The Handbook of Financing Growth: Strategies and Capital Structure (Wiley Finance) [Hardcover]

Kenneth H. Marks (Author), Larry E. Robbins (Author), Gonzalo Fernandez (Author), John P. Funkhouser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0471429570 | ISBN-13: 978-0471429579 | Edition: 1

An in-depth look at the strategies, capital structure, and fund raising techniques for emerging growth and middle-market companies.

Here is a comprehensive and practical guide to understanding and applying the basics of corporate finance to emerging growth and middle-market companies. Using empirical data and actual company cases to illustrate capital structures and financing approaches, the book provides a detailed discussion of the many funding instruments, from traditional bank loans and asset-based financing to different types of private equity and other creative solutions; the types of funding sources and their expected rates of returns; and typical deal terms.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

America's emerging and middle-market companies—firms with revenues ranging from zero to $500 million—have access to capital and resources that is unprecedented in history. The Handbook of Financing Growth provides an in-depth exploration of how to prepare a company to approach these resources for funding as well as details on understanding and working with different types, from angel investors and commercial banks to venture capital, government agencies, and a dozen others.

Written by a team of authors with extensive experience, this invaluable process-based handbook provides a detailed description of what companies must know and provide to investors to effectively finance growth and expansion. The handbook discusses:

• Business plan and strategic initiatives—including type of business and industry, sources of operating profit, management plans and goals on a one-to five-year horizon, and more
• Valuation and capital structure—approaches for determining current company value, along with types of debt and equity used to fund the operations of the company
• Sources of capital and what to expect—in-depth discussion of the motivations and business models of key funding sources
• Documentation and regulatory compliance—principle drivers behind the negotiation and structuring of debt and equity instruments, along with an overview of pertinent securities regulations
• Case studies—examples of actual investment and loan transactions featuring a variety of firms and resources
• Financing source directory—an invaluable resource of actual firms involved in providing capital for emerging growth and middle-market companies

The Handbook of Financing Growth provides the basics of corporate finance, discusses strategies by which to fund all types of viable operations at the various stages of a company's life, and details both a variety of funding sources and the actual resources themselves. From cover to cover, it is today's most comprehensive and invaluable examination of the financing of company growth—how to do it, why to do it, and where to get it done.

From the Back Cover

praise for The Handbook of Financing Growth

"Provides an exceptional primer for anyone seeking to understand how to finance a growing organization . . . useful for the entrepreneur, student, or financial professional. Delineates the many sources a growing company can tap to obtain financing—and shows the reader in clear, concise language how to go about it. One of the best books on the subject of finance I have read."
—Barry D. Yelton, Senior Vice President, Business Alliance Capital Corp.

"A tremendous tool for creatively growing your company. This book covers the waterfront of financing options and makes sure the business owner knows how to get a deal done and do battle with any bank or private equity investor to get the best terms."
—Rick Rickertsen, Managing Partner, Pine Creek Partners and author of Buyout: The Insider's Guide to Buying Your Own Company

"Wow! This is the book I needed a few years ago when searching for funding options for my own company. The authors have covered everything here: all types of debt and equity funding, plus the process to follow to find the right funding source for your company's circumstances. This handbook should be on every entrepreneur's bookshelf !"
—Peter Pflasterer, entrepreneur, founder, JPS Communications

"An excellent resource and must-have for anyone looking into how they should capitalize their company. It not only provides the basics of how to get a financing plan in place, but also goes a step further by explaining how companies get funded in the real world. No single resource has been able to bridge the gap between emerging growth and middle-market companies being overlooked by investment banks until now. Marks et al. have encapsulated a lifetime of financing knowledge in a single text. I recommend it to any middle-market company seeking capital."
— Christopher W. Gaertner, CFA, Managing Director, Head of Global Software Investment Banking, Global Technology Group, Lehman Brothers

"Having known the authors personally for many years, I couldn't think of a better collection of people with practical knowledge of how to finance a company. Since every growth company is in a constant search for capital, every one of them ought to own this book."
—Mitch Mumma, Managing General Partner, Intersouth Partners

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (April 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471429570
• ISBN-13: 978-0471429579
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #592,332 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read, worth the price, September 14, 2005

By 

Jack H. Jennings (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Handbook of Financing Growth: Strategies and Capital Structure (Wiley Finance) (Hardcover)

Yes, this is an excellent book that all entrepreneurs should read. It sets forth the basics for financing early stage and growth oriented firms. The data base alone is worth the price of the book.
I do believe that more space should be dedicated to possible exit strategies. This book still gives a glimmer of hope for an IPO. A more practical examination of practical exits is warranted.
Several years ago almost all of my clients were seeking the IPO as an exit. I still occasionally get a start-up client seeking an IPO, but that is rare. And, they quickly learn how difficult the process is and how unlikely the odds are.
Additionally, in my opinion, it does not give justice to the difficulty of even finding start-up capital. Too many VCs are busy bailing out prior investments to fund new ventures. Of course, this will change over time, hopefully. A requirement for revenue growth and profits is moving some VCs into the mezzanine area instead of venture funding.
I would highly recommend this book for either an entrepreneur considering a new venture or for an established business owner requiring growth oriented funding.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This handbook should be on every entrepreneur's bookshelf, October 18, 2005

By 

David McClymont "Icafunding" (Jupiter, FL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Handbook of Financing Growth: Strategies and Capital Structure (Wiley Finance) (Hardcover)

This book is truly incredible! As the co-owner of a full service commercial finance intermediary firm, we are always looking for valuable and concise resources to draw upon for in-depth information regarding the very vast world of corporate finance. This book is it. It doesn't matter if you are an entrepreneur, student, or financial professional, this book covers every aspect of corporate financing options. I have used the "Financing Source Directory" numerous times to locate finance companies based on area of expertise and required funding. Our job as financial intermediaries is to not only educate our clients based on the best source of financing according to their respective needs but to also have a vast database of finance professionals to call upon in order to successfully facilitate our clients funding requirements. The "Financing Source Directory" and the material in this book provide just that and more. The investment price for the book is worth the directory alone. If you're trying to locate funds for your company or if you would like to have a better understanding of how to finance a growing organization, go buy this book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Reads like a great novel for the Entrepreneur, October 4, 2006

By 

Craig Bramscher "MFR of www.enertiabike.com" (Ashland, Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Handbook of Financing Growth: Strategies and Capital Structure (Wiley Finance) (Hardcover)

If you are like me, you read a lot of books to help you become a better Entrepreneur, looking for those tasty morsels that give you ideas or methods to succeed in growing your business.

This books is one of the few of its kind that I could not put down. Each section was interesting and most were relevant. I am sick of reading about pure high tech and software only plays. This book is not only very educational, it is a reference manual that never leaves my desk. The Database of funding sources is invaluable.