Hunt It Down Expert advice on tracking down money to start or grow your business
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
Looking for funds in all the wrong places? That's commonamong BIZ Experiencess, says Miles Spencer, who raised venture capitalfor small businesses for more than 10 years. When seekingfinancing, Spencer advises, "Focus on the appropriatepersonality of money for the deal." For example, there areonly 1,200 venture deals done each year and 100,000-plus dealslooking for funds. "VCs look for an opportunity to realize $50million to $100 million in enterprise value in five years," henotes. "Most like to employ $1 million to $5 million ofcapital. If you can't hit those hurdles, don't spend toomuch time barking up that tree." Similarly, don't wastetime applying for bank loans if your business doesn't have therequisite financial history and collateral; banks are not intotaking risks.
In Moneyhunt: 27 New Rules for Creating and Growing aBreakaway Business (HarperBusiness, $25, www.moneyhunter.com), Spencer andCliff Ennico, co-hosts of the PBS series of the same name, includeadvice on everything from launching to selling a business. By nomeans a motivational vehicle, Moneyhunt instead takes a lookat the rigors faced by every start-up and offers sound advice fordealing with them.
Spencer, 34, founded his own business, Cove Associates, inNorwalk, Connecticut; Ennico, 38, author of seven books, is anationally-recognized attorney specializing in small business.Their fast-paced book delivers strategies for finding capital andcreating the legal and financial protection essential to well-run,profitable businesses.
Case in point: Rule 23, "Always Read Before You Sign,"tells of an BIZ Experiences expecting first-round financing from aninvestor who kept trying to change the agreement. "Theyfinally had the deal ironed out," Spencer relates, "andthe business owner was about to launch, when the investor called tosay he was faxing the documents with a slight change. He told herto sign and return the agreement. He neglected to say that theslight change-an addition of a few words-altered the entire deal.Most BIZ Experiencess get so excited by the prospect of money thatthey skim over the documents or make last-minute concessions to getthe deal finished. It's a tragic mistake." Don't beled on a wild goose chase in your money hunt. Do your homework andkeep a clear head.
Paul DeCeglie (MrWritePDC@aol.com) is a formerstaff reporter for Journal of Commerce and AmericanBanker.
