Comments on: Why Women Entrepreneurs Don’t Get the Financing They Need http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/ The small business mentor's guide to entrepreneurship and law Fri, 04 Jul 2008 04:46:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Lauren Berger http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-21 Lauren Berger Tue, 19 Jun 2007 08:02:33 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-21 Nina! Hello Hello! So I found this interesting...I posted that I was "looking for investors and parent companies" the same week you posted this article. I'm just curious as to your advice on my company and getting funding...what are your thoughts on the best way to go about it ? All the best, Lauren Nina! Hello Hello! So I found this interesting…I posted that I was “looking for investors and parent companies” the same week you posted this article. I’m just curious as to your advice on my company and getting funding…what are your thoughts on the best way to go about it ?

All the best,
Lauren

]]> By: Brian Turner http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-22 Brian Turner Wed, 20 Jun 2007 09:00:15 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-22 I think this post gets it so wrong on so many levels. I think women entrepreneurs are smart enough - as entrepreneurs - to focus on goals and targets they know they can realistically achieve and work towards - on their own two feet. It's also a big point to make that any external financing is a rose with sharp thorns - the entrepreneur risks losing control of their business and direction, and outside investors are usually looking for ways to suck back their original investment with profit for themselves. Are women dumb to not seek angel financing? I think it shows greater smarts - more realism on their outlook - and that it is dangerously misrepresenting women to suggest they are "weak" by being good entrepreneurs on their own merits, rather than falling to bad decisions like male colleagues perhaps are more prone to. I think this post gets it so wrong on so many levels.

I think women entrepreneurs are smart enough - as entrepreneurs - to focus on goals and targets they know they can realistically achieve and work towards - on their own two feet.

It’s also a big point to make that any external financing is a rose with sharp thorns - the entrepreneur risks losing control of their business and direction, and outside investors are usually looking for ways to suck back their original investment with profit for themselves.

Are women dumb to not seek angel financing? I think it shows greater smarts - more realism on their outlook - and that it is dangerously misrepresenting women to suggest they are “weak” by being good entrepreneurs on their own merits, rather than falling to bad decisions like male colleagues perhaps are more prone to.

]]> By: Wendy Piersall http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-26 Wendy Piersall Mon, 25 Jun 2007 21:47:10 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-26 Great, timely article Nina. I have shied away from getting funding in the past for a variety of reasons - but as I am realizing in the last few weeks, the main reason is fear. I'm not exactly comfortable with the idea of being responsible for so much of someone else's money and turning a profit. If I'm pursuing my dreams, I'm ok with risking failure on my own dime - but the guilt I would associate to failing on someone else's dime is quite nerve-wracking indeed. Nonetheless, it's a fear I am going to have to get over -- and fast, as my business grows faster than I can handle it on my own. Additionally, I haven't managed a large budget in the past. What can I do to ensure I am ready for this - and to convince investors of the same? :) Great, timely article Nina. I have shied away from getting funding in the past for a variety of reasons - but as I am realizing in the last few weeks, the main reason is fear. I’m not exactly comfortable with the idea of being responsible for so much of someone else’s money and turning a profit. If I’m pursuing my dreams, I’m ok with risking failure on my own dime - but the guilt I would associate to failing on someone else’s dime is quite nerve-wracking indeed.

Nonetheless, it’s a fear I am going to have to get over — and fast, as my business grows faster than I can handle it on my own.

Additionally, I haven’t managed a large budget in the past. What can I do to ensure I am ready for this - and to convince investors of the same? :)

]]> By: Nina Kaufman http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-30 Nina Kaufman Wed, 27 Jun 2007 17:00:27 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-30 Thanks, Wendy -- that's a good question! I think they'll certainly want to see that you have managed well what you already have. Also, if you alone haven't had this precise experience, is there anyone else on your "team" who has? And if there is no one else on your team, how are you planning to develop a team so that all of the company's needs can be met by people who have expertise in those area? A simple solution could be a temporary CFO -- someone with expertise, but whose comensation doesn't eat up all of the newly-found capital. Ask those who have walked in your shoes before to get their creative suggestions and insights! Thanks, Wendy — that’s a good question! I think they’ll certainly want to see that you have managed well what you already have. Also, if you alone haven’t had this precise experience, is there anyone else on your “team” who has? And if there is no one else on your team, how are you planning to develop a team so that all of the company’s needs can be met by people who have expertise in those area? A simple solution could be a temporary CFO — someone with expertise, but whose comensation doesn’t eat up all of the newly-found capital. Ask those who have walked in your shoes before to get their creative suggestions and insights!

]]> By: Bootstrapper » The 100 Best Business Finance Posts of All Time http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-687 Bootstrapper » The 100 Best Business Finance Posts of All Time Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:22:32 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-687 [...] Why Women Entrepreneurs Don’t Get the Financing They Need: Find out why women are “playing small” when it comes to business finance, and what can be done about it. [...] […] Why Women Entrepreneurs Don’t Get the Financing They Need: Find out why women are “playing small” when it comes to business finance, and what can be done about it. […]

]]> By: Entrepreneurs: Weekend Reading for Fun and Profit : Instigator Blog http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-708 Entrepreneurs: Weekend Reading for Fun and Profit : Instigator Blog Sat, 27 Oct 2007 12:57:36 +0000 http://legal.entrepreneur.com/2007/06/18/why-women-entrepreneurs-don%e2%80%99t-get-the-financing-they-need/#comment-708 [...] This ought to keep you busy for the weekend…or two. There are a number of great posts on raising financing. I also found the section on outsourcing and employees [...] […] This ought to keep you busy for the weekend…or two. There are a number of great posts on raising financing. I also found the section on outsourcing and employees […]

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