Do I have to offer both, equity and money return, to a potentail investor. What's the standard with this? Are investors happy with just the equity or they also want their money back that they invested initially?

Depends if you are speaking to a Venture Debt firm, a Venture Capital firm or a Private Equity/Buyout firm. Each have a different model. You need to target who you are raising money from and why. Like the work I used to do when identifying customers or partners, I recommend doing it when looking for the right financing partner. Do homework, assess,understand, connect and build the relationship. The Founding Entrepreneur is the one person that undersand the most what his company truly needs, homework is required to then find it.

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
1. item 1 2. item 2 3. item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
Paragraphs are separated by one or more blank lines: The first paragraph. Another paragraph.	The first paragraph. Another paragraph

I have only owned service companies and am looking to start an online company for the first time. What are the first five things I should be doing?

Answered by Micah Baldwin – Founder, Graphic.ly

1) find an interesting problem 2) find people that want to pay for it 3) repeat #2 Running a services business is about service; whereas an internet company is about the m... (more)

I have totally new television concept(both product and program) but I have no funds for realization. I have no funds not even for patent. Is there a way to protect my idea,...

Answered by Rob Hyndman – Technology startup lawyer. Posted in Product Development

It really depends on what you mean by "concept". If it's nothing more than an idea, the answer in Ontario would generally be no, other than ensuring that people you disclo... (more)

Say I have a great idea, that involves programming and graphic skills needed for online advertising, but I do not possess the skills for the advanced programming. How would...

Answered by Scott Rutherford – Founder, UserVoice Posted in Management

So, that concern is really a red herring. Just put people under contracts and NDA's, and have equity options that vest and have a cliff. Really I would be more concerned ab... (more)

Hi. I'm in the process of setting up a business in adult novelties and I have recognized that my competition does not do large media ads. Now this could be because of the c...

Answered by Jen Evans – Founder, Sequentia Environics

This is the most entertaining question I have answered yet on Sprouter. And to be honest I am not sure where to start .... as you've offered two pretty extreme options here... (more)

Hi from Waterloo, Canada. As an entrepreneurial trait, it seems we come up with ideas for new business ventures by the hour. As a serial entrepreneur, how do you know or de...

Answered by Dan Martell – Founder & Investor.

The way I deal with 1000 ideas per day is to surround myself with entrepreneurs that are friends, I advise or invested in - that way I can give them the ideas and they can ... (more)

Sign up for Sprouter