Venture Capital For Dummies

Secure venture capital? Easy. Getting a business up and running or pushing a brilliant product to the marketplace requires capital. For many entrepreneurs, a lack of start-up capital can be the single biggest roadblock to their dreams of success and fortune. If you're an entrepreneur looking for hands-on guidance on how to secure capital for your business, Venture Capital For Dummies takes you step by step through the process and gives you the edge you need to succeed. Nothing ventured, nothing gained — get up to speed on venture capital basics, find out if working with a VC is right for you, and understand alternatives to VCs Mirror, mirror on the wall — find ways to become attractive to venture capitalists, position your company (not the product), cultivate relationships, and provide an exit strategy It's a deal — grasp the ins and outs of structuring pre-VC deals, leading the risk conversion, telling your valuation story, and negotiating your terms Pitch it — discover how to pitch to investors, from planning the pitch to making the presentation — and everything in between Open the book and find: How a venture capital fund works What venture capitalists look for Ways to get into the venture capitalist mindset Advice on creating an online persona for your company Tips for making contact with investors The importance of cultivating relationships How to position your company to appeal to investors Ten ways to lose the deal (and how to avoid them) Learn to: Find and secure venture capital for your business Gain traction to prove your company's potential to VCs Target and achieve key milestones for early-stage businesses

Introduction  1 Part I: Getting Started with Venture Capital  5 Chapter 1: Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained: Venture Capital Basics 7 Chapter 2: The Venture Capitalist Mindset 17 Chapter 3: Is Working with a VC Right for You? 33 Chapter 4: Alternatives to Venture Capital Funding 45 Chapter 5: Connecting with Investors Online and Face to Face 65 Part II: Becoming Attractive to Venture Capitalists  85 Chapter 6: Positioning Your Company for Funding 87 Chapter 7: Cultivating Relationships 111 Chapter 8: Providing an Exit Strategy 131 Part III: Getting Your Ducks in a Row: Deal Design and Due Diligence  149 Chapter 9: Structuring Pre–VC Deals 151 Chapter 10: Leading the Risk Conversation 173 Chapter 11: Telling Your Valuation Story 195 Chapter 12: Negotiating Your Terms 211 Part IV: Pitching to Investors  235 Chapter 13: Due Diligence: Preparation and Fundamentals 237 Chapter 14: Planning Your Pitch 261 Chapter 15: Visualizing the Deal: Creating Your Pitch Deck 275 Chapter 16: Show Time! Making Your Presentation 299 Chapter 17: If at First You Don’t Succeed — and Even If You Do — Try, Try Again 309 Part V: The Part of Tens  321 Chapter 18: Ten Ways to Lose a Deal 323 Chapter 19: Ten Places and People That Can Lead You to a VC 327 Index  331

Nicole Gravagna, PhD, Director of Operations, and Peter K. Adams, MBA, Executive Director for the Rockies Venture Club connect entrepreneurs with angel investors, venture capitalists, service professionals, and other business and funding resources.