The Seed Capital for Startups Blog

8 Websites People Really Need to Stop Building

8 Websites People Need to Stop Building

If you run a website for startup financing you see a lot of startups over the course of a week. Every last one is convinced that it is doing something unique or that at the very least it is only the second company in the space. Meanwhile, it's the third company with the same basic idea that I have spoken to just that week.

This is why I got such a kick out of this:

8 Websites People Need to Stop Building

How to Raise Startup Capital: Lessons From Deal-makers

How to Raise Startup Capital: Lessons From Deal-makers

From working with entrepreneurs since 1986, I have noticed one glaring problem most have. Most have no idea how to sell their startup or deal to investors. Instead they just write a business plan and shotgun it out to everyone. Then after a few months, when no one has jumped on it, they start complaining that investors are "too stupid" to see how wonderful the investment opportunity really is.

What rookies fail to take into consideration are tangible economic incentives and psychology. Deal-makers, on the other hand, understand how to offer short-term economic incentives made all the stronger by appealing to psychological needs.

Would you like to learn how to put together B2B deals? If you answered, yes, get a copy of How Deal-makers Raise Capital.

Order it today before the price goes up.

How Deal-makers Raise Capital

Or get the full manual on creative startup financing.

Raising Capital: 88 - The Narrow Road: A Brief Guide to the Getting of Money

88 - The Narrow Road: A Brief Guide to the Getting of Money by British billionaire Felix Dennis

Felix Dennis' long-awaited 88 - The Narrow Road: A Brief Guide to the Getting of Money is finally out.

There's no information on this new book on raising money on Amazon yet, but even if it's only half as good as his other business classic, it will be a worthwhile addition to any entrepreneur's library.

I am eagerly looking forward to reading this one. Felix Dennis is an inspirational figure in the Billionaire Strategies Course.

Get more information on 88 - The Narrow Road: A Brief Guide to the Getting of Money.

Free Tony Robbins DISC Psychometric Profile

Free Tony Robbins DISC Psychometric Profile

Discover What Drives You

If you want to know the real hold-backs to your success, and how to align with your own true personality traits for not only achievement but a life of fulfilment, take this free 15-minute on-line assessment right now!

More than two million people have taken this test to better understand their behavioural styles and personality types: both organizations that want to best integrate high-performance teams, and individuals who want to identify and maximize their personal strengths. This $250 profile is yours free of charge.

Tony Robbins offers you a free DISC Psychometric Profile. After learning the hard way that I need to go with my strengths rather than trying to work on my weaknesses, I became a big fan of these personality profile tests. When you have ten minutes, go take the Disc Psychometric Profile here:

Free Tony Robbins DISC Psychometric Profile

Free Seed Series Documents

Free Seed Series Documents

If you're looking for seed capital, you will need the right deal documentation.  You can find free samples of the seed capital documents here. These are Word Docs.

Series Seed Form COI 

Series Seed Form SPA 

Series Seed IRA 

Series Seed Term Sheet

How to Use Creative Financing to Start Your Business

Free Mini-Course in Creative Financing for Startup Entrepreneurs

Are you an Entrepreneurial Champ or Chump? Find out.

Champs are the ones who understand how entrepreneurial finance works. Chumps are those who sit around hoping that some kind stranger will give them money after reading their business plan. When it doesn't happen, they complain about investors being "too stupid." You can increase your chances of being successful in attracting capital down the road if you learn how savvy entrepreneurs are always moving their companies forward.

You can subscribe for free here: Send Me Creative Startup Financing Mini Course Right Now!

You will need to confirm your subscription by clicking

a link in the confirmation email.

No thanks! No time to waste, just let me have the creative financing manual for startups!

Startup Junkies TV: Documentaries About Startups

Startup Junkies

Whether you're a startup rookie or a serial entrepreneur, you're going to enjoy this documentary series about what it takes to launch a startup successfully.

Watch Startup Junkies for free.

Scams That Prey on Entrepreneurs

Always remember folks, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Businessweek has an expose of five long running scams that prey on people interested in becoming self-employed.

The scams are:

1. Free Money

The key word here is "grants". Run Forrest run, if you ever come across anyone either asking for grants or offering information on how to obtain them.

2. Patent and Invention Services

This is run by experts who offer to evaluate your idea first, declare it a sure-fire winner, and then sell your services you don't need.

3. Advance Loan Fees

Your loan is ready, please pay the processing fee first.

4. Work from Home

Your fabulous business opportunity is ready, please pay the fee first.

5. Wealth-building Seminars

Free seminars that sell a ton of expensive educational materials and follow-up seminars.

I'm surprised that they didn't cover MLMs or "networking marketing" companies. These things take advantage of more people than the other five combined.

Read the article Would I Lie to You? Five Cons Still Kicking.

Top Business Startup Books

Here's one more book on startups, that I can't recommend strongly enough. You need to know that I only recommend books that I'm use myself. The latest one is:

Go Big or Go Home

This is the book for anyone interested in building a successful online business. The author, Wil Schroter, has built up a number of high profile ebusinesses over the years, the latest of which is www.gobignetwork.com.

I have yet to find a better description of scaling and how to integrate it into your venture, than the one in this book. Wil dissects the strategies of successful sites and shows how you can incorporate their best ideas into your online business.

I haven't been blogging much here of late as my energy has been tied up in my own startup. In my office there is a huge whiteboard with the message, "Go Big or Go Home," scrawled across the top. I find myself leafing through this book on breaks. That's how good and motivational it is.

Get the book today! Click to order Go Big or Go Home.

This is not your father's startup manual

Well, it's been a good month so far at www.antiventurecapital.com. First there was the plug in the Wall Street Journal which created a record day in terms of both traffic and sales. Now the revised 2006 edition of the Smart Startup Guide is completed and selling.

This is most definitely not your father's startup manual.

If you are getting frustrated with sending out business plans and doing dog & pony shows for people who aren't really interested, you need this manual. It will teach you how to start your company today.

Check out the Smart Startup Guide and stop wasting time.