone would copy him and he would be out of business within hours. All he can do is point people in right direction. Within that proviso, he provides clear and valuable information.

Mr. Borelli makes no promises that prospectors will get rich. He merely suggests that it is possible. He ends the opening chapter with "Take it step-by-step and read the chapters that follow, and you'll stand a good chance of becoming an Affiliate Millionaire yourself." If he starts the book by saying your chances are practically nil, no one will continue reading.

Like "gordo," I'm amazed that anyone could make millions at this. It would take several phenomenally successful campaigns. You would have to come up with new ones all the time. Think of the millions in revenue Mr. Borelli is generating for the companies he advertises for. They should throw a party for him.

Didn't work for me.......2007-08-21

I tried the principles in this book. I set up some ads for a variety of products and different companies through Commission Junction and was, at first, delighted that I was getting a good amount of clicks. I was confident the ads were good enough because of some experience I've had in the past writing copy.

However, after over 250 clicks to major websites that boasted a large earnings per click, I got one sale and a large $ loss. The ads were good enough to catch the people's attention, but no one was buying.

I think this is a tough way to go at it. A website might be the better way to go. I am amazed that anyone could make any money doing this, never mind millions.

Direct and Immediately Useful.......2007-07-24

I was seeking a detailed, practical and thorough "how-to" approach to build internet-based revenue. This book filled the bill. It covered all key facets of the approach - particularly helpful for a layperson - as well as for someone with web-based experience (as am I). I have yet to test the specific recommendations. The book was solid.

Basic start but could leave you broke.........2007-07-12

Its true that money can be made by signing up for affiliate programs and marketing them on pay per click search engines. However, its possible to lose a great deal of money and this book doesn't do a good enough job helping people calculate the risks. For example, the author indicates he markets Amazon products. Amazon on its basic associate program pays 4%. A $20.00 book pays a comission of .80 cents. But in pay per click advertising a marketer can pay 30, 40 cents and even a dollar depending on the keywords. In a test marketing the new Harry Potter book (book 5) I spent over 9.00 in ppc ads that resulted in 4 sales. The click thru to sale was 13%... which isn't bad. The point is, I earned only about $2, but spent over $9.00 to earn it (a loss of $7.00). The author doesn't explain how to choose affiliate programs in terms of cost vs. payoff. Anyone who reads this book will get some basic information, but before spending money on ppc advertising they'd be better off buying The Ultimate Guide to Google Adwords which does a better job explaining keywords, writing effective ads and managing campaigns.

This is a great book.......2007-07-10

A great book about search marketing and how to become a search marketer, also very helpful for people who have their own websites. I was motivated enough to start my own website, [...].

Angel Financing for Entrepreneurs: Early-Stage Funding for Long-Term Success

Average customer rating:

Required Reference for all Angel Investors and Founder Entrepreneurs
Well worth the $30 I paid,
A great resource...
A lot and not

Angel Financing for Entrepreneurs: Early-Stage Funding for Long-Term Success
Susan L. Preston
Manufacturer: Jossey-Bass
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Raising Capital | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Angel Capital: How to Raise Early-Stage Private Equity Financing (Wiley Finance)

ASIN: 0787987506

Book Description

Angel Financing for Entrepreneurs will give you the information you need to understand how angel investors think, as well as how to identify investor expectations, understand the investment analysis process, and prepare for post-investment requirements. Written by Susan Preston, an experienced angel investor, worldwide speaker and consultant on angel financing, and former Kauffman Foundation Entrepreneur-in-Residence, this hands-on resource, explains the factors that determine how private equity investors spend their money and what they expect from entrepreneurs. For example:

Most venture capitalists do not invest in seed or start-up financing rounds
Investors typically require seasoned management, with successful start-up experience
Investors are looking for entrepreneurs with passion for their ideas and the willingness to take and apply sound advice
Business plans must be well-written with detailed financial projections that extend 3–5 years
Investors are looking for a clear path to profitability in the business model
Entrepreneurs must have developed a corporate structure that is clean and uncomplicated
And much more

Customer Reviews:

Required Reference for all Angel Investors and Founder Entrepreneurs.......2007-08-13

This book is full of useful information for both angel investors and entrepreneurs seeking funds for any start-up. There are anecdotes, facts and figures describing the industry and trends, a comprehensive list of resources, groups and sample agreements. There are checklists for use in everything from business planning to due diligence. If you are interested enough to be reading this review you should just get the book, you will be glad you did.

Well worth the $30 I paid,.......2007-07-23

And I'm only in the 3rd chapter. I'll agree I was disheartened when I realized at least half the book is an appendix and the first chapter is a bit repetitive, but....., the information that follows is well worth the $30 I paid. A little more work and $50 for the book would only raise an eyebrow or two. If you expect to get $1,000 worth of reference material or a bible for an industry insider, well...., forget it. If you're really on the fence considering it, buy it second-hand at $15, don't buy coffee for a month and I'll guarantee you'll be well ahead of the game. Is it for someone with previous experience in Angel Investing? No, go write your own book if you have that experience. Is it useful for the price and its' stated intent? No question. There's obvious experience being laid out in the book and that's worth thousands more than any price I've seen asked for the book.
Just my 2 cents, go to get back to that next chapter now...

A great resource..........2007-05-02

I just completed "Angel Financing for Entrepreneurs" and found it to be exceptionally informative. I manage an angel investment group, and this book conveys exactly the information I would like entrepreneurs to know before approaching our group for investment. The presentation of and explanatory comments regarding a preferred stock term sheet (a staple in our industry) were ecxellent, as were the discussions of determining your capital requirements and preparing for presentations with investors. It's a great balance of technical information with solid, down-to-earth advice on raising money. It should give readers a great advantage prior to launching what for some is the daunting process of raising capital for an early-stage company.

A lot and not.......2007-04-19

I purchased this book with great expectations. I wanted more information on structuring deals and term sheets. This book has 375 pages, but glossary and contact information take up almost half. Most of the information in this book is general - I can find most with a simple search on the internet. There are a few great hints and key points that angel investors would look at. It's a hard cover book, but the information that is useful could of been put in a small paperback at a much lower price. Good book for someone who knows nothing about angel investors, but lacks real substance for serious entrepreneurs.

Free Money for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs (Free Money for Small Business and Entrepreneurs)

Average customer rating:

Helpful for me!
Don't waste your Money on this
It explains ways to receive money if you own a small bus.

Free Money for Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs (Free Money for Small Business and Entrepreneurs)
Laurie Blum
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 047110387X

Book Description

Recommended by the L.A. Times, Nation's Business, Women's Enterprise, D & B Reports, Small Business Opportunities, and Income Opportunities "Blum's book offers valuable tips and navigates fund-seekers through the foundation application and proposal process." —Entrepreneur Laurie Blum knows her way around free money. Her books and fund-raising company have helped thousands of small businesses and entrepreneurs raise sweet capital at little or no cost to themselves. Now, with this Fourth Edition of her bestselling guide, she helps you make the most of the recovering economy by finding the money you need to expand your business, launch a new venture, or buy that new equipment you've been waiting for. Nearly one-third of the entries are new with this edition, and all other listings are completely updated. Inside, you'll find:

More than 700 listings of private foundations, government agencies, and sources that provide free or low-cost capital to small businesses and entrepreneurs.
Step-by-step instructions on where and how to apply for a grant and how to write a winning proposal
A user-friendly format that lists sources by both state and type of business
Complete information on virtually every type of money award available, including: outright grants (money you don't have to give back), equity investments, letters of credit, and direct low-interest loans, often with extended time periods for repayment
Fully updated listings that include contact names, application requirements and procedures, disbursement policies, amounts available, addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers

Customer Reviews:

Helpful for me!.......2002-06-01

This book lists sources of funding or assistance for both profit and non-profit organizations. Naturally, most of these funds are allocated to community development, social issues, conservation and economic development. Each listing includes relevant information such as the contact person, address and phone number, proposal deadlines, information on amounts previously given, and the required qualifications for receiving the funds. Resources can be in the form of cash awards, endowments, continuing support, grants, loans, matching funds, consulting services or technical assistance for operating budgets, seed money, emergency funds, building, equipment, research or special projects, for example. Most sources are restricted to certain geographical regions and these are categorized in the book under its respective state. However, there are some programs which fund national and international projects and these are categorized by topic, such as: agriculture, finance, health, conservation and real estate.

Don't waste your Money on this.......2001-04-21

I did not find this book helpful at all. I guess I should have known better, but I thought maybe it would have one piece of useful information. It didn't.

It explains ways to receive money if you own a small bus........1999-05-20

This book is a great refrence for the many small business owners who are looking to expand on their great businesses. This is a great book in a overall perpective. I belive that this book will help a lot of business people out. I will gladly thank you for making this book for small business people like my self.

What No One Ever Tells You About Financing Your Own Business: Real-Life Financing Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (What No One Ever Tells You About...)

Average customer rating:

This book provides real-life examples of how startups get started and find the money needed to get started.
Decent Advice, But Perhaps Not the Advice You Need
Excellent, and 101 means 101
Ms. Norman Knows What She is Talking About

What No One Ever Tells You About Financing Your Own Business: Real-Life Financing Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (What No One Ever Tells You About...)
Jan Norman
Manufacturer: Kaplan Business
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Raising Capital | Small Business & Entrepreneurship | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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How to Get the Financing for Your New Small Business: Innovative Solutions from the Experts Who Do It Every Day
Financing Your Small Business: From SBA Loans and Credit Cards to Common Stock and Partnership Interests
What No One Ever Tells You about Starting Your Own Business: Real-Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business)
Finding Money: The Small Business Guide to Financing (Small Business Series)
Financing Your Business Dreams With Other People's Money: How and Where to Find Money for Start-Up and Growing Businesses

ASIN: 1419502778
Release Date: 2005-07-01

Book Description

Owning a business has become almost as much a part of the American dream as owning a home, and it’s not uncommon for people to trade a safe, routine job for the uncertainty of being one’s own boss. It not only takes hard work, persistence, and sacrifice – it takes business capital.

In What No One Ever Tells You About Financing Your Business, Jan Norman not only explores multiple means for owners and entrepreneurs to acquire business capital, but also covers the ""universal tool"" - writing the business plan. Norman includes insights from 101 successful entrepreneurs on obtaining financing, sharing with readers their experiences, techniques, and advice gained in the trenches.

From these recaps, both owners and entrepreneurs will learn:

• Borrowing options and alternatives beyond using savings or help from family and friends

• Creative ways to keep the business capital flow on-going past start-up stages and the need to use the right financial tools for monitoring

• How to build effective business relationships, vital in obtaining capital because ""people do business with people they know and trust""

• Practices that even the most successful business owners use ""to stay ahead of the money search""

Customer Reviews:

This book provides real-life examples of how startups get started and find the money needed to get started........2007-07-18

This was a wonderful book. It covers the basics as far as the options one has when planning to start a small business. Do you draw from your savings? Do you tap on family and friends? Do you mortgage your home? Or do you visit a bank and beg for some money?

The simple truth of the matter is that there are no free lunches in this world. Starting a business is very similar to buying a car or a house. You can pay for it with cash savings. Or you can put up collateral and borrow the money you need to pay for it. SBA doesn't make bank loans - they guarantee some of them. So don't think the SBA is going to do much for you when it comes time to start your small business.

This book covers financing the startup and financing the proven venture. And it does it very well. I loved the part about how business plans will explain how much capital (money) your business needs AND CAN REPAY. This is why banks and other lenders or investors will want to see the business plan you put together for your business venture.

I also thought it was good that the author pointed out that lenders and investors rely somewhat heavily on your leadership ability when determining if your company is likely to succeed. Said another way, they will rate you as a leader when evaluating whether your business plan is good. Good plans get money. Poor ones don't.

Take a look at the Table of Contents for this book. You'll see that the book covers all the bases when it comes to financing your own business. Well done. 5 stars!

Decent Advice, But Perhaps Not the Advice You Need.......2006-08-03

The author deserves credit for interviewing all these entrepreneurs and conveying their stories and lessons learned in a clear style. Nonetheless, I found little of value here. I'm not sure exactly why. In part it's because I had heard most of it before. But in a more fundamental way the notion of relying on the advice of successful practitioners carries with it a positive bias that proves less than helpful to struggling entrepreneurs. Her former venture capitalist who founds a financial services company, for instance, has a huge advantage in financial expertise and contacts over most of us. So it's not surprising that his new venture succeeds in raising money.

What many entrepreneurs need, in contrast, is advice on how to overcome their very difficult circumstances, including personal shortcomings and destitution. So actually lessons learned from accounts of semi-competent entrepreneurs' failures to obtain financing could prove more realistic and valuable. Most of us are semi-competent at best! And of course entrepreneurs starting up innovative tech product ventures face an altogether more challenging and even forbidding set of obstacles to raising money than those launching a new flower shop or bookkeeping service. The simpler a challenge your business represents, the more helpful this book manages to be.

Excellent, and 101 means 101.......2005-09-30

I can attest to the fact that author Jan Norman interviewed each of 101 different individuals quoted in this book in the course of researching and writing it.

Indeed, she talked to many more than that, just as she had for her other books in the series: "What No One Ever Tells You About Starting Your Own Business," "What No One Ever Tells You About Marketing Your Own Business" and the next one in the series which will be out in early 2006, "What No One Ever Tells You About Franchising."

The interviews were detailed, often grueling work and always time-consuming, but invaluable for readers. Each of the 101 persons interviewed for each of Jan's books has a unique story to tell, and her books have shared those stories with countless others.

This series of books published by Upstart, a division of Dearborn Publishing, finds its greatest value in the very diversity of the experiences represented by the 101 individuals in each book. For the reader, it is an opportunity not to read some self-anointed "expert" author's solitary opinion, but instead read the real-life experiences of 101 people who have been there and done that.

Each book is a compilation of 101 mistakes and/or successes that others learned from, and that readers can learn from vicariously, then apply to their own entrepreneurial efforts.

Ms. Norman Knows What She is Talking About.......2005-09-04

I don't know if the author really talked to 101 successful entrepreneurs or not. I suspect not. Instead, this book might better be sub-titled 101 tips on financing a business.

There are people who simply have to run their own business. It's a lot easier to work for someone else, just show up on time, work reasonably hard, go home a little bit later than most prople and so on. Some of us have a very hard time doing that.

I've started several businesses over the years. Each one has been more successful than the one before. Experience has taught me several things. And I'm going to use that experience to comment on some of her 101 tips.

Tip #1 - Do a business plan. There are several software programs that are almost fill in the blank. Get one and fill in the blanks. Even if you never show this plan to anyone else, it will force you to think through your whole business.

Tip #7 - Start on a Shoestring. It is much easier to get money to expand a business than it is to get money to start from scratch.

Re a bunch of Tips on borrowing money - Don't. It has to be paid back. Unless you are very, very certain that you can pay it back in a very short time - DON'T!

Tip 46-48 - Yes, yes, a hundred times YES!. Live cheaply. Don't buy the big car, big house, whatever.

Tips 77-80 - Government Programs. Forget them, they aren't worth the time they take.

Tips on venture capital and going public. This is a basic business decision. Do you want to run a small business or create a public company that you can get out of?

This lady understands what she is writing about. But keep in mind that you are talking about your business, your ideas, your future. Read a book on business.
Get a business started.
Read a book on business.
If it works great. If it doesn't, get a job for a while, start another one in your part time using what you learned from the failure of the first one.
Read a book on business.
Switch to running your business full time.
Read a book on business.
Repeat as necessary.

Entrepreneur Magazine Guide to Raising Money : Guide to Raising Money (Entrepreneur Magazine Series (Paper))

Average customer rating:

Entrepreneur Magazine Guide to Raising Money : Guide to Raising Money (Entrepreneur Magazine Series (Paper))
Entrepreneur Magazine
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0471179957

Amazon.com

Whether it's for startup purposes, general maintenance, or a major expansion, capital and the access to it are critical for every type of business. Marshaling the resources of one of the top periodicals for growing firms, the Entrepreneur Magazine Guide to Raising Money offers an abundance of relevant information on everything from creating a business plan to seeking funds via the Net or a public offering. Also included is a roster of additional resources and potential sources, as well as a look at "bootstrap financing" and the proper use of credit.

Book Description

The "small business authority" shows new and would-be entrepreneurs how to find money to grow their businesses. The book describes the pros and cons of a wide variety of funding sources, including banks, SBA offices, venture capitalists, online sources, and even some quirky nontraditional sources of capital.

Mandate Of Heaven: In China, A New Generation Of Entrepreneurs, Dissidents, Bohemians And Technocra

Average customer rating:

Examining a Vivid Popular History of Post-Tiananmen China
Schell shows the marriage of Chinese Politics and Economy
Schell delivers...
I learned more about China from this book than anywhere else

Mandate Of Heaven: In China, A New Generation Of Entrepreneurs, Dissidents, Bohemians And Technocra
Orville Schell , and Jim Jorgensen
Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0684804476

Book Description

The China of the 1990s is a country of profound contradictions: Maoist ideology coexists with an entrepreneurial spirit that has made China one of the world's economic powerhouses; a rebellious, irreverent popular culture thrives in the shadow of a totalitarian political system; a nihilistic subculture coexists alongside ancient traditions of obedience, conformity, and respect for tradition.

In Mandate of Heaven Orville Schell, one of America's foremost China specialists, interprets these conflicting developments and brilliantly documents the new power structures, economic initiatives, and cultural changes that have transformed China since the Tiananmen Square demonstrations of 1989. Schell takes readers on a series of journeys inside this latter-day People's Republic and introduces us to a broad spectrum of people, from students and workers to entrepreneurs, pop stars, and party officials, who, although they acted out the drama of the Square, are now playing the prominent roles in China's high-speed economic rush into the future.

As China's role on the world stage grows, it becomes increasingly important that the West acquaint itself with the people who will be leading it into the twenty-first century. Mandate of Heaven is the authoritative and definitive account of this generation as it moves into a capitalist economic future while still clinging to the structures of its communist past.

Customer Reviews:

Examining a Vivid Popular History of Post-Tiananmen China.......2001-01-13

Schell's understanding of modern China is tremendous. This text is indispensible to anyone seeking insight into where China is headed in the coming decades. It is, however, written in a journalistic style. Therefore, those seeking an academic, scholarly examination of the Tiananmen Square Massacre and the socio-political impact that followed will not find it here. Schell is extensive in his examination of events, one might even say exhaustive. He masterfully paints an image of the modern movements in China and it is for this reason that Mandate of Heaven is a valuable work.

As a passionate student of History at Indiana University, I had hoped to find, as indicated above, an academic work studying modern China. Schell's perspective is essential to such an understanding, but Mandate of Heaven does not take a scholarly approach. The book was nonetheless an entertaining read.

Schell shows the marriage of Chinese Politics and Economy.......2000-12-30

Schell has chosen an unusual way to describe the modern China's economy and what has shaped it over the years. He spends almost half the book describing the events and the modern day significance of Tiananmen Square (a very accurate picture). He then moves on to describe Deng Xiapong's role in the Beijing Massacre and as the maker of the modern Chinese economy. Schell has chosen a unique way to look at the events and very successfully weaved the Tiananmen Square's events with the China today. He choses interesting examples to illustrate just how deeply some aspects of the western world grips China. He talks of the ironical Mao-mania where one could find almost anything with pictures of Mao selling in China. His account of the key people in China then and now gave me a clear picture of what really went on in the lives of the people. This is one of those books where I could picture the events in my mind, and came out feeling extremely satisfied with the read. A must read for anyone who wants to understand the Chinese Politics and Chinese Economy, and how they are invaluabe in understanding each other.

Schell delivers..........1999-08-07

Schell is a sensitive observer of events. Schell is putting his undergraduate training in Chinese to good use. I am the process of comparing works by Bernstein, Butterfield, Fraser, and Schell, and I have been impressed with Schell's works so far. Mandate is fairly meaty, full of first-hand observations and post-op reflections. Overall, a very good job

I learned more about China from this book than anywhere else.......1998-09-01

Every so often you read a book that really makes you think. A book that you really learn something from. Mandate of Heaven is such a book. If you really want to learn about modern post-Mao China, read this book. It's easy to read, enjoyable, and yet you learn so much. This is truely the best book out there on China.

Venture Capital Handbook: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Raising Venture Capital Revised

Average customer rating:

VC Basics
Insightful!
Not Impressed
Grammar Errors and Gross Generalizations

Venture Capital Handbook: An Entrepreneur's Guide to Raising Venture Capital Revised
David Gladstone , and Laura Gladstone
Manufacturer: FT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Venture Capital: The Definitive Guide for Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Practitioners
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ASIN: 0130654930

Book Description

In Venture Capital Handbook: Revised and Updated Edition, leading venture capitalist David Gladstone and Laura Gladstone walk you step-by-step through the entire VC funding process, showing exactly how to get funded fast -- without the trauma. This end-to-end update of the classic VC guide covers the latest techniques, tax rules -- and, above all, marketplace realities.

Customer Reviews:

VC Basics.......2004-07-13

Much updated from previous editions, David Gladstone's useful text provides a very cursory survey of deal and investment techniques, albeit for slightly later than "sexy" stage deals. However, as this book is designed for the novice, and as Lipper's text has fallen out of print, this sadly remains the only general text on VC investing for the inexperienced, and is useful in context of the level which it is designed to educate. While the many checklists may be somewhat annoying to seasoned VCs, they are probably indispensable to the novice investor, since they provide a summary framework when working through deal and business terms. And while the book is designed more for later stage (through certainly not LATE stage, as some have alluded to) deals, the book is, again, designed to educate the novice venture investor, who really shouldn't be doing high tech start-ups anyway. Irrespective of that, anyone who presumes to write a text on investing in high tech start ups would likely find his text applicable only for the next few months after printing. Ours is an industry that evolves very quickly, and changes rapidly in accordance to the latest trends. No one can teach you how to pick the winners in the trend that hasn't happened yet. Getting the basics from a text like Gladstone's, however, can give you the fundamentals on which to build that "knack".

Insightful!.......2004-03-09

This book is a thorough, practical guide to the nitty-gritty of venture capital investing. This comprehensive, well-organized instruction manual summarizes the homework you should do before you make a venture capital investment, the paperwork needed to carry out the investment and the ongoing work you will have to undertake to have a prayer of seeing your investment pay off. If it is a little plodding, you can understand why. It covers a lot of ground. The authors compare venture capital investing to a partnership at one point, to a marriage at another. They don't attempt to sell you on venture investing. In fact, by telling you how difficult and labor intensive it is, they may even drive you away. We believe this book definitely belongs in the library of anyone who has ever taken a serious interest in venture investing. It will also help entrepreneurs who need venture capital financing by showing them how to evaluate their companies according to the criteria that serious investors are apt to use.

Not Impressed.......2002-11-30

I was required to use this book for a course on VC in my MBA program, and I found overly wordy and not very precise in its advice.

It is less of a handbook and more of a treatise. If you are looking for a direct and clear scoop on raising venture capital, this isn't the book for you. If you have been trying for some time and want to get a deep peek into the minds of the VC's out there, this could work if you had the time to wade through it.

Grammar Errors and Gross Generalizations.......2001-12-26

This book is an unfortunate product of poor editing, lackluster writing, and inexcusable slip-ups. Although I am not knowledgeable about Venture Capital, I assume most of its readers approach the book with similar backgrounds: a keen knowledge of English. Finding three errors in the first three pages left me questioning the value of the actual content.

Although the book may contain some valid points about venture capital, it is in no way a "good book" and I would strongly recommend readers look elsewhere for their beginnings in seeking venture capital. (And I recommend the editors learn the difference between "then" and "than"!)

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