Posts Tagged ‘private placement memorandum’

Private Placement Memorandum (PPM): An Art of War Approach To Raising Capital

December 13th, 2009

The psychological profile of business proprietors and entrepreneurs in general boasts the critical ‘Risk Taker’ element which allows one to take the leap from the financial security of a 9 – 5 job to the dicey waters of action based, success based income generation meaning: No Sales = No Money and No Food.

Many of these risk takers function within the realm of right brain communicative as opposed to left brain analytical which passes over the critical detail oriented solutions that are mandatory for raising capital. It is crucial for someone of this profile to hire a professional to come in and cross the t’s and dot the i’s in preparation for corporate fundraising efforts. After this is facilitated the entrepreneur needs to prepare mentally and emotionally for the turbulent road ahead.

Raising capital is no easy task and after the company is properly structured and you have an investor finder service, market maker or broker dealer in place to sell or promote your funding cause, you must step back, take a deep breath and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. This preparation should start with the concept of ‘objectivity’ when you talk to investors, some will love your business model while others see an investment in your company as a waste of time. You must take these critiques, good and bad with a grain of salt. Don’t get caught up in the habit of emotionally reacting to these ideas from outside sources, don’t allow your mind to attach itself to an investor’s idea of your company or it will drive you insane and you’ll find that these emotional ups and downs will find their way home as your family will quickly be affected by your emotional fluctuation.

The second thing you must do is read and absorb the knowledge in such books as “The 48 Laws of Power” and “The 33 Strategies of War” by Robert Greene and of course “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. These books deal with strategy that can easily be translated into the business world and can help you prepare mentally for the art of fund-raising. Read these books cover to cover and then read them again. Absorb the intricacies and strategies that these books offer and make it a point to use these concepts in your daily professional life; believe me, you’ll be glad you did.

The next thing you want to do is to study great strategists like Napoleon and Machiavelli. One thing that you will realize almost instantly is that these investors are out for their own gain, period (Why wouldn’t they?). They will try to attract your attention with the right hand while their left hand is reaching in your financial records looking for chinks in your corporate armor to make their case for more equity for less investment. You need to be able to analyze, not just the words of the investor but also all the other elements of their expression such as: intonation, facial gestures, eye movement, standing and sitting positions and other ‘tells’ that can give you an insight to what they are truly trying to communicate so you can anticipate their next move. These are just a few things to consider before entering the world of venture capital. Raising money for a business is a daunting task only to the unprepared.

Corporate Consulting, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum and OTCBB: How To Become An Investor’s Dream Come True!

December 7th, 2009

If you are trying to raise capital with a PPM or public entity like OTCBB you need to understand the mind of the investor. After the business plan sells the investor on the business concept you need to sell them on you and your executive staff. You need to stack your executive positions with professionals with a proven track record of success and possess a solid reputation in the industry. You must paint the picture for investors that your business is run by the who’s who in your industry and this pedigree is demonstrated by your education, degree, grades in college, professional organizations of which you have been and are currently a member, advisory board positions with other corporate organizations, a track record of setting up and maintaining strategic alliances, networking contacts and more.

When an investor looks at your human resource list on your PPM, business plan or public offering docs it needs to scream power, authority and confidence. Each individual that you place on your advisory board must have a massive contribution other than ‘advice’. Advisors should be able to prove their ability to assist in crucial decisions, connect your company with strategic partners and help you get to the next level.

Your legal counsel and CPA should be well known organizations with a long list of successful, well known organizations on their client roster and they should have a lot more to offer your company than just their fee based services. Again, these organizations should be able to set you up with partnerships that will help grow your business. As far as corporate awareness you must include a publicist. The publicist that you choose must be well versed in their comprehension of your industry genre.

They must be able to take your company and get you in front of the proper audience that is conducive to enhancing your growth potential. They must be able to demonstrate their knowledge of viral online marketing as well as traditional means of radio, TV and article promotion. They should be able to reach into their contact list and set you up with one interview after another targeting your specific audience.

These are just a few things to take into consideration when you jump on the fund raising trail. Every individual you have listed on your docs must be able to pass due diligence and have the appeal that reaches into the ‘comfort’ zone portion of the investor’s mind.

Take Your Company Public, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum: Beware of The Hard Sell Consultant

December 7th, 2009

Private Placement Memorandum authoring and the process of taking one’s company public are services that require extensive experience and the ability to look at a deal objectively and peripherally to evaluate all the angles to enhance the ability of the client to achieve funding in a timely manner.

Many times, when I’m hired to structure a company before funding, they will be under the impression that my evaluation is a mere formality and they are ready to go. Often I’m the bearer of bad news when I have to break it to the client that their company has more holes than Swiss cheese and 30 to 60 days away from starting the fund raising process.

They will often get a second and then third opinion and usually run into the same thing before they eventually find their way back to our firm. As they call around to consulting firms they perpetually experience the ‘hard sell’ by firms who ‘need’ the business because they lack the rewards and referrals that come with cultivating each client relationship because they take on and spit out deals so fast they hardly remember their client’s name during the transaction.

This mentality dominates the larger firms because of their gargantuan overhead while the boutique firms can take a more personal approach because they have a steady flow of business and referrals because they are not stressed about bringing in the next big deal so they can meet payroll and keep their lights on. The smaller companies that focus on turnaround consulting, private placement memorandum authoring, top tier business plan writing and taking companies public usually take a one on one approach to the consulting process and will rarely pressure clients to sign on because their phone is ringing off the hook with previous clients who want to hire them for the next stage in the evolution of their company’s growth.

This business is all about relationships. Ditch the consultant that applies the high pressure sales tactics and seek out the smaller, more personalized groups that don’t ‘need’ your business but will cultivate and value it.

Want To Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Offering Memorandum: An ‘Art of War’ Approach To Raising Capital

December 6th, 2009

The psychological profile of business proprietors and entrepreneurs in general boasts the critical ‘Risk Taker’ element which allows one to take the leap from the financial security of a 9 – 5 job to the dicey waters of action based, success based income generation meaning: No Sales = No Money and No Food.

Many of these risk takers function within the realm of right brain communicative as opposed to left brain analytical which passes over the critical detail oriented solutions that are mandatory for raising capital. It is crucial for someone of this profile to hire a professional to come in and cross the t’s and dot the i’s in preparation for corporate fundraising efforts. After this is facilitated the entrepreneur needs to prepare mentally and emotionally for the turbulent road ahead.

Raising capital is no easy task and after the company is properly structured and you have an investor finder service, market maker or broker dealer in place to sell or promote your funding cause, you must step back, take a deep breath and prepare yourself mentally and emotionally. This preparation should start with the concept of ‘objectivity’ when you talk to investors, some will love your business model while others see an investment in your company as a waste of time. You must take these critiques, good and bad with a grain of salt. Don’t get caught up in the habit of emotionally reacting to these ideas from outside sources, don’t allow your mind to attach itself to an investor’s idea of your company or it will drive you insane and you’ll find that these emotional ups and downs will find their way home as your family will quickly be affected by your emotional fluctuation.

The second thing you must do is read and absorb the knowledge in such books as “The 48 Laws of Power” and “The 33 Strategies of War” by Robert Greene and of course “The Art of War” by Sun Tzu. These books deal with strategy that can easily be translated into the business world and can help you prepare mentally for the art of fund-raising. Read these books cover to cover and then read them again. Absorb the intricacies and strategies that these books offer and make it a point to use these concepts in your daily professional life; believe me, you’ll be glad you did.

The next thing you want to do is to study great strategists like Napoleon and Machiavelli. One thing that you will realize almost instantly is that these investors are out for their own gain, period (Why wouldn’t they?). They will try to attract your attention with the right hand while their left hand is reaching in your financial records looking for chinks in your corporate armor to make their case for more equity for less investment. You need to be able to analyze, not just the words of the investor but also all the other elements of their expression such as: intonation, facial gestures, eye movement, standing and sitting positions and other ‘tells’ that can give you an insight to what they are truly trying to communicate so you can anticipate their next move. These are just a few things to consider before entering the world of venture capital. Raising money for a business is a daunting task only to the unprepared.

Looking to find the best deal on keyword #1, then visit www.yoursite.com to find the best advice on keyword #2 for you.


Private Placement Memorandum and OTCBB: Find Out How To Make Investors Fall In Love With Your Company Fast!

December 2nd, 2009

If you are trying to raise capital with a PPM or public entity like OTCBB you need to understand the mind of the investor. After the business plan sells the investor on the business concept you need to sell them on you and your executive staff. You need to stack your executive positions with professionals with a proven track record of success and possess a solid reputation in the industry. You must paint the picture for investors that your business is run by the who’s who in your industry and this pedigree is demonstrated by your education, degree, grades in college, professional organizations of which you have been and are currently a member, advisory board positions with other corporate organizations, a track record of setting up and maintaining strategic alliances, networking contacts and more.

When an investor looks at your human resource list on your PPM, business plan or public offering docs it needs to scream power, authority and confidence. Each individual that you place on your advisory board must have a massive contribution other than ‘advice’. Advisors should be able to prove their ability to assist in crucial decisions, connect your company with strategic partners and help you get to the next level.

Your legal counsel and CPA should be well known organizations with a long list of successful, well known organizations on their client roster and they should have a lot more to offer your company than just their fee based services. Again, these organizations should be able to set you up with partnerships that will help grow your business. As far as corporate awareness you must include a publicist. The publicist that you choose must be well versed in their comprehension of your industry genre.

They must be able to take your company and get you in front of the proper audience that is conducive to enhancing your growth potential. They must be able to demonstrate their knowledge of viral online marketing as well as traditional means of radio, TV and article promotion. They should be able to reach into their contact list and set you up with one interview after another targeting your specific audience.

These are just a few things to take into consideration when you jump on the fund raising trail. Every individual you have listed on your docs must be able to pass due diligence and have the appeal that reaches into the ‘comfort’ zone portion of the investor’s mind.

Take Your Company Public, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum: Find Out How To Become An Investor Magnet!

December 1st, 2009

If you’re trying to raise capital there are regulations set forth by the SEC to make sure everyone is conducting business ethically and in a way that can keep one accountable for their actions if fraud takes place. Regulation D Rule exemptions 504, 505 and 506 offer solid fundraising capabilities that can handle most investment needs. Companies typically hire a consulting firm to author these documents and within 30 days you’re off and running and talking to investors; that is, of course talking to investors while staying within the boundaries of Rule 502c which dictates the guidelines for solicitation which means no active promotion of the issuance of your securities.

This basically means that unless you have a bunch of millionaire friends, you’re no better off now than you were before the PPM was created. So, how does one raise capital in an environment which limits the promotion of your offering with such limitations? Easy, corporate publicity! You must have your timing right in order for this to work but here is basically what we do with our clients as we are writing their PPM and what you should do if you already have an Offering Memorandum written. First we make sure that they have a solid presence online, within their industry genre by getting them massive exposure virally using video, social and news bookmarks, press releases, unique article submission, image/photo marketing etc. This exposure is just for basic branding purposes and not advertising the investment opportunity.

This process will draw massive amounts of attention to their company while we use specifically researched tags that will cater to the internet user who is researching their industry and/or looking for this specific company’s position in the marketplace. The next thing that you’ll want to do is promote your company using traditional means such as radio, TV and articles written about your company and executives within the company. Now, these promotions are not ads, instead they are interviews and/or expert conversations where you’re being brought in to talk about your industry as a whole. This passive promotional technique will allow for multiple ‘plugs’ during the conversation that lead potential clients and investors to your doorstep.

If you don’t have a publicist you will need one and during your initial ramp up you’ll want to have a targeted, localized and national audience using a minimum of 5 promotional combinations, this is crucial! Lastly, you are going to want to start blogging like a maniac. Blog and respond to any and every industry specific blog you can find. It is crucial that you carve out your position as an authority in the marketplace to tower like a beacon to future customers and investors.

Now you are ready to start talking to investors. The publicity used above will usually deliver a powerful enough promotion that will yield a steady flow of clients and potential investors and once word gets out that you’re company is solid and that you are offering equity investment opportunities…well the fundraising trail get’s easier and easier. You may also want to consider using an ‘investor finder’ at this point. An ‘investor finder’ is an individual or company that has substantial accredited investor contacts and will introduce you to those contacts for a flat fee. They are not a market maker nor are they a broker dealer. They are typically a broker of sorts that holds minimal securities licenses yet packs a punch with their ability to set you up with active investing contacts.

Raising capital is actually extremely easy if you set your company up in a way that is conducive to investment.

Want To Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum: A Must Read If You Need Investors

December 1st, 2009

This article is nine years in the making. The concept is so simple but 99% of the clients I consult with have made identical errors in their effort to raise capital. They will have a business plan and they will have a Private Placement Memorandum and after one read of these two documents I have to deliver the bad news, “Sorry, but your business plan and PPM are completely worthless”.

They will then proceed to give me a story where the one consistent theme usually goes like this, “That can’t be…there was a guy…..he gave us a great deal on our business plan besides he wrote the business plans for my brothers sock sewing company and my friends underwater basket weaving video business and he really seemed to know what he was doing and then we bought a template online and just took the content from the business plan and used it to fill out the PPM template…blah..blah..blah…”.

Look, before you have a business plan written, test the author’s knowledge on your specific industry genre. There is no such thing as a one stop shop for business plans, the good consultants will cater to certain industries. Find an author with a solid comprehension of your goals and can translate your ideas into the fickle, skeptical language of the investors reading it.

Your business plan should include, at a minimum, financial projections/assumptions, growth and development analysis, market analysis, research analysis and implementation, competition analysis, management summary, marketing plan, risk analysis, capitalization analysis, market penetration analysis and SWOT analysis. Without these crucial elements your business plan is dead in the water and so is your future in fund-raising.

Next, never… and I mean never buy a PPM template on the internet. There are certain aspects to your offering circular that can trigger the invest button or snooze button in the mind of investors. Your business plan’s job is to ’sell’ while the PPM is meant to spell out risk and other technical information that isn’t present in the business plan. The last thing you want to do is simply cut and paste information from the business plan over to the Offering Memorandum; it’s unprofessional and immediately loses legitimacy in the eyes of credible investors. Find a professional consultant, accountant or attorney who specializes in Regulation D to write your Offering Memorandum for you. A poorly written Private Placement Memo can destroy your ability to raise capital so fast it will shock you but a well written, professional PPM will make raising capital fast and easy.

Take Your Company Public, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum Secrets: How To Raise Capital Extremely Fast!

December 1st, 2009

If you’re trying to raise capital there are regulations set forth by the SEC to make sure everyone is conducting business ethically and in a way that can keep one accountable for their actions if fraud takes place. Regulation D Rule exemptions 504, 505 and 506 offer solid fundraising capabilities that can handle most investment needs. Companies typically hire a consulting firm to author these documents and within 30 days you’re off and running and talking to investors; that is, of course talking to investors while staying within the boundaries of Rule 502c which dictates the guidelines for solicitation which means no active promotion of the issuance of your securities.

This basically means that unless you have a bunch of millionaire friends, you’re no better off now than you were before the PPM was created. So, how does one raise capital in an environment which limits the promotion of your offering with such limitations? Easy, corporate publicity! You must have your timing right in order for this to work but here is basically what we do with our clients as we are writing their PPM and what you should do if you already have an Offering Memorandum written. First we make sure that they have a solid presence online, within their industry genre by getting them massive exposure virally using video, social and news bookmarks, press releases, unique article submission, image/photo marketing etc. This exposure is just for basic branding purposes and not advertising the investment opportunity.

This process will draw massive amounts of attention to their company while we use specifically researched tags that will cater to the internet user who is researching their industry and/or looking for this specific company’s position in the marketplace. The next thing that you’ll want to do is promote your company using traditional means such as radio, TV and articles written about your company and executives within the company. Now, these promotions are not ads, instead they are interviews and/or expert conversations where you’re being brought in to talk about your industry as a whole. This passive promotional technique will allow for multiple ‘plugs’ during the conversation that lead potential clients and investors to your doorstep.

If you don’t have a publicist you will need one and during your initial ramp up you’ll want to have a targeted, localized and national audience using a minimum of 5 promotional combinations, this is crucial! Lastly, you are going to want to start blogging like a maniac. Blog and respond to any and every industry specific blog you can find. It is crucial that you carve out your position as an authority in the marketplace to tower like a beacon to future customers and investors.

Now you are ready to start talking to investors. The publicity used above will usually deliver a powerful enough promotion that will yield a steady flow of clients and potential investors and once word gets out that you’re company is solid and that you are offering equity investment opportunities…well the fundraising trail get’s easier and easier. You may also want to consider using an ‘investor finder’ at this point. An ‘investor finder’ is an individual or company that has substantial accredited investor contacts and will introduce you to those contacts for a flat fee. They are not a market maker nor are they a broker dealer. They are typically a broker of sorts that holds minimal securities licenses yet packs a punch with their ability to set you up with active investing contacts.

Raising capital is actually extremely easy if you set your company up in a way that is conducive to investment.

Want To Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum: A Must Read If You Want To Find Investors

December 1st, 2009

This article is nine years in the making. The concept is so simple but 99% of the clients I consult with have made identical errors in their effort to raise capital. They will have a business plan and they will have a Private Placement Memorandum and after one read of these two documents I have to deliver the bad news, “Sorry, but your business plan and PPM are completely worthless”.

They will then proceed to give me a story where the one consistent theme usually goes like this, “That can’t be…there was a guy…..he gave us a great deal on our business plan besides he wrote the business plans for my brothers sock sewing company and my friends underwater basket weaving video business and he really seemed to know what he was doing and then we bought a template online and just took the content from the business plan and used it to fill out the PPM template…blah..blah..blah…”.

Look, before you have a business plan written, test the author’s knowledge on your specific industry genre. There is no such thing as a one stop shop for business plans, the good consultants will cater to certain industries. Find an author with a solid comprehension of your goals and can translate your ideas into the fickle, skeptical language of the investors reading it.

Your business plan should include, at a minimum, financial projections/assumptions, growth and development analysis, market analysis, research analysis and implementation, competition analysis, management summary, marketing plan, risk analysis, capitalization analysis, market penetration analysis and SWOT analysis. Without these crucial elements your business plan is dead in the water and so is your future in fundraising.

Next, never… and I mean never buy a PPM template on the internet. There are certain aspects to your offering circular that can trigger the invest button or snooze button in the mind of investors. Your business plan’s job is to ’sell’ while the PPM is meant to spell out risk and other technical information that isn’t present in the business plan. The last thing you want to do is simply cut and paste information from the business plan over to the Offering Memorandum; it’s unprofessional and immediately loses legitimacy in the eyes of credible investors. Find a professional consultant, accountant or attorney who specializes in Regulation D to write your Offering Memorandum for you. A poorly written Private Placement Memo can destroy your ability to raise capital so fast it will shock you but a well written, professional PPM will make raising capital fast and easy.

Go Public With Your Company, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!


Private Placement Memorandum (PPM): How to Get the Investors You Need

November 30th, 2009

Entrepreneurs are being turned onto Regulation D in droves. Regulation D Rule 504, 505 and 506 allow companies a more lenient fund raising process than those who choose to go public by other means. In the past year I’ve seen more PPM consultants pop up on the internet than ever before and I have to admit I’m concerned. As a veteran in this field I’ve seen it all, now we have a legion of self proclaimed Reg. D gurus who buy templates, add some text and tell their clients that they are delivering a customized offering memorandum; here’s where things go bad and a difficult situation gets even worse. You have this worthless document, now what?

You need to gain the confidence and capital of accredited investors without soliciting as dictated in Regulation D Rule 502c. Now you have a worthless document that you can’t solicit investment capital for (which your guru consultant never told you but took your cash anyway) so how are you suppose to raise funds for your company? First, you’ll find that you’ll eventually need to make your way to an actual PPM author, not a broker so that you can get a PPM that protects you from lawsuits and gives the investor a real breakdown of the upside and downside of your business.

Next you’ll need to find a “Investor Finder”, yes this is an actual term for an individual or corporate entity that is completely submerged in the accredited investor realm and is able to match your opportunity with friends that he/she has in their database of real, accredited investors. This is the second half of the PPM equation.

Don’t kid yourself and don’t allow yourself to be lied to; you’re going to need a seasoned professional to help introduce you to investors that have the capital to help you get to where you need to be. Friends, family and employees will commit to investing in your company until your PPM is completed and it’s time to make good on their commitment; all of a sudden little Johnny needs braces and Sally is in the hospital with pneumonia, this happens all the time. Now what? With a real Private Placement Memorandum and a solid Investor Finder you’re problems are basically over. Investigate where the author and I.F. stand in the Internet public domain and after you find a company that meets your needs, get moving and start raising capital.

The internet tells all when it comes to reputations, you’ll be able to tell the difference between a seasoned veteran and a startup consultant after on Google Search and a phone call. A PPM can make raising capital quick and easy if you have the right firm in your corner.

Private Placement Memorandum, call Princeton Corporate Solutions at 267-233-0183Take Your Company Public the easy way!