Customer Reviews

Inside Secrets to Venture Capital

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2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Having spent a couple years now as a venture investor, I was looking for a book I could point entrepreneurs to, so they could get a better perspective on the venture investment process: what do they need to have in place, what's most important, how does the process work, etc. "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital" would take someone maybe 75% of the way there. Unfortunately, that's not good enough, as the lack of that last 25% would likely mean that the reader would head off in some unproductive directions. So I can't recommend this book to entrepreneurs I counsel, or to anyone else.

Raising capital is a mystifying process for most entrepreneurs. They get very little feedback from potential investors on the quality of their business plans, the packaging of their deals, the presentation of their opportunities, and the underlying strength of their business strategies and value propositions. This situation is complicated by differing scope and levels of advice between professional service providers, such as accountants, attorneys, and management consultants. Entrepreneurs waste valuable time trying to raise capital ineffectively, and as a consequence, their businesses suffer.

Inside Secrets to Venture Capital takes the mystery out of the process. It is a valuable handbook and reference guide to entrepreneurs, professional service providers and investors. In a clear and logical format, the book addresses the issues to consider when raising venture capital, and then describes the process in detail. The book is rich in case studies from entrepreneurs, professional service providers and investors on their actual experiences. Most importantly, the book contains feedback from actual investors on what works for them and what doesn't.

Inside Secrets to Venture Capital is a necessity for anybody in the field of raising capital."

"Easy to read and a concise but thorough explanation of venture capital and the paths and processes that lead to it. Entrepreneurs looking for anything other than a standard bank loan will be better prepared for their search if they understand the subjects dealt with in "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital."

Lee Mercer, President, National Association of Small Business Investment Companies

Hill and Power have written an informative and insightful book on venture capital in a well organized format. Over 30 venture capitalists were interviewed on varying topics from the most critical mistakes entrepeneurs make in their business plan to tips on negotiating. Hundreds more were surveyed. Inside Secrets to Venture Capital doesn't rely on just one person's opinions or knowledge.

The chapters are easy to read without relying on jargon, buzz words and technical terms.

If you're an entrepreneur looking for venture capital, you've got to read this book.

Over the past few years, it seems that every time we turned around, we heard of yet another small stat-up company getting funded by single, double, or even triple digits. Now that the stream of capital has slowed, companies of all sizes are facing the reality that raising capital is a long, time-consuming, and often painstaking task.

Hill and Power's book assimilates some of the literal wealth of information accumulated over the past years for the benefit of businesspeople today. Instead of reading another article or book about the *amount* of money companies have received, or about the lifestyles of VCs, entrepreneurs can get down-to-earth advice and suggestions on what works and what doesn't work. The authors have interviewed "real-life" entrepreneurs and found out where they succeeded and where they didn't.

Entrepreneurs face a tough enough challenge in actually raising the money - getting some early grounding from a book like this can help keep them grounded.

Similarly, input directly from VCs takes much of the mystery out of the VC world. The input is straight, direct, and lets entrepreneurs know just what is expected.

Good reading for businesspeople thinking of raising capital or in the process at the moment.

I found this book poorly written and badly organized. Moreover it contains little useful information that is not readily available for free through a Google search.

There are many far better books on the topic.

A complete guide to venture capital covering all aspects from understanding what venture capital is, to writing the business plan to negotiations, written in an easy to understand, practical manner.

Hill and Power have done extensive research through their surveys of 250 venture capital firms, interviews with partners in VC firms and experts in their field. And it shows, "Inside Secrets To Venture Capital" provides comprehensive coverage of the world of venture capital.

And it's entertaining as well, I loved the "Deal Tales".

If you're interested in venture capital, this book is a MUST read.

John Sizer, Partner In Charge,
Assurance and Advisory Services, Deloitte & Touche

"It's not what you're selling, but whom you're selling. The secrets are out. In "Inside Secrets to Venture Capital" the authors
thoughtfully and thoroughly guide entrepreneurs down the road less traveled--the road toward funding. This book gives any entrepreneur willing to pay close attention a definite edge up on the competition."

It is an interesting book for whomever knows little or nothing about Venture Capital.
However it is completely outdated. It reports back to the year 2000. One can surely find more recent books on this topic.

Inside Secrets to Venture Capital is similar in caliber to many college course books. It's written in a concise, contemporary manner that offers wit along with wisdom. The authors cheerfully nuke business-related myths while providing entrepreneurs with a wide range of splendid information.

Hill and Powers spent three years surveying investors and entrepreneurs. Well worth the time and effort. This highly organized book, loaded with fascinating statistics, offers special mini-sections in three categories: advice from angels, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs.

Inside Secrets to Venture Capital doesn't pretend to have all the answers, but provides enough data, resources, and insight to ensure that all entrepreneurs find the right resolutions. While it may well become the consummate reference for entrepreneurs in search of funding, it should also be required reading for potential angels, venture capital investors, and anyone seriously seeking a business degree.