Questions?
Browse our frequently asked questions (FAQ) section.
What does
IGC do?
We take pride in our ability to learn the fundamentals of virtually any industry or technology quickly. Some of the markets we have served include green technologies, medical devices, biotechnology, Internet/e-commerce, telecommunications, distance education/e-learning, real estate, financial services, healthcare services, manufacturing, retail, food service, consumer products, media and entertainment, aerospace, artificial intelligence, enterprise software, insurance, energy, and networking. Having said that, we believe that the value we bring to the table is not industry expertise — which you already possess in abundance — but rather an understanding of what investors like to see in a potential opportunity.
- We help entrepreneurs get ready to raise capital. This usually consists of business plan development, financial forecast development, pitch deck (investor presentation) preparation, strategy development, market research and analysis, competitor research and analysis, financial analysis, general coaching and advisory services, and capital formation strategy
- Please note that we cannot explicitly help our clients raise capital. This is a service that is heavily regulated. In general, only brokers licensed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) can legally offer this type of service. Please make sure that any “finder” you talk to is properly licensed with FINRA before you hire them.
No. Legal advice is only provided by an attorney under formal legal representation or an attorney client engagement agreement. IGC provides consulting services and does not provide legal advice. IGC collaborates with a network of subject matter expert attorneys and will involve or introduce outside counsel when appropriate.
Of course not. Nobody can make that guarantee (and if somebody ever makes that guarantee, it’s a good idea to run away quickly). A good plan is essential, but a plan alone will not get funded. Although we will do our best to help you prepare, we have no control over how well you present yourselves to investors, or how well you answer their questions. We can coach and mentor you, but at the end of the day, it’s your business and you must close the deal.
In general, only brokers licensed with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) can legally arrange financing (see Beware of Finders in our Blog). Please seek legal counsel and make sure that any “finder” you talk to is properly licensed with FINRA before you hire them. Failing to do so may expose you and your company to significant liability.
No, we are management consultants, not investors.
If you run a business, then it’s probably safe to say yes. In fact, you may require more than one business plan, one for raising capital and one for running your business. The former is a compact, easily digested strategic document that is designed to persuade potential investors to pick up the phone and invite you to their offices for an initial meeting. The latter is a more detailed document serving as a day-to-day roadmap, detailing the tactics supporting your overall strategy. The former needs to be an attractive document that sells; the latter can be a collection of spreadsheets, lists, research summaries, and other documents stuffed in a binder that you refer to and update on a regular basis. We specialize in preparing the capital-raising business plan, but many of the by-products are suitable for use in the operating business plan.
The Benefits
Of IGC
Our expertise in teaching businesses how to raise capital has proven 125 times more successful than independent ventures. We are happy to report that about half of our plans have led to successful raises, and a good portion of the rest have resulted in an acquisition or in commitments for investment from prior round investors. Each plan is tailored to the client’s unique circumstances.
We understand the importance of cash flow. A business’ borrowing needs and growth strategy are highly dependent on the financial forecast. Our consultants’ wealth of experience and international networks enable us to isolate industry and region-specific drivers that can cause large fluctuations in cash flow and working capital projections. Forecasts with higher degrees of certainty can reduce the volatility of business operations, making the business a more attractive investment.
Every situation is unique. However, some fairly common steps include the following:
- Initial discussion to understand your basic needs.
- Review your existing materials (draft business plans, financials, market research, competitor research, etc.).
- Follow-up discussion to clarify details and agree upon the scope and fees for the project.
- Several in-depth discussions to better understand the details, develop strategies, and agree on all major elements of the business plan and financial model.
- Conduct additional research, as needed.
- Draft an Investor Presentation and review it with you to ensure that all parties agree on the high-level vision.
- Draft the Executive Summary and review it with you to ensure that we all agree on the next level of detail.
- Prepare a draft outline of the business plan for your review.
- Begin filling in the details on the draft. Obtain and incorporate your feedback.
- Incorporate your revenue and expense models into the financial model, and explain how it works so that you can take “ownership” of the financials.
- Finalize all deliverables.
- Coach you on the best way to deliver the investor presentation and on how to address questions.
- Provide ongoing support, including making minor updates to the deliverables at no additional charge.
Depending on how we structure the project, you should expect to spend anywhere from 10-30 hours on the process over the course of a typical engagement.
For a typical engagement, consisting of a business plan, financial forecast, and investor presentation, the typical time to completion is 6-8 weeks, as illustrated below. The actual time can be influenced by the quality of your existing materials, the level of your participation, the complexity of your market and business model, and our current workload.
Yes, but we may need to charge a “rush” fee. We typically work on multiple projects at any point in time, and rush projects can strain our schedules or inconvenience other clients.
Only if you’re always right. One of our jobs is to help you avoid mistakes. We’ll challenge your ideas and assumptions so that you’ll be ready for the tough questions when you meet with investors.
