Finance « Merriam Associates, Inc. Brand Strategies

Merriam Associates specializes in branding that gets results. Everything we do systematically generates leads, closes sales, boosts profits, and builds a solid reputation for your company and your products or services. Our background combines the rigor of global Fortune 500 companies with the tenacity of successful entrepreneurs.

What's the Big Idea?

It’s possible for everything to be buttoned up and look like you can’t fail — strong intellectual property, great ideas marketing ideas and an amazing team — and the idea is truly “too big to NOT fail.” But if it’s really a good long range vision, then there’s probably a way to engage the ideal corporate buyer to assure you hit your exit.

How do VCs Manage Investments?

If you take your business to a VC you have a 75% chance of handing over majority ownership to someone who will unload it.

Managing Expectations in the VC Process

Capital can always wait for you. A key measure for building up value is whether can you can actually build excitement. Most VC deals go down, in a well orchestrated feeding frenzy with a bunch of VCs all validating each other and trying to pile on their money at once.

When is VC Necessary?

VC’s stick to investments limited to the markets they understand. At the same time, they exist to venture the risk of new markets. They will do their homework, so you better do yours and present them with a real opportunity.

How does VC work?

A venture capitalist’s main problem is that they have few methods to understand the future performance of an investment. Therefore they rely exclusively on the resumes of the management. It’s not realistic think you can join this same club; and more important to understand you won’t get a good deal as an outsider — so go find an insider

Do You Want or Need Venture Capital?

Not only is VC not for everyone, the odds are there are much better ways to get your business funded and profitable.

But I Need Capital to Startup

If you are serious about your business, you should be ready willing and able to step up to taking on debt. Credit is an important thing to build and managing your debt is important

To Startup or Not to Startup

The answer to the burning question to startup or not to startup is same every time: do not try to start a business without knowing where there are paying customers.I’ve always been a fan of the “just make it” mentality, where there’s no hidden agendas and few moving parts. In recent years the Internet boom has supplanted the reality of starting a business with strange notions about raising capital for just really good ideas.