I am going through this process and am a fair way down the track. You need
to engage someone or an organisation with good rep. A business or individual
who has existing contacts who have money ready to go. I know this sounds
like common sense, though I also understand how necessity gets in the way of
thinking with the left part of the brain/cost etc.
If going down the IM route, be careful how you structure costing etc. If you
are signing someone and reducing cost of production through offering equity,
make sure you put specific performance dates and criteria in your agreement.
Let me tell you, you will know if someone is good or not in the first 3-4
weeks. If you have doubts in that time, it is usually not going to get
better.
Like sales/marketing, it's about profiling. Who is going to be most
interested in your proposition and why? Experience, Portfolio, Capital
amount, Dumb Investor, Sophisticated Investor?
I have someone who I can recommend whom is very experienced and has good
contacts. He is quality.
If anyone wants an intro, let me know. Please provide brief outline of
business.
Hope this helps in some way.
On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Matthieu Stone <matthieu.st...@gmail.com>wrote:
> I'm working for some entrepreneurs who are looking for independent capital
> raising advice.
> We have two differing options from experienced parties - one a Retail
> raising & the other a Memorandum of Offer.
> It would be great if we could meet up with some experienced in the
> Australian capital raising market and discuss the pro's & con's of each
> offer type.
> Can anyone provide a recommendation or is available for such?
My first bit of advice is dont do it. If you havent raised money
before or someone who is part of your company (ie has skin in the
game) then it will be long and painful process. If you have revenues
it makes it easier. Dont even think about if you dont have a product
yet.
First ask yourself what you really need, what are you raising the
money for? Then try and think of creative ways to partner. Bring the
skills in house and offer them equity or deferred fees or whatever.
There is always a way. Bring in an adviser who knows your business and
has raised money and give them a % of your business.
Its very rare that someone else will be able to raise the money for
you.YOU need to network yourself around because nobody sells the
passion like you and thats what the investors want to see YOU need to
understand your business, the market, the problem, the go to market
strategy etc etc. Look at companies in your space and find out who
invested in them, try and get an introduction, look at people who have
made money in your industry and approach them. go to networking
nights, go where rich folks hang out, marry a rich girl or guy ;-)
Capital raising is a shit job, but paying someone else to do it IMHO
is a waste of money. Just think about what you would have to do for
you business to have them knocking on your door and find creative ways
to do it.
If you are in technology and really serious about it move to Silicon
Valley. You will learn more in 3 months here than 3 years in
Australia.
Cheers
Dean
On Jun 30, 1:11 am, Mat French <mat.fre...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I am going through this process and am a fair way down the track. You need
> to engage someone or an organisation with good rep. A business or individual
> who has existing contacts who have money ready to go. I know this sounds
> like common sense, though I also understand how necessity gets in the way of
> thinking with the left part of the brain/cost etc.
> If going down the IM route, be careful how you structure costing etc. If you
> are signing someone and reducing cost of production through offering equity,
> make sure you put specific performance dates and criteria in your agreement.
> Let me tell you, you will know if someone is good or not in the first 3-4
> weeks. If you have doubts in that time, it is usually not going to get
> better.
> Like sales/marketing, it's about profiling. Who is going to be most
> interested in your proposition and why? Experience, Portfolio, Capital
> amount, Dumb Investor, Sophisticated Investor?
> I have someone who I can recommend whom is very experienced and has good
> contacts. He is quality.
> If anyone wants an intro, let me know. Please provide brief outline of
> business.
> Hope this helps in some way.
> On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Matthieu Stone <matthieu.st...@gmail.com>wrote:
> > Hi there,
> > I'm working for some entrepreneurs who are looking for independent capital
> > raising advice.
> > We have two differing options from experienced parties - one a Retail
> > raising & the other a Memorandum of Offer.
> > It would be great if we could meet up with some experienced in the
> > Australian capital raising market and discuss the pro's & con's of each
> > offer type.
> > Can anyone provide a recommendation or is available for such?
Thanks to those who replied.
Maybe I should have been a bit clearer.
I've raised capital before - a small private placement in Australia & for
reasonable sized venture backed startups in the UK & the US.
The entrepreneurs I'm working with have a very successfull existing
business. They are looking to launch a new venture but specifically want to
raise venture capital for this. That is their choice & the way they want to
move ahead.
We have interested parties whom we believe will invest.
We have two well credentialed local advisors with differing views on how we
should proceed.
I guess what I am looking for is someone who could act as an independent
advisor who is experienced with raising capital [retail & wholesale] in the
Australian market to help us work through the pro's & con's of each.
> My first bit of advice is dont do it. If you havent raised money
> before or someone who is part of your company (ie has skin in the
> game) then it will be long and painful process. If you have revenues
> it makes it easier. Dont even think about if you dont have a product
> yet.
> First ask yourself what you really need, what are you raising the
> money for? Then try and think of creative ways to partner. Bring the
> skills in house and offer them equity or deferred fees or whatever.
> There is always a way. Bring in an adviser who knows your business and
> has raised money and give them a % of your business.
> Its very rare that someone else will be able to raise the money for
> you.YOU need to network yourself around because nobody sells the
> passion like you and thats what the investors want to see YOU need to
> understand your business, the market, the problem, the go to market
> strategy etc etc. Look at companies in your space and find out who
> invested in them, try and get an introduction, look at people who have
> made money in your industry and approach them. go to networking
> nights, go where rich folks hang out, marry a rich girl or guy ;-)
> Capital raising is a shit job, but paying someone else to do it IMHO
> is a waste of money. Just think about what you would have to do for
> you business to have them knocking on your door and find creative ways
> to do it.
> If you are in technology and really serious about it move to Silicon
> Valley. You will learn more in 3 months here than 3 years in
> Australia.
> Cheers
> Dean
> On Jun 30, 1:11 am, Mat French <mat.fre...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I am going through this process and am a fair way down the track. You
> need
> > to engage someone or an organisation with good rep. A business or
> individual
> > who has existing contacts who have money ready to go. I know this sounds
> > like common sense, though I also understand how necessity gets in the way
> of
> > thinking with the left part of the brain/cost etc.
> > If going down the IM route, be careful how you structure costing etc. If
> you
> > are signing someone and reducing cost of production through offering
> equity,
> > make sure you put specific performance dates and criteria in your
> agreement.
> > Let me tell you, you will know if someone is good or not in the first 3-4
> > weeks. If you have doubts in that time, it is usually not going to get
> > better.
> > Like sales/marketing, it's about profiling. Who is going to be most
> > interested in your proposition and why? Experience, Portfolio, Capital
> > amount, Dumb Investor, Sophisticated Investor?
> > I have someone who I can recommend whom is very experienced and has good
> > contacts. He is quality.
> > If anyone wants an intro, let me know. Please provide brief outline of
> > business.
> > Hope this helps in some way.
> > On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Matthieu Stone <
> matthieu.st...@gmail.com>wrote:
> > > Hi there,
> > > I'm working for some entrepreneurs who are looking for independent
> capital
> > > raising advice.
> > > We have two differing options from experienced parties - one a Retail
> > > raising & the other a Memorandum of Offer.
> > > It would be great if we could meet up with some experienced in the
> > > Australian capital raising market and discuss the pro's & con's of each
> > > offer type.
> > > Can anyone provide a recommendation or is available for such?
What we need is to talk to someone who can talk us through the pros & cons
of a retail capital raise v's a wholesale raise - its specific to the
Australian market & corporate law as there are benefits & restrictions of
each type of raise.
With respect to the business, we run stock market education courses & are
looking at bringing an online version to market.
An intro would be great. They way I would see things progressing are a quick
coffee meeting or a phone to see if there is a fit between both parties,
then if all is good than we would have an engagement for a few hours to talk
us through things.
> I am going through this process and am a fair way down the track. You need
> to engage someone or an organisation with good rep. A business or individual
> who has existing contacts who have money ready to go. I know this sounds
> like common sense, though I also understand how necessity gets in the way of
> thinking with the left part of the brain/cost etc.
> If going down the IM route, be careful how you structure costing etc. If
> you are signing someone and reducing cost of production through offering
> equity, make sure you put specific performance dates and criteria in your
> agreement. Let me tell you, you will know if someone is good or not in the
> first 3-4 weeks. If you have doubts in that time, it is usually not going to
> get better.
> Like sales/marketing, it's about profiling. Who is going to be most
> interested in your proposition and why? Experience, Portfolio, Capital
> amount, Dumb Investor, Sophisticated Investor?
> I have someone who I can recommend whom is very experienced and has good
> contacts. He is quality.
> If anyone wants an intro, let me know. Please provide brief outline of
> business.
> Hope this helps in some way.
> On Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 6:04 PM, Matthieu Stone <matthieu.st...@gmail.com>wrote:
>> Hi there,
>> I'm working for some entrepreneurs who are looking for independent capital
>> raising advice.
>> We have two differing options from experienced parties - one a Retail
>> raising & the other a Memorandum of Offer.
>> It would be great if we could meet up with some experienced in the
>> Australian capital raising market and discuss the pro's & con's of each
>> offer type.
>> Can anyone provide a recommendation or is available for such?
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