Financing Your Small Business

Introduction ix Choosing the Form of Your Business 1(24) Sole Proprietorship Partnership Corporation Limited Liability Company Nonprofit Entities Joint Ventures and Corporate Partnerships Registered Agents Choosing the State in which to Form Your Business Qualifications for Starting a Business Business Strategy, Planning, and Feasibility Analysis 25(24) Strategy Developing Strategy Business Plan Feasibility Analysis Structuring Your Business Plan Consultants vs. Do-It-Yourself What the Experts Say Summary Equity Financing 49(22) Ownership Corporation Equity Warrants Limited Liability Company and Limited Partnership Equity Raising Capital in Stages Debt Financing 71(12) Bank Loans Small Business Administration (SBA) Credit Cards Home Equity Lines Retirement Funds Life Insurance Borrowing Financial Brokers Reverse Mergers Factoring Revenue Participation/Royalty Financing Merchant Banking SBIC Financing Private Debt Combining Equity and Debt Financing Securities Law 83(34) Understanding Securities Laws Brief History of Securities Laws The Rise of Rule 506 of Regulation D Disclosure Requirements The Sale of Securities and the Issuer Exemption Integration of Offerings State Securities (Blue Sky) Laws Notice Filings of Securities Rule 504 and 505 Offerings Regulation A Offerings Follow-up and Closing an Offering Licensing and Franchising 117(6) Licensing Franchising Business Opportunities Friends, Angels, and Venture Capital Sources 123(12) Friends and Family Angels Venture Capital What They Look For Valuation Angel Networks and Entrepreneurial Forums Presentations and the Language of Capital 135(8) Content The Presenter Learning to Close and When Declining Money Corporate Governance 143(24) Registered Agents Initial Reports Annual Reports Money and Accounting Signing Documents Bank Accounts Corporate Governance for Corporations Corporate Records Corporate Governance for Limited Liability Companies How to Choose Professionals 167(6) Attorneys and Accountants Other Consultants Sequence Conclusion 173(2) Endnotes 175(2) For Further Reference 177(12) Glossary 189(8) Appendix A: Business Plan 197(24) Appendix B: Corporation Formation Documents 221(22) Appendix C: Limited Liability Company Formation Documents 243(40) Index 283