Course: Finance and Funding
Description
This section covers financial startup information for newer entrepreneurs and includes topics such as acquiring capital through borrowing, crowdfunding and varying forms of early-stage capital approaches.
Lessons
Raising Capital 101
- What brought you into the beverage space?
- What’s one thing you wish you knew before going into the beverage industry?
- What are some options for product distribution that exist outside typical large beverage or food distributors?
- What’s one thing you wish you knew before launching your product?
- How did you secure the initial investment in your company?
- Should I consider friends and family during investment rounds?
- When is the right time to seek outside capital or investment?
- What do investors look for in an entrepreneurial brand?
- How important is profitability and sustainable growth to acquiring new investors?
- What drives the valuation for a startup brand?
- When is the right time to seek outside capital or investment?
- What’s some advice you would give brands thinking of taking on investment opportunities?
- How much money is needed when starting a new brand?
- Where can I look to find potential investors for my product or brand?
- Do the rules change when it comes to investors after initial launch and success of a product?
- What are some of the advantages to working with investors who already have a track record within the beverage or food industry?
- How long can a potential investment deal take?
- Are food and beverage industry investors typically high or low risk investors?
- What are some legal aspects to investors that a typical startup entrepreneur might not be aware of?
- What is a Consumer Packaged Good?
- From an investor’s perspective, what are the key components of a business plan?
- What do you tend to see lacking in many startup business plans?
- I’ve developed a great product, but I need help with the planning and financial end of things. What are my options?
- Should I hire someone to develop my business plan or do it myself?
- What things can I do to make my business plan attractive to potential investors?
- Should I be conservative or aggressive in how I present the opportunity for my company?
- Can you define a conservative or aggressive company outlook?
- For what time period should my initial business plan cover?
- Should I even talk about an exit strategy in my business plan when I’m pre-revenue?
- How do I determine when to raise money? Or should I continue going it alone?
- What is an angel investor?
- Where do I find angel investors?
- What are the methods of raising capital when getting started?
- Is it better to have a large group of investors who are each contributing a small amount of money or a small group who are each contributing larger sums?
- When I first raise money, how much equity should I be willing to part with?
- Is it a good idea to give up ownership of my company for startup capital?
- What alternative financing strategies exist for startup beverage companies?
- How do you manage investor expectations?
Small Business Administration: Funding
- What are some of the loan programs the SBA offers and do you offer assistance with the application process?
- Can you talk to me about some grants (government, non-profit) available to small businesses and the regulations associated with them?
Crowdfunding
- What is Crowdfunding?
- What is the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (JOBS Act of 2012)?
- What are some different ways to crowdfund?
- Does my product need to exist at the time of fundraising?
- Does my product or service need to exist at the time of fundraising?
- Are certain crowdfunding sites better for different types of businesses?
- Do I have to be specific about what the money raised will be used for?
- Do crowdfunding sites offer any other benefits other than hosting my fundraising efforts?
- Do crowdfunding websites or investors gain equity in my company if we reach our financial goal?
- When raising capital through a crowdfunding platform is there an expense?
- Does the crowdfunding site set up my initial offering, website or portal?
- Is there a chance for face to face interaction with Crowdfunding platforms?
- Do I need an identity for my brand or product for my fundraising efforts?
- Do investors have to pay a fee to back my investment goal?
- How long can the fundraising process take?
- Will I still be able to access some of the capital if I fail to meet my full target fundraising goal?
- How can I get potential investors see my product or company fundraising efforts?
- Where will my backers or investors come from? Are there consistent users on a crowdfunding site or will my marketing efforts drive investors to my campaign?
- What is important to investors?
- Can I place limitations on how much an investor can contribute?
- How will I manage my new investors post raise?
- I believe I have a unique offering and want to keep the idea out of the public eye until funding has completed. Can I limit access to my investment-product offering?
- Will investors be able to see other investors who have contributed to my goals?
- If I have angel investors or friends & family that are interested in funding my new business, should I direct them to my crowdfunding efforts or take separate investments?
- What happened if I have to close my business or cease operations after I’ve completed my raise?
- What if my chosen crowdfunding website closes after I’ve completed my raise?
- Should I seek legal counsel when crowdfunding?
- What is Kickstarter?
- Can you briefly walk me through the steps of what you had to do to get your product Kickstarted?
- How much does it cost to put your product up?
- What’s the timeframe for Kickstarter to get your product funded? What happens if it’s not successful? Could you put up the product again?
- What has your experience with Kickstarter been so far? Do they have resources to assist you in the process?
- Are there any techniques you know that can help promote a Kickstarting product?
- How is The Holistic Kickstarter doing?
- How are you able to offer a private tour of Necker Island as a backer prize on Kickstarter?