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| Subject | Date Asked | Expert |
| raising capital | 1/14/2012 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: can employee raise capital for you company can company raise capital with out registration what ... A: There are only two legal ways to raise capital. Registration with the SEC and state regulators or ... | ||
| Business valuation | 6/20/2011 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: I have a friend who has stared a small business. He has invested 370,000.00 in start-up costs which ... A: I don't know that I'd be the best person to answer valuation questions but I don't know that many ... | ||
| giving away equity in a startup for free | 6/11/2011 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: they were very helpful. I am looking for investment from angel capitalists and I am wondering about ... A: Management is the most important aspect for an investor to part with their money. You might be able ... | ||
| Franchise - Joint Ventures | 6/1/2011 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: I found great franchise and a very good location in my country in Malaysia. However, the start-up ... A: With limited knowledge, I'd say no. Normally, I wouldn't put up a substantial investment in a ... | ||
| Is this proposal realistic? | 5/6/2011 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I am a looking to raise (angel) capital for a venture and I was wondering if I could ask how you ... A: You need to have a third party validation of your idea. Since you are a start - up with no track ... | ||
| Funding | 3/19/2011 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: what options are there for start-ups that have little - no capital they can put upfront to start a ... A: The short answer is NO. Banks and VC firms are not in the business of taking risk with their money. ... | ||
| Business advice about venture capital | 1/3/2011 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: I am Senthilnathan from India. I want to start an E-publishing company in India. It will be an ... A: If your business has the potential to generate significant revenue and it's a good business model ... | ||
| How to determine the investment to equity ratio | 10/19/2010 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I want to start up a company and I am looking for investment. When you invest in a company, how do ... A: Start-ups are hard to set a correct valuation. In the investment world there is a pre-money ... | ||
| bootstrapping | 10/3/2010 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I would like to know why is bootstrapping important for closely held companies and early stage high ... A: Investors want to see how much of your own money you have invested in your company. If you have not ... | ||
| When/how to find venture capital | 9/7/2010 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I have a design for a product that I believe there is a large market for (I imagine your hear that a ... A: A patent is helpful but not always necessary to obtain capital. At your stage venture capital firms ... | ||
| Seeking financial investment | 7/25/2010 | Jim D. Ray |
| Q: A few days ago I contacted you and asked the followingI'm trying to start a small business of making ... A: July 28, 2010 4:00 AM CST Hello, Wolf: I don't respond to questions requesting investment funds; ... | ||
| tech startup | 4/27/2010 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I am looking to launch a tech start up company based on the Internet. However, my skills are more in ... A: Investors require experienced management skills. If you do not have them you need to hire the people ... | ||
| gold | 4/8/2010 | Jim D. Ray |
| Q: I'm asking you this question primarily due to the word play on our names. Mine is Jim R. Day :-D ... A: July 21, 2010 5:08 AM CST Hello, Jim: Love the name! Thank you for your e-mail -- excellent ... | ||
| Silent Investors | 1/17/2010 | Jim D. Ray |
| Q: If I have a LLC already and plan on expanding my company do I have to add them to the LLC? I want to ... A: January 19, 2010 12:49 AM CT Hello, Les: Thank you for your e-mail -- interesting question! ... | ||
| Silent partner | 10/28/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: My husband and I have our own small business and are looking to expand. Someone else in our ... A: First, get a good business attorney to assist you in set up this business arrangement. I would stay ... | ||
| S Corporation | 9/17/2009 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: I Have a S Corporation with one hundred thousand shares. I plan on selling shares to raise start up ... A: Someone is willing to give you $20K for only 3,333 [out of 100,000] shares?! Wow. My suggestion is ... | ||
| S corp | 9/17/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I Have a S corporation with one hundred thousand shares. I plan on selling shares to raise start up ... A: I am not sure why you formed an S corporation with all the IRS rules to comply with. Big mistake. If ... | ||
| Start up and continued funding | 8/23/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I have a start up company. I am in the process of completed a securities offering under rule 504 of ... A: Investors are going to shy away from your deal if you are talking about raising $1 million and your ... | ||
| LLC or S Corp | 7/31/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I am in the process of starting a company to manufacture and sell a juice I have formulated. My ... A: An LLC is a better choice. You get the same pass through tax advantages as an S corporation but ... | ||
| sport business | 7/15/2009 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: How do I find out how much a business is worth? And by any chance do u know which business in the ... A: I am not in the sport entertainment business so I don't know what's hot and what's not. When you ... | ||
| investors | 5/11/2009 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: My question is as follows, I am opening a restaurant and I have 3 investors. What in your opinion is ... A: If you have been turned down by the banks, these investors should be given a higher rate then the ... | ||
| Early Stage Startup | 4/23/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I have a trademarked property that has great impact and can actually have a startup revolve around ... A: How are you going to know if some one "likes" the idea or that it has commercial potential until you ... | ||
| re Startup | 4/20/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I have a valuable, trademarked property that I has so much impact that I feel a startup created ... A: You have not provided very much information. But the short answer is I do not fund start up ... | ||
| re: Do you deal with early stage startups? | 4/20/2009 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I have a valuable, trademarked property that I has so much impact that I feel a startup created ... A: I can answer questions in this area only. We do not invest in any company as I am strictly a ... | ||
| start up funding | 3/16/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I want to start a internet business, a dating website similiar to www.plentyoffish.com which brings ... A: Forget venture capitalist for now. They are not providing capital for start up companies. You need ... | ||
| Looking for capital | 2/9/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I have a business idea to create an online career website specific to "green-collar" jobs. I've done ... A: Venture capital firms will not look at your deal or any start up. You need to raise capital from ... | ||
| Unusual financing option | 1/13/2009 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: Our new company has been offered $2M in startup capital in exchange for a 5% equity stake, a ... A: If you ask so called"experts" about financing a new venture they always put up road blocks. They ... | ||
| Tech Start Up | 12/29/2008 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I have a tech startup company that I invented last year. We were recently accepted into one of the ... A: You need to step back and take a deep breath. You sound stressed out. Now that you have done that ... | ||
| venture capital | 12/5/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I have what I think are some pretty straightforward questions about venture capital. I am in the ... A: I would suggest you prepare a formal business plan. In that you plan you are going to be expected to ... | ||
| Legally structure an equity agreement | 11/12/2008 | Michael N. Brette,J.D. |
| Q: I am currently working on a startup with 3 other partners, They are working entirely for equity and ... A: You should consider forming a Limited Liability Company(LLC). This will provide all of you personal ... | ||
| Business question | 9/15/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I teach chess k-12 in schools and home school groups.Both for academic reasons and ... A: Not really a question of a percentage of profit, I don't believe that what your doing is a business ... | ||
| Business question | 9/14/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I teach chess k-12 in schools and home school groups.Both for academic reasons and ... A: Academic reasons and competition will not attract investors or seed money if there is no clear ... | ||
| Business Question | 9/14/2008 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: Am looking for investors and seed money for a small chess k-12 chess business to expand and grow.You ... A: The answer is as simple as the question... Get cash from friends, family and personal savings (in ... | ||
| Stock in S-Corporation the goes out of Business | 9/6/2008 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: I own 45 percent in a publisheing S-Corporation. For the past few years we have been loosing money. ... A: Everyone's situation is different but generally speaking, each should be able to claim their ... | ||
| Startup Monies | 8/21/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I want to reopen a formerly successful jazz club that closed a year ago (create an LLC). I don't ... A: There are about a zillion ways you could structure a deal like this. It will be up to you and the ... | ||
| funding forms/risk factors | 8/6/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: Greetings and thank you for taking my question. I am in the early stages of an environmental ... A: These questions all pertain to how you plan on selling shares in your business. It is best you ... | ||
| delisted stock | 7/17/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: if I owned stock in a company that got delisted, did I just lose my investment? The company is IBIZ ... A: There are a number of reasons why the company could be delisted. It could be because it's out of ... | ||
| Venure Capital | 7/10/2008 | Ivan Jimenez |
| Q: I am resident in United states, GA and want your advise about a laundry business i want to establish ... A: First and foremost, get yourself a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and require a signature from ... | ||
| VC or go it alone | 6/3/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I am in the initial phase of a start up environmental consulting firm. I have developed a ... A: I guess it would depend on the VC firm or perhaps you might find an individual angel investor who ... | ||
| VC or go it alone | 6/1/2008 | Kevin Bousquet |
| Q: I am in the initial phase of a start up environmental consulting firm. I have developed a ... A: This is too small for a VC type of investment. The other thing that VC's may not like is the fact ... | ||
Answers by Expert:
Top Expert on this page
I provide capital for public companies from $100,000.00 to $20 million. I assist companies in structuring their private placement offerings, raising capital, going public via reverse merger or S-1 registration.
I have invested over $3 million in emerging growth companies and helped companies raise million of dollars from hedge funds, private equity funds and accredited investors.
Organizations
I am a Founding Member of the Southern California Investment Association. Members of SCIA are private investors, broker dealers, venture capitalist, investment managers, private equity funds. We have funded $100 million in transactions every year since 2000.
Publications
I have published two books Raising Capital For Your Business and Asset Protection Planning (Amazon.com).
Education/Credentials
I have my Juris Doctor(Law Degree) for 30 years.
Awards and Honors
I am listed in Who's Who in the World and Who's Who in Industry & Finance.

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