Stephanie Sims

Owning a business is always a gamble.

But no one wants to bet their soul - especially when they’re looking for funding. Too often, playing the funding game feels more like life and death than business as usual.

This book will teach you how to stack the deck in your favor with three simple steps:

·        Know what you’re worth,

·        Know what the different types of money people (the Suits) want,

·        Only look for funding at tables where you’ve got an amazing hand!

You’ll how to make the most of the time you spend searching for funding by using every business owner’s ace in the hole:

The best way to attract funding is to build your business into a good investment.

Instead of letting the funding search become a distraction, you’ll learn which cards to play that will improve your Finance-AbilityTM and grow your business at the same time.

Because great gamblers only take risks they understand –and they never bet more than they can afford.

CONTENTS

Preface

Introduction

Section 1: Understand Where You Are Today

Get OFF the Train Bound for Nowhere!
This section describes how to get ready for your funding search, by understanding your investors (YOU!), your worth (which is called your PII) and your numbers (yes, you'll have to actually look at numbers). It emphasizes the importance of keeping your business separate from your personal finances and getting past common mindset blocks when it comes to the numbers.

Who’s Your Biggest Investor?
Got PII?
Can You Whisper to Numbers?

Section 2: Bootstrapping for Beginners

Grab your boots
This section describes the numerous methods for finding money while bootstrapping, including a few you may not have considered. It investigates increasing revenues, decreasing expenses and talks about using "free" money (grants and crowdfunding, for example). It also emphasizes the importance of ensuring that you carefully define which personal assets are off-limits when it comes to funding your business.

Slap on Some Straps
Add Fuel to the Fire
Cut the Deadwood
The Tax Man Taketh
“Free” Money
Identify Your Untouchables

Section 3: Working with the Pros

Meet the Suits
This section describes the different types of funding, and gives you insight into the mindset of those who control the money - the Suits. You'll learn about the trade-off between risk and reward, and the role it plays in finding funding. You'll also meet the two broad categories of Suits - the Faint of Hearts and the High Rollers - and gain an understanding of the different ways they can provide funding.

Why Are They SO Uptight?
Get the Right Fit
The Faint of Heart Suits
The High Rollers

Section 4: Calculating Your Company’s Value

Are you ready, boots?
This section describes the valuation method most often used for funding: the discounted cash flow (DCF) method. It demonstrates how this method compares to the PII method described in Section 1. You'll learn how to translate the PII method into Suit language. You'll also see two examples of valuation calculations and the implication those valuations have on the owner's decision-making process.

Start Walking … um Calculating?
Pick Up Some Speed
What is Jesse’s PII Worth?
What is Sam’s PII Worth?

Section 5: Putting It All Together

But what does it all mean, Basil?

This section describes all the tools you'll need to get ready for the Great Investor Hunt, and gives you a decision-making method that can keep the second guessing to a minimum. It also teaches you the best way to transform your business into a good investment: by becoming a good investor of your own time and money.

Polish Your Boots
Weigh Your Options

Happy Trails to You!

The Ten Commandments of Business Adventures

Acknowledgments

Appendix A: Reader Resources

Appendix B: Process of Elimination Worksheet

Appendix C: Coefficient of Reason-Ability Example

Appendix D: Table of Figures