Global fintech and funding innovation ecosystem

Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs

Forbes | | Aug 2018

startup financing - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For EntrepreneursIs debt or equity fundraising smarter for startups?

There is more than one way to fund a new business venture and fuel its growth. For almost all, it is going to require bringing in outside money at some point. Even if that is only to multiply what is working or to create a source of emergency capital. The two primary options are to either leverage business debt financing or fundraise for equity investors.

Each method can carry its own pros and cons. It is vital for entrepreneurs not to blindly follow the herd just “because everyone else is doing it.” Discover which is best for you, at your stage in business, and stack the most advantages in your corner.

Once you have decided the course of action and have a lead investor covering at least 20% of your financing round you would typically also include in the pitch deck the form of financing in which you are raising the capital. I recently covered the pitch deck template that was created by Silicon Valley legend, Peter Thiel (see it here) where the most critical slides are highlighted.

Debt Financing

We’re all familiar with debt. At some point we’ve all probably at least had a student loan, signed up for a mobile phone contract, had a credit card, or an auto loan or lease. Debt means you are borrowing. Often, you will have to repay in monthly installments, over a fixed period of time, at a predetermined rate. Though this can vary depending on whether you are raising debt from investors, are using lines of credit or working capital loans, or even new hybrid convertible notes.

See:  Where to Find Startup Loans in 2018

The Pros of Debt Financing

As described in my book, The Art of Startup Fundraising, the biggest and most obvious advantage of using debt versus equity is control and ownership. With traditional types of debt financing you are not giving up any controlling interests in your business. It’s all yours. You get to make all the decisions, and keep all the profits. No one is going to kick you out of your own company.

Another big pro is that once you’ve paid back the debt your liability is over. With a fluid line of credit you can repay and borrow just what you need at any time, and will never pay more interest than you need to. Looking at the big picture, using debt can ultimately be far cheaper.

One major benefit that is frequently overlooked is that business debt can also create more tax deductions. This may not have a big impact at the seed stage, but can make a huge difference in net profits as you grow and yield positive revenues.

The Cons of Debt Financing

The most significant danger and disadvantage of using debt is that it requires repayment, no matter how well you are doing, or not. You might be burning cash for the first couple of years, with little in the way of net profits, yet still have to make monthly debt service payments. That can be a huge burden on a startup.

If entrepreneurs have not separated their personal and business credit, they may also find their entire life’s work and accomplishments are on the line if they default on the debt. Your home, cars, washing machine, and kids’ college fund can all become collateral damage.

It is also vital that borrowers understand that financing terms can change over time. Variable interest rates can dramatically change repayment terms later on. In the case of maturing balloon debt, like commercial mortgages, there is no guarantee of future availability of capital or terms when you may need to refinance. In the case of revolving credit lines, banks have a history of cutting them off, right when you need them most.

See:  Saskatchewan and Alberta make cross-border financing easier

Too much debt can negatively impact profitability and valuation. Meaning, it can lead to inferior equity raising terms in the future, or prevent it altogether.

Structures used by early stage startups such are convertible notes, SAFEs, and KISS. These forms of debt eventually convert into equity on a subsequent financing round so it is a good way to bring onboard people that are likely to partner with you on the long run with the business.

For later stage companies, the route to follow is typically venture debt.

Convertible Notes

Convertible notes are a debt instrument that also gives the investor stock options. This flexibility gives them security from the downside, and more potential upside if the start-up performs as expected. Theoretically it can also be easier for some to justify making the loan, which has specific returns and maturity dates, versus the unknown.

Convertible notes are much faster than equity rounds. There are only two documents in place, which are the convertible note purchase agreement outlining the terms of the investment, and the promissory note explaining the conversion and the amount that the investor is investing.

See:  Report: State of Regulation Crowdfunding Says No Gold Rush But an Undeniable Job Creator

With convertible notes, there are only three main ingredients the entrepreneur needs to look after.

The first ingredient is the interest that the entrepreneur is giving to the investor. This is interest to be accrued on a yearly basis on the investment amount that the investor puts into the company. The interest will continue to be applied until the company does another equity round, when the debt will convert into equity with the amount plus the interest received.

The second ingredient is the discount on the valuation. This means that if your next qualified round is at X amount of pre-money valuation, the investor will be converting his or her debt at a discount from the valuation that has been established in the next round by the lead investor.

The third ingredient to watch is the valuation cap. This means that regardless of the amount that is established on the valuation in the next round, the investor will never convert north of whatever valuation cap is agreed. This is a safety measure in the event that the valuation goes through the roof. It is a good way to protect your early investors and to reward them for taking the risk of investing in you at a very early stage.

Convertible notes are, in my mind, the fastest and cheapest way to fundraise. While equity rounds can be north of $20,000, convertible notes should not cost you more than $7,000.

One thing to keep a very close eye on is the maturity date. This is the date by which you agree to repay unless you have not done a qualified round of financing in which the convertible notes are converted into equity. For this reason, make sure that the maturity date is a date that you feel confident about. You need to be convinced that you will be able to raise a qualified round of financing on or before that date in order to convert the notes into equity and avoid being in default. The last thing you want to happen is to be in default and to have to shut down your business because investors are demanding their money back.

Below is a good example of how convertible notes play out in real life.

Equity Financing

This type of funding exchanges incoming capital for ownership rights in your business. This may be in the form of close partnerships, or equity fundraising from angel investors, crowdfunding platforms, venture capital firms, and eventually the public in the form of an IPO.

There are no fixed repayments to be made. Instead, your equity investors receive a percentage of the profits, according to their stock. Though there can be hybrid agreements which incorporate royalties, and other benefits to early investors.

Typically the term sheet will be summarizing what are the terms of the equity round. You can read more on term sheets by reviewing my Forbes pieces Term Sheet Template: What Entrepreneurs Should Include and Term Sheet: Here Is Everything Entrepreneurs Must Know When Fundraising.

Continue to the full article --> here

 


NCFA Jan 2018 resize - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org

Latest news - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For EntrepreneursFF Logo 400 v3 - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurscommunity social impact - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs

Support NCFA by Following us on Twitter!







NCFA Sign up for our newsletter - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs




AI | Sep 22, 2023 The world of deal-making is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by technological advancements and shifting economic landscapes. A CEO's Perspective on the Economy The July 2023 EY CEO Outlook survey reveals that US CEOs are gearing up for what might be termed a "new normal" characterized by expensive capital and heightened volatility. A striking 97% of US CEOs are preparing for a potential economic downturn in their primary market. This cautious approach is not unfounded. The US, while showing signs of a possible "soft landing" due to factors like labor market resilience and moderating inflation, still presents uncertainties. CEOs are not banking on best-case scenarios but are instead fortifying their organizations for sustainable growth. AI in Deal-Making - A Game Changer AI's role in this evolving landscape is undeniable. A significant 80% of US CEOs have either already integrated AI into their products and services or plan to do so within the next year. However, the application and benefits of AI vary. See:  Birth of the First AI-Generated Memecoin, AstroPepeX (APX) AI and ML have the potential to revolutionize the merger and acquisition process. They can make the due diligence process more efficient by analyzing ...
Unsplash Hunters Race Bankers - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Sep 22, 2023 Gone are the days when you’d need huge filing cabinets and boxes of paperwork. These days, most people store documents and files through digital means, either saving them directly onto their device, using external storage or uploading them to the cloud. This is much easier and saves costs on paper, but is it safe? While storing files on your computer is certainly easier, there are data security issues to consider. Not only that but having only digital copies of your documents could mean you run into issues if you ever lose your device or your storage becomes corrupted. However, there are ways you can safely store them and not have to worry. Backing Up Data One of the most important things you can do to ensure your digital files are safe is to back them up regularly. Whether you save all your files to the cloud, your device or an external storage unit, you should always back them up with at least one other copy in another location. This way, you prevent loss of data due to memory issues, lost devices or other problems. If you do run into issues with memory, it’s not necessarily the end ...
Unsplash Viktor Talashuk Assorted Files - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Crypto | Sep 22, 2023 The cryptocurrency landscape is no stranger to innovation, and the latest entrant is a testament to that.  The birth of AstroPepeX (APX). An anonymous Ethereum developer has recently unveiled a unique approach to creating digital tokens: using artificial intelligence. The developer, known by the Twitter handle @CroissantEth, has combined OpenAI’s ChatGPT API with a custom script, enabling the chatbot to autonomously create an ERC-20 tokenthat's rapidly gaining traction across various DeFi and centralized exchanges. The developer's AI tool doesn't just create any token; it crafts an ERC-20 token using Open Zeppelin standards. Open Zeppelin is a renowned open-source framework for constructing secure smart contracts. These contracts are written in Solidity, Ethereum's programming language. The AI determines the token's name and other parameters based on values provided by GPT in the code's constructor.  The first public token launched using this tool is AstroPepeX (APX). See:  Fund Tokenization: Fractional Issuance, Streamlined Redemption, and Servicing Benefits Launched on September 20, 2023, APX has seen an impressive ascent.  Impressively, within just 24 hours of its introduction, AstroPepeX accumulated a staggering $12.9 million in trading volume. The token's name wasn't arbitrarily chosen. ChatGPT generates names based on real data from ...
Unsplash KS KYUNG Frog meme - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Sep 22, 2023 Mastering your sales pipeline is much like conducting an orchestra; it requires harmony, precision, and creativity. A well-managed sales pipeline can be the difference between surpassing your sales targets or falling short. While there are many traditional methods to manage and optimize a sales pipeline, sometimes it takes a sprinkle of creativity to truly make it sing. In this article, we will take you on a journey to explore some unique and creative tips to master your sales pipeline, ensuring you hit the right notes every time. You can also consider the SEO services India to optimize your sales. Here are some tips to master your sales pipeline. Identify your best leads first: The first step in mastering your sales pipeline is to identify which leads are most likely to convert into customers. Utilize data from your previous campaigns and track customer behavior metrics like open and click rates on your emails or website visits to understand better where the best opportunities lie. Another way to identify the best leads is to use predictive analytics. Predictive analytics helps you understand which customer segments are most likely to turn into profitable customers, allowing you to prioritize and focus ...
Unsplash Campaign Creators Sales pipeline - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Regulatory Insights | Sep 21, 2023 A recent speech by Victoria Saporta at the Bank of England conference sheds light on the Prudential Regulation Authority's (PRA) vision and its commitment to bolstering the UK's position as a global financial hub focusing on international competitiveness and growth. Victoria Saporta, Executive Director, Prudential Policy highlighted the PRA's new secondary objective, which emphasizes facilitating the UK economy's international competitiveness and growth over the medium to long term. This objective aligns with international standards, ensuring that the UK remains a key player on the global stage. The PRA's approach to this objective isn't entirely new. They initiated a conversation about a year ago with a Discussion Paper that outlined their policy approach. Saporta's speech in February further solidified the PRA's stance, proposing regulatory foundations that would guide their approach. Three Pillars of Competitiveness and Growth See:  Canada’s Competition Problem: 7 Reasons Saporta outlined three main foundations that the PRA believes are crucial for harnessing the UK’s strengths: Trust: A strong emphasis on maintaining trust in the PRA and the UK's prudential framework. Effective Processes: The need for streamlined regulatory processes and proactive engagement. Responsiveness: A commitment to addressing UK-specific risks and opportunities head-on. A ...
Vicky Saporta Executive Director Prudential Policy Directorate at the Bank of England - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Carbon Markets | Sep 21, 2023 Solid World, KlimaDAO, and SCB Group announce partnership to deploy prepaid carbon liquidity using blockchain technology, enhancing efficiency and transparency in the carbon market. With global climate challenges on the rise, there's a pressing demand for clear, efficient, and adaptable carbon market strategies. The new alliance between KlimaDAO, SCB Group, and Solid World highlights the next phase in carbon market dynamics, shedding light on the potential impact and direction of this collaboration. KlimaDAO is at the forefront of blockchain-based carbon credit solutions, dedicated to fostering a sustainable future. With a vision to revolutionize the carbon market, KlimaDAO provides cutting-edge market infrastructure, ensuring transparency and efficiency in carbon trading. Solid World (an NCFA Industry Partner) offers innovative infrastructure solutions pioneering the next generation of carbon market platforms. Solid World's infrastructure stands out for its ability to create a liquid market for prepaid carbon credits that are yet to be issued. This is a game-changer for the Voluntary Carbon Markets, offering predictability of funding and reducing payback times for project developers. The introduction of the CRISP framework further augments the confidence in such projects.  The new prepaid credit pool has launched with 54,050 tonnes of carbon and ...
Solid World KlimaDAO and SCB Group partnership - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Sep 21, 2023 When it comes to warehousing solutions, businesses often stand at a crossroads, wondering whether to invest in fancy permanent storage facilities or go for those temporary warehouse buildings. This decision can really shake up a company's piggy bank and its overall way of doing things. So, let's dive into the cost-benefit stuff of temporary vs. permanent storage solutions, and we'll throw in some interactive and engaging examples to keep things interesting. The Lowdown Storing goods is a big deal for lots of industries, from selling stuff to making stuff to clicking stuff online. Warehouses, those big storage places, they're like the backbone of making sure things stay organized. When you're deciding between temporary and permanent storage, you've got to think about a bunch of things. Let’s check the basics about each storage solution. Temporary Warehouses Before we get all serious about costs, let's talk about temporary warehouse buildings, also known as portable or semi-permanent structures. They have gained popularity for their flexibility and cost-efficiency. These structures are typically made of durable materials like steel or aluminum and can be erected quickly without the need for a concrete foundation. This makes them an ideal choice for businesses looking ...
Image Temporary storage - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Mobile Wallet | Sep 20, 2023 Major American banks like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo are gearing up to launch "Paze", a mobile wallet that will connect directly to the credit and debit card accounts of 150 million customers. The rise of mobile wallets and digital payment solutions by tech companies has been meteoric. Apple Pay, for instance, has seen its user base grow from 60 million to over 500 million in just five years. Such numbers are not just impressive; they're a clarion call for banks to innovate or risk being sidelined. See:  Bank CEOs Defend P2P Payments Network Zelle in Senate Hearing Over Consumer Fraud Handling As banks are increasingly leaning towards partnerships with fintechs, there are rising concerns from regulators. They are wary of the potential risks these collaborations might introduce, especially in terms of customer data and security. Paze - Collaboration Over Competition Paze is not just another mobile wallet. It's a strategic initiative by giants such as JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo. Designed to connect directly to the credit and debit card accounts of a whopping 150 million customers, Paze aims to be the go-to mobile wallet for the ...
Image Paze website - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Payments | Sep 20, 2023 At the 2023 Sibos conference held in Toronto, Swift and Wise announced a strategic partnership aiming to enhance the global cross-border payment options available to financial institutions and their end customers. Enhanced Cross-Border Payments The partnership will allow financial institutions to route Swift payment messages directly to the Wise platform via Wise's Correspondent Services Solution. This integration ensures that Swift customers can leverage the benefits of Wise without undergoing major system overhauls. Wise will utilize Swift's advanced features, including cloud and API connectivity and Payment Pre-validation. The hallmark features of Swift GPI, such as the payment status tracker, will be updated by the Wise Platform to ensure a comprehensive end-to-end view across both networks. See:  Swift’s Blockchain Breakthrough Boosts Global Tokenization Steve Naudé, Managing Director of Wise Platform: We know that banks face a number of challenges when it comes to enhancing their international payments, including that this often requires them to embed technology which is incompatible with legacy infrastructure. By simultaneously leveraging existing payments architecture and optimising payouts using Wise's global network, we are empowering banks to innovate effortlessly. Our network, combined with Swift’s extensive reach and trackability, will make international payments more convenient, ...
Unsplash Museums Victoria bank - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs
Crypto | Sep 20, 2023 Bitbuy, a subsidiary of WonderFi Technologies Inc., has announced a strategic partnership with Localcoin, Canada's largest Bitcoin ATM provider. This collaboration aims to enhance cryptocurrency adoption and accessibility across Canada. Expanding Access to Crypto Localcoin, established in 2017, has been a pioneer in the cryptocurrency ATM sector in Canada. With 920 ATMs, it captures 33% of the cryptocurrency ATM market share in the country.  Localcoin chose Bitbuy for its scale, commitment to the Canadian market, and robust regulatory positioning. Bitbuy's digital asset services will soon power nearly 50% of Canada's Bitcoin ATMs. This is a testament to the scale and reach of the partnership. See:  Bitbuy to Offer Stock Trading to Its Users Bitbuy is on track to surpass 900,000 registered Canadian users by the end of the month, making it one of the country's largest crypto-trading platforms. The platform caters to a diverse user base, including retail and advanced traders, high-net-worth individuals, and institutional clients. This partnership solidifies both companies' positions as leaders in the Canadian cryptocurrency space. This collaboration ensures that Canadians have more touchpoints to access cryptocurrencies, making it easier for both novices and experts to buy or sell digital assets. Improving ...
Unsplash Vardan Papikyan Partnership - Debt vs. Equity Financing: Pros And Cons For Entrepreneurs

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

14 + 17 =