Book excerpt: While raising capital has never been easy, it has become a lot more difficult over the past few years. The dot-com debacle has made investors skittish, especially when it comes to financing early-stage start-ups. As a result, more and more entrepreneurs are being forced to compete harder and harder for a spot around the money well. At the end of the day, all most have to show for their efforts are tattered Rolodexes and battered egos. What they need is the competitive edge that comes with having a friend in the business–an advisor who’ll cut through the mumbo-jumbo and tell them in plain English how to get the money they need. What they need is Raising Capital For Dummies. Whether you’re just starting your business and need a little seed capital to launch your first product, or you’re looking for a little help expanding an established business into a new market, this friendly guide helps you get the financing you need to realize your dreams. You’ll discover how to: Tap personal sources of financing, as well as family and friends Approach customers and vendors for financing Hook up with commercial lenders Find angel investors Get an SBA loan Raise cash through private equity offerings Woo and win investment bankers and venture capitalists Venture capital guru, Joseph Bartlett explains in plain English the capital-raising strategies and techniques used by some of today’s most successful businesses, including tried-and-true methods for: Assessing your financial needs and creating a solid financial plan Researching sources of financing and making first contact Finding, contacting, and convincing angels Getting your customers to finance your company Understanding and exploiting matching services Exploring commercial banks, savings institutions, credit unions, finance companies, and the SBA Qualifying for a loan Working with placement agents Raising cash through IPOs and mergers From raising seed capital and funds for expansion to IPOs and acquisitions, Raising Capital For Dummies shows you how to get the money you need to survive and thrive in today’s winner-take-all marketplace.