How to Approach this Book
This book was written with a certain audience in mind—small businesses. The difficulty in maintaining the scope is the fact that some small businesses become bigger businesses with larger and more complex financing needs. If you are a small, family-owned business or want to sell your grandmother's china on eBay, it is unlikely you will need to seek venture capital funding or raise capital through a private sale of your company's stock.
The information in this book gives you the ability to finance your business at the earliest level and then move into larger funding strategies if you desire. In that sense, it serves as a reference work that you may return to when the capital needs of your business go to the next level. For example, you might start your business by using your credit card and a loan from your family. At that point, you may not need a business plan. As you ramp up the business to enter a larger market, then you may need to prepare a business plan for either raising money from private sources or to obtain a commercial loan.
If you find your business has a product or service that can address a national market in a unique manner, you may wish to pursue large angel or venture capital funding. In that instance, you need to acquaint yourself with the nuances of a superior business plan aimed at addressing a specific funding audience. You also need to acquire the skills to make a compelling investor presentation.
Use this book as a starting point, from a how-to perspective, for various stages of your business financing experience. An extensive reference list of additional works and websites that elaborate on some of the topics started in this book is provided. Most entrepreneurs find they never stop raising capital in their businesses. This book attempts to provide you with a variety of starting blocks from which you can commence your journey.
Even though we are attorneys by profession, the information and the forms contained in this book are provided for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Each business has its own unique facts and circumstances, so it is always advisable to consult competent professionals for your particular situation.
