1. Growthink University Fast Start Guide & Checklist
This checklist highlights key articles included Growthink University that you should read
in order to understand all the types of capital that are available to your business and how
to raise them.
We suggest printing out the checklist and marking off each article once you have read it.
Capital Raising Basics
This section will teach you everything you need to know BEFORE you set out to raise
capital for your business.
It covers all the key information that will help you understand all the types of capital that
are available to your business and which types are most appropriate for you.
Why Capital is SOOOOO Important to Your Business
Debt Capital? Equity Capital? What's the Difference?
Which Should I Choose? Debt Capital or Equity Capital?
Forget Debt & Equity - Other Ways to Fund Your Company
The Key Difference Between Equity & Debt Capital
ALERT: Don't Even Consider Equity Capital Without These 5 Things
What Type of Capital is Right for My Venture?
Free High Profile Investor & Lender Publicity
The THREE Ways in Which First-Time Entrepreneurs Can Overcome Capital Raising
Challenges
Raising Debt Capital
This section will give you the knowledge and tools to effectively raise debt capital.
A Primer on Debt Capital
Effectively Using Credit Cards to Fund Your Business
The Revolving Credit Cards Secrets of Successful Serial Entrepreneurs
Charge Cards Can Provide Short Term Financing For Your Business
Home Equity Loans Offer Low-Cost Capital
Secured and Unsecured Lines Of Credit Offer Financing WHEN You Need It
Growthink University Fast Start Guide & Checklist Page 1

2. Bank Loans Go Straight Into Your Bank Account
An Overview of SBA Loans
SBA Loan Sizes, Terms & Core Uses
Approved Uses & Rates of SBA Loans
SBA Loans vs. Traditional Bank Loans - Which are Better?
The Three Core Types of SBA Lenders and How to Quickly Find Them
WARNING: Ignoring This Advice Could Deny You Your SBA Loan
Key Criteria on Which You Will Be Judged When Raising Debt Capital
Summary: Pluses & Minuses of Each Type of Debt Capital
7 Ways To Be More Attractive To Bank Lenders
You Must Do These 3 Things BEFORE Approaching Your Bank
2 Essential Tips for Getting Bank Loans
Raising Equity Capital
This section will give you the knowledge and tools to effectively raise equity capital.
The Six Key Sources of Equity Capital
Pros & Cons: Equity Capital
Friends and Family: The Most Frequent Starting Point
Don't Make this Mistake When Raising Capital from Friends & Family!!!
Angel Investors and the Benefits of Accreditation
The 4 Key Motivations of Angel Investors
The 160 Angel Investor Networks You Need to Know About
Why Strategic/Corporate Investors are Often the Best Investors
HOT TIP: Figuring out Exactly How Much Capital You Should Raise
Reality Check: How Long Does it Take to Raising Equity Capital?
A Primer On Venture Capital Firms and How they Make Their Money
What Types of Companies do Venture Capital Firm Finance?
The SIX Factors to Consider when Seeking a Venture Capital Firm
The 5 Key Stages of Venture Capital
Before You Walk into a VC Meeting, You BETTER Know This
Growthink University Fast Start Guide & Checklist Page 2

3. Armor-Piercing Investor Contact Strategies
How to Create a Killer List of Venture Capital Firms In Less than a Week
How to Identify the Right Partner at a Venture Capital Firm
The Email that Got Me 50 VC Meetings
Insider Secrets: How to Network Your Way to Capital
The TEN Questions you MUST Answer in your Investor Powerpoint Presentation
Why You Need to Know what a "Lead Investor" Is
Don't Get BURNED: Understand Pre-Money vs. Post-Money Valuation
The Use of Common Stock in Venture Capital Transactions
10-Point Checklist for Preparing for Due Diligence
The Term Sheet's Role in Raising Venture Capital
8 Key Venture Capital Negotiating Issues
How Private Equity Firms Fit Into the Financing Equation
Alternative Financing
There are several types of non-debt, non-equity funding options that successful
companies rely on. In fact, these often overlooked financing alternatives may be best for
your company. This section reviews these options.
Grants, Awards & Competitions - Capital with No (or Few) Strings
Determining if Factoring is a Viable Capital Source For Your Business
Convertible Notes: Solving Key Issues For Early-Stage Capital
The Two Types of Customer Financing that Could Jumpstart Your Company
Why Suppliers/Vendors Might Give You Money (and a WHOLE lot more)?
HOT TIP: How to Use Shell Corporations to Fund Your Business
Growthink University Fast Start Guide & Checklist Page 3

4. Developing Your Business Plan
A solid business plan is absolutely essentially to both financing success and success in
launching and growing your company. This section details how to create a winning
business plan.
The 10 Ingredients to a Killer Business Plan
The 5 Things Your Financial Plan MUST Address (But Most Don't!)
Are You Guilty of Hiding Key Information from Investors?
Exactly How Long Should Your Business Plan Be?
Two Types of Business Plan Executive Summaries
How to Size an Emerging Market in Your Business Plan
The Critical Elements that Must be Included in the Customer Section of Your Business
Plan
In Business Planning, Competition is Good
The Marketing Plan and the Four P's
Effectively Completing the Operations Plan Section of Your Business Plan
The Management Team Section of the Business Plan -- Don't Just Include Resumes
Developing Realistic Financial Assumptions in Your Business Plan
3 Keys to a Top-Notch Company Analysis Section
What to Include in Your Business Plan's Appendix
Ten "Deadly" Business Plan Mistakes
Adding these seven MAGIC words to your business plan will improve it 100-fold
Realism vs. Optimism in the Business Plan
Will Graphics Effect the Success Of Your Business Plan?
Documenting Partnerships in Your Business Plan
Documenting the Exit Strategy in Your Business Plan
Incorporating Investor Feedback into Your Business Plan
Updating Your Business Plan
Massive IP (Intellectual Property) Dilemma SOLVED
Growthink University Fast Start Guide & Checklist Page 4

5. The following are nine videos that further detail the development of key sections of your
business plan.
VIDEO: How to Write an Executive Summary
VIDEO: Developing Your Company Analysis: Who Are You?
VIDEO: How to Write Your Industry Analysis Section
VIDEO: Analyzing Customers in Your Business Plan
VIDEO: What's Your Competitive Advantage?
VIDEO: The Marketing Plan
VIDEO: The Operations Plan
VIDEO: Management Team - Why You?
VIDEO: Financial Plan - How Will You Generate ROI?
Growthink University Fast Start Guide & Checklist Page 5