How to Raise Your First Round of Financing

I received an education about money during the last recession. I was raising money for my startup by stringing together a series of small investments from angel investors, friends and relatives. It was a tough slog, but I eventually assembled a group of investors and a board of directors.

Not long after, an investor offered to make a sizable investment. But the share price he offered was lower than that paid by previous investors. I only had three months of cash in the bank and was desperate to accept, but the board turned down the offer. Despite my protests, I was back to the drawing board with 90 days to find an investor willing to pay a higher price. I eventually did find one, but only after two more years of stringing together small investments at incrementally higher share prices from angels, friends and relatives.