创业家离不开朋友、家人和傻瓜
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大多数创业者都明白，比起获得天使投资人或专业风险资本家的投资，从熟人那里获得资金几乎总要更快更容易一些。事实上，大多数投资者都“要求”在他们着手研究相关项目之前，创业者已经从他的亲朋好友那里获得了一些投资资金。 众所周知，投资者首先投资的是人，接下来才是创意或产品。因为投资者还不了解创业者，所以他们首先要对创业者的人品审查一番，看看他的亲朋好友是否对他有足够的信任，愿意给他启动新创意的种子资金。如果连亲朋好友都不愿意掏钱，对创业者一无所知的投资者凭什么要向其投资呢？ 朋友和家人可能不会像专业投资者那样，要求创业者出具复杂的商业模式和财务信息，但他们的确希望看到确凿的东西。以下是创业者在求助于朋友、家人，甚或是钱多人傻的笨蛋之前需要认真思考的关键环节： 1.不要怕开口，言辞需谨慎。如果一位创业者安安稳稳地等待某位熟人为他提供初创企业的启动资金，他或许得熬上相当长一段时间。另一方面，假如创业者逢人就说：“我需要钱，”他恐怕连一个朋友都交不上，更别说筹措到资金了。创业者需要好好练习一下“电梯间演讲”，把要钱的话放到最后来说。 2.生气勃勃，毕恭毕敬。没有什么比消极傲慢的态度更能扼杀大伙的信心和提携的意愿。如果大伙打算把钱投入创业者的公司，他们很可能期望跟创业者呆上足够长的时间，要么为他出谋划策，要么讨论公司的进展。没有人喜欢垂头丧气的家伙。 3.对创业点子充满激情。朋友和家人很快就能察觉创业者对于创意的真挚程度和思考深度。创业者需要让他们相信自己致力于这个愿景已经有相当长的一段时间，并且对于所有潜在的风险都进行了“尽职调查”。白日梦和“灵光一现”不会得到太大的尊重。 |
Most entrepreneurs have learned that it's almost always quicker and easier to get cash from someone you know, rather than angel investors or professional venture capitalists. In fact, most investors "require" that you already have some investment from friends and family before they will even step up to the plate. You see, investors invest in people, before they invest in ideas or products. Since they don't know you (yet), their first integrity check on you as a person is whether your friends and family believe in you strongly enough to give you seed money for your new idea. If they won't do it, they why would I as stranger invest in you? Friends and family will likely not expect the same level of sophistication on the business model and financials as a professional investor, but they do expect to see certain things. Here is a summary of some key items to think about as an entrepreneur before approaching friends, family, or even fools: 1. Don't be afraid to ask, carefully. If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. On the other hand, if you open every conversation with "I need money," you won't have any friends or any money. Practice your "elevator pitch," and end it by asking for the order. 2. Be upbeat and respectful. Nothing kills everyone's optimism and desire to help quicker than a negative or arrogant attitude. If they are going to put cash into your company, chances are that they will expect to spend a fair amount of time together, either helping you or certainly discussing progress. Nobody likes a downer. 3. Be passionate about the idea. Friends and family will quickly detect your level of sincerity and thought behind the idea. You need to convince them that you have been working on this vision for a long time, and have done the "due diligence" on all the potential knockoffs. Daydreams and "the idea of the moment" won't get much respect. |
