Funding a Business

Smart entrepreneurs know that a successful business needs capital in order to grow. Whether you are buying a business or looking for capital to grow an existing business, Calkins Law Firm can help you find the business funding you need.

The business attorneys at Calkins Law Firm are not investments bankers or business brokers but we often connect our clients to sources of business capital. We have put together hundreds of business funding agreements over the years and we can guide you through the process of obtaining capital. Our attorneys will walk you through the business funding process and will:

• Explain the different types of business funding and what you can reasonably expect from each type of deal
• Connect you with banks and other lenders such as Angel Investors, Venture Capital, and Private Equity
• Work with you to decide which business funding deal is the right one for you
• Help you get your documents in order to streamline the business funding process and improve your chances of getting funding

How Do Entrepreneurs Get Business Funding?

When an entrepreneur starts a business, they typically raise money by drawing on credit cards or family and friends. This informal way of raising capital is the most basic and rudimentary type of business funding and attorneys are not typically involved.

Once a business starts to get some traction, the entrepreneur might raise money from an angel investor or an angel fund. Angel investors are typically accredited investors (wealthy and financially sophisticated people) and their investments are usually carefully documented— so very business-like.

Assuming the early stage business continues to grow and needs more money, it might then get business funding through venture capital. Venture capital funds typically invest larger sums of money are more formal than angel investors. A venture capital fund typically has money invested by wealthy but inactive investors with staff to manage their capital investments.
A more developed business might seek an investment from a private equity fund. A private equity fund would typically seek less risk than a venture fund and would expect a strong business plan.

How Calkins Law Firm Can Help Entrepreneurs Get Business Funding

There is a lot to know when it comes to business funding which is why there are people who specialize in it. The attorneys at Calkins Law Firm understand the types of business funding and the trade-offs of each. Our attorneys act as a sounding board to help you prepare your business to attract investment and find the right business funding deal for you.