Someone to Watch Over Me
The "RegFair" law acts as a helpline for small businesses dealing with the federal government. Read more
Financing a Small Business
Recent Financing a Small Business Articles
Financing: Where to Find It
The hunt for financing is on. Only a year ago, venture capitalists seemed willing to throw money at just about any dot-com business plan. But funding toda... Read more
Once your business plan is done, how do you get investors to read it?
Writing a Business Plan mentor Rhonda Abrams responds: The best way is to find an intermediary -- a person whose name and/or influen... Read more
Should I ask venture capitalists for more money than I need to create a cushion?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds: When raising venture funding, start-ups should generally aim to raise enough money t... Read more
Guy Kawasaki on Angel Investors
Guy Kawasaki discusses when and how an entrepreneur should seek out an angel investor. Read more
Can I raise funds even though I don't have a management team?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds to this question from an inc.com user: I have spent a lot of time researching and... Read more
Can I Afford My Next Acquisition?
Advice for a cash-strapped entrepreneur who needs money to complete an acquisition Read more
How do I raise venture money with no previous experience?
Internet in Business mentor Jakob Nielsen responds to the following question from an inc.com user: I have no experience raising... Read more
Five Reasons to Incorporate Your Nonprofit Association
Americans are famous for volunteering for good causes and for banding together to get things done,whether the goal is wildlife rescue or low-income housin... Read more
The Right Debt Mix
The question of whether debt increases or decreases a company's value has no one-size-fits-all answer, but here are some guidelines as you think about your o... Read more
How do I prevent venture capitalists from stealing my idea?
Internet in Business mentor Bradley Feld answers the following question from an inc.com user: I'm shopping my business idea to a... Read more
Save Money on Energy Costs
The deregulation of the energy industry is a hot new market for some start-ups, as Emily Barker reveals in the Read more
Start-up Springboards
No cash? No customers? Don't let that stand in your way. These Inc. 500 companies sure didn't. Read more
What do investors consider an ideal team of founders?
Writing a Business Plan mentor Rhonda Abrams responds: If you want to build a business with real growth potential, you can't do it a... Read more
How should I select and compensate a board of directors for my high-growth start-up?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds: Board members can help enhance the expertise, experience, and network of the manager... Read more
The VC in My Dorm Room
Business school students have gone beyond starting their own companies. Now they're funding one another's ventures. Read more
How do I value my Internet start-up?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds: Valuation of young companies -- especially Internet start-ups -- can be tricky. In f... Read more
How can I be sure that a venture capital firm will be a good fit with my company and our goals?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds: Before working with any investor or venture capital firm, you should research the f... Read more
Before presenting an issue to my board or directors, where can I turn for management advice?
Law & Taxation mentor Chip Morse responds: Consider creating an advisory board. Think of an advisory board as an informal board, one... Read more
Must you show that you are different from a competitor to raise venture capital?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds to the following question from an inc.com user: When approaching venture capital... Read more
How I Got VC Money: Ed Jaeger
How a company that manufactures protective gloves raised venture capital Read more
When Should You Commence Social Security Benefits?
Assuming you've worked a sufficient amount of time and paid into the Social Security system (through FICA withholding on your wages or taxes on your net e... Read more
Got Money?
SolarAttic Inc.'s efforts to find conventional funding haven't paid off. So the company has become a pioneer, joining the first wave of company builders to s... Read more
How I Got VC Money: Greg Hinote
How a company that consults with schools on real estate raised venture capital. Read more
How I Got VC Money: Brian Brittsan
How a company that handles water conservation for buildings raised venture capital Read more
How important is it for a business plan to identify " barriers to entry" ?
Internet in Business mentor Bradley Feld answers the following question from an inc.com visitor: When putting together a busines... Read more
Online Venture Capital Resources
Here we've assembled links to a number of Web sites where entrepreneurs can search for investors, track investments by leading firms across the country, o... Read more
How important will my management team be to venture capitalists?
Finance & Capital mentor Guy Kawasaki responds: The strength of your start-up's management team is absolutely critical to your succe... Read more
The Classic Bootstrapper
A candle maker's frugal ways recall the bootstrapping techniques of yesteryear Don't look to Paul Aldrich for clues on how to boot... Read more
Beware the Venture Catalyst
Heard about venture catalysts? These newfangled matchmakers may have great connections to angel investors and venture capitalists, but they may also be br... Read more
How do I structure a work-for-equity deal?
Law & Taxation mentor Chip Morse responds to the following question from an inc.com user: I have finally found the perfect "ange... Read more
Can you grow a small, bootstrapped company into a success without lying?
Ethics in Business mentor Jeffrey Seglin responds to the following question from an inc.com visitor: Can you grow a small, boots... Read more
Making Connections
Inc. magazine's editor-in-chief discusses how growth businesses are transforming the urban landscape; the hubris of the new Internet incubators; and... Read more
Harnessing Student Power
With only $125 and unpaid help from college students, Ron Vos was able to grow his youth-oriented marketing service into a $1 million venture. Read more
Rambling for Gems
Here's how one woman turned an impromptu vacation into a thriving jewelry design and manufacturing business. Read more
