New Crowdfunding Rules Let the Small Fry Swim With Sharks
New rules will permit anyone, not just the moneyed, to risk $2,000 a year or more investing in small companies in exchange for a stake in the business. Companies can raise up to $1 million a year this way. This change represents an enormous shift, one that essentially permits anyone to become a venture capitalist. (read more)
Wondering where the start up growth is? Check out this list of the hottest entrepreneurial cities.
The latest entrepreneurship study has some good news for the U.S. economy: startup growth is healthier than it’s been in years. 
This year, entrepreneurship grew in 34 of the 40 metros measured, which is the largest increase in the last decade on a national scale. (read more)
The 8 Books Every Entrepreneur Should Read
Walk into a bookstore or browse Amazon and you’ll find hundreds—if not thousands—of books out there that offer up good advice that might help you build a better business. But there’s only so much time in the day. If you had to choose just a handful of high-impact books to help you think about business differently, which ones should you read? (read more)
Rookie Financial Mistakes By Startups
For every start up that succeeds, there are many hundreds that fail despite being highly innovative and well funded. The reasons are many but most are due to financial mismanagement. (read more)
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand words. Photo marketing versus Video Marketing. 
A comparison with regard to their uses with regard to conversions, sales, orders, site visits and subscribers. (read more)
6 Principles for Overcoming Entrepreneurial Adversity
Every entrepreneur knows what it’s like to face adversity. It comes with the territory, and includes cash-flow challenges, fickle customers, belligerent investors and unpredictable economic downturns. The best entrepreneurs tackle these one at a time without losing their stride or their passion. (read more)
5 Necessities for Starting Your Own Business
Starting a business is not like climbing Everest — in fact, 530,000 Americans do it every month. But knowing the common, unforeseen roadblocks new businesses run into will give you a competitive edge and set you up for success. (read more)
6 Ways to Increase Efficiency and Focus
Business moves at supersonic speed. While technology has facilitated easier communication and information gathering, it has also ushered in a new economy in which the common worker can be more readily replaced by technological advancements than ever before. (read more)
Don’t Make this Valuation Mistake When Talking To Investors!
What is Your Company Worth? Tips for Negotiating Your Company’s Valuation. (read more)
Every Aspiring Entrepreneur Should Be Able To Answer These Business Questions
Startups are hard. Really hard. But its worth it. The famous 90 percent of startups that fail is hard to believe. And it sounds horrible. But it’s the bitter truth. (read more)
Digital Advertising Forecast for 2016
Some brands are not as enthusiastic about increasing digital media spending as agencies are, according to the 2016 New Year Outlook Survey. This puzzling finding suggests two things: Brands are still struggling with the complexity of digital, and agencies are finally figuring it out. (read more)
14 Slides You Need To Raise Capital
When it comes to startup fundraising one of the things you need is your pitch deck. This is the story that you are selling to investors your identity, and the first impression that someone will have of your company, brand and products. (read more)
5 Tips For Health Tech Entrepreneurs
Many of the best entrepreneurs are still reluctant to enter the healthcare arena with its perceived high barriers to entry. That’s a shame, because there is no better way to have a real impact on millions of people’s lives and well-being while creating a successful business with significant rewards. (read more)
30 Under 30: Meet The Top Young Investors Of Venture Capital In 2016.
The members of the 30 Under 30 list in Venture Capital for 2016 are outliers, young investors who are disrupting their industry like the founders they support. (read more)
4 Reasons Entrepreneurs Fail
As an entrepreneur, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. First and foremost, you must unconditionally adopt the attitude of “failure is not an option.” (read more)
These are the Marketing Trends to Watch for 2016.
It’s important to plan for the year ahead. These are the biggest trends we’re expecting to see impact marketing in 2016. (read more)
19 New Apps for Entrepreneurs and Startups
Entrepreneur are constantly looking for tools and apps to give them that edge above the competition. These are a few of the best new tools and apps you can use to make your life as an entrepreneur easier or build your company. (read more)
5 Questions You Must Ask to Build A Company that Lasts
You’ve got the great idea. Asking these five questions will help ensure your idea can serve as the solid foundation to build a lasting company. (read more)
7 Daily Habits of Great Leaders
Examine some habits of great business leaders that you can adopt to strengthen your leadership skills. When practiced consistently, these great habits can set you apart and help your business grow. (read more)
The ‘Unicorn’ Club, Now Admitting New Members
Over 100 start-ups have crossed the billion dollar mark valuation threshold, and an analysis from CB Insights showed 50 more are poised to reach this benchmark. (read more)
How to Find Great Startup Advisors
In today’s world where everyone seems to be an “expert” at something, it’s easier than ever for startups to get fooled into hiring advisors who are little more than generic consultants (or, worse yet, total pretenders). (read more)
U.S. Venture Funds Raised $29.8 Billion Last Year, Most Since 2007
U.S. venture capital firms raised $5.6 billion last quarter and $29.8 billion for the year, making 2014 the richest year for venture fundraising since 2007, the National Venture Capital Association said. (read more)
10 Business Philosophies to Guide Your Startup’s Growth
Collectively, education can be boiled down into 10 philosophies that startup founders can use to more effectively grow their businesses. They won’t guarantee success, of course. But if you follow them, you’ll be better prepared for — and less surprised by — the natural turbulence that comes with building and scaling a startup. (read more)
Is Crowdfunding for You? If So, Which Type?
Crowdfunding platforms helped individuals and companies around the world raise $16.2 billion in 2014, according to research firm Massolution. You’re not alone if you are wondering if there’s a type of crowdfunding that might help you raise much-needed capital for your business. (read more)
AmeriFinancial Announces its 4th Client Company for 2015
AmeriFinancial is proud to announce the addition of InformedConsentMD as its 4th new client for 2015. 
InformedConsentMD is an innovative enterprise with a unique platform of proprietary and multiple product lines designed to provide doctors and medical institutions significant protection against malpractice litigation as well as a cost effective, time saving methodology for providing their patients important and informative knowledge regarding their personal healthcare.
5 Questions To Ask Before Signing A Term Sheet
Startups looking for venture capital often struggle to navigate all the different options out there. How do you find the best VC to help turn your startup into a major player? Here are five things to look for when evaluating an investment partner. (read more)
SEC Democratizes Equity Crowdfunding With JOBS Act
The SEC has, after three long years, finally moved on rulings that allow everyday citizens (non-accredited investors) to participate in equity crowdfunding and investment in private start-ups and small businesses. (read more)
6 Myths About Entrepreneurs
Living up to the common conception of an entrepreneur can be overwhelming and it’s important to understand what founders are really like. Read on to debunk six myths about entrepreneurs. (read more)
5 Tips for Avoiding Costly Early Funding Mistakes.
The initial funding stages for a startup can be exciting, frustrating, a lot of hard work, and above all, a whirlwind. But what entrepreneurs need to keep in mind is that what happens during those early stages can have a big impact on your company’s ability to mature and secure additional funding further down the road. (read more)
Entrepreneurs Speak Out On What They Would Have Done Differently.
There is a 2015 survey conducted that polled over 500 entrepreneurs about what they would do differently, if they had the chance to start all over again. (read more)
Why Amazon Has No Profits (And Why It Works)
Amazon has a tendency to polarize people. On one hand, there is the ruthless, relentless, ferociously efficient company that’s building the Sears Roebuck of the 21st Century. But on the other, there is the fact that almost 20 years after it was launched, it has yet to report a meaningful profit. (read more)
5 Startup Tips to Avoid Cash Crash and Burn
Running out of cash is what ultimately kills eight of 10 businesses within 18 months of opening, according to Bloomberg. Here are lessons to keep your business from becoming a cash casualty. (read more)
The Hottest Technology Trends of 2015.
Technology is developing at a steadily growing pace, making long-run forecasts difficult or even irrelevant. Short-run forecasts on the other hand, tend to show far higher success rates. Take a look at five of the most dominant technology trends that are expected to make an impact in 2015 and in the years to come. (read more)
The Top Venture Capital Investors in Early-Stage Startups.
Here is the Entrepreneur Venture Capital list of the top 100 early-stage venture capital firms — a platform highlighting the who’s who of the U.S. start-up ecosystem. (read more)
8 Insights For Attracting Angel Investors.
Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites, and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. But many have no insight or connections to the ethereal angel investment community, which actually funds more startups then all other venture sources combined (over $25 billion annually). (read more)
Series A Is The New Series B
When I moved to Silicon Valley over a decade ago, I thought “venture” meant looking for smart people with great ideas. I’ve learned that’s not true; they’re looking for smart people with great
ideas who are “killing it.” That last bit is a fundamental change and has made modern-day Series A rounds effectively the Series B rounds of the past. (read more)
Best Advice For Future Entrepreneurs: Just Do It.
Over the past 23 years, I have learned the best advice I can give future entrepreneurs is to “Just Do It”. Just take that first step to start your new adventure. (read more)
Will these 5 Models of Crowdfunding Replace Angel and VC Investors?
Even if you ignore all the hype around crowdfunding, there can be no doubt that it is a real alternative for entrepreneurs to achieve visibility and funding today. According to articles on Entrepreneur last year, there are now almost 1,000 crowdfunding platforms in existence, currently estimated to add more than $65 billion and 270,000 jobs to the economy. (read more.)
2015 Is Shaping Up To Be The Key Year For Venture Capital.
Eye-popping is the only word that comes close to describing the numbers we saw in 2014 from venture finance. The valuations accelerated rapidly, with companies like Slack jumping past the billion dollar mark in less than a year of the launch of its enterprise social product. Google announced a massive $542 million round in Magic Leap in October, and Instacart announced that it had reached a valuation of $2 billion following a round led by Kleiner Perkins.How Much Capital Was Invested in 2014. (read more)
The 12 Best-Funded Startups You Probably Never Heard Of Some startups are able to raise huge amounts of cash while still underground. (read more)
8 Deal Breakers That Send Venture Capitalists Running.
Because of the rapid pace with which venture capitalists review investment opportunities, they must employ pattern matching techniques which include identifying common fundraising deal breakers. Fortunately, most deal breakers can be avoided, with a bit of pro-active thought and deft execution. (read more)
Venture capital investment soared in 2014, hitting a high that has not been seen since 2000.
As reported in The Wall Street Journal, $52.12 billion was invested in private companies last year by venture and private equity firms, as well as corporations, hedge funds and mutual funds, according to Dow Jones VentureSource.
Top 10 Early-Stage Venture Capital Deals of 2014.
It’s common for the largest deals to come from bold-faced names, as we saw with Uber, Airbnb, Dropbox and others who expanded in 2014. However, last year’s most interesting developments came from some of the youngest companies. Tracking deal activity at these smaller firms can act as a window into which sectors are poised to grow and how both the funding cycle and startup path is transforming. (read more)
China Venture Investing, Driven by Mobile, Soared to Record Level in 2014.
Venture capitalists opened up the spigot in China in the fourth quarter of 2014, blowing away the previous record for yearly total investment. (read more)
Are platforms transforming tech startup funding?
There is an old saying that the Silicon Valley will only invest in companies less than an hours drive from their office. This highlights the nature of the startup investment world. However, the internet is transforming every industry and it is slightly ironic that the investment community has been slow to embrace the technology they invest in. Platforms are starting to have a profound effect as they dis-intermediate some of the current players. (read more)
Looking for Funding? Consider These 3 Must-Know Tips for Startups.
Think you’re ready to pitch investors? Not so fast. Too many entrepreneurs rush to seek funding without having a strong handle on their own business or on investors’ needs. Here is what to keep in mind. (read more)
The 9 Reliable Ways to Raise Funding for Startups.
I have been in the situation and know “How to raise funding for startups” is one of the common questions that every new entrepreneur wants answers to. My answer always is that there is no magic formula to this. (read more)
The 3 Biggest Obstacles to Entrepreneurial Success.
While many people dream of starting their own business, not everyone takes the plunge. Sometimes, success or failure depends less on external factors and more so on an entrepreneur’s mindset. Here are the three biggest psychological impediments to entrepreneurial success and how to overcome them. (read more)
How To Avoid A Perfect Start-up Storm.
There are consistently five conspiring factors that create what you might call a “Perfect Start-Up Storm”. Yet the self-inflicted decisions bringing it about can be avoided. (read more)
7 Habits of Remarkably Successful Start-up Entrepreneurs.
All successful entrepreneurs may be different from one another–but not in certain key ways. On the surface, successful entrepreneurs seem to be the same as everyone else. But look closely and you’ll see that in a few ways they are very, very different–and so is how they start and run their businesses. (read more) Taking On Giants 
What does an upstart need to take on a giant and win? Nothing but bravery, good people and a great idea. Established companies may not take notice of you at first, but that can become an advantage for you. Article by Richard Branson, the Founder of Virgin Group (read more)
Choose an Investor Like You Would a Spouse.
One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is thinking that procuring financing for their start-up is a win if they get the money. But securing the money can be disastrous if it’s not from the right people. (read more)
30 Under 30: The Top Young Investors Of Venture Capital.
To build a transformative new company, entrepreneurs need more than a big idea. The job often takes years of focus and grueling work. So when founders look to raise money to help grow their businesses, they traditionally look to venture capitalists with battle scars, longtime investors who have built their own companies and seen it all before. However, a new crop of investors is poised to prove tradition wrong. (read more)
5 Common Financial Mistakes to Avoid
As an entrepreneur, you can make many financial mistakes. However, once you know the potential missteps, you can take simple steps to avoid them. Here are the top five financial mistakes startups make and how to steer clear. (read more)
10 Truths We Forget Too Easily.
It’s surprising how easy it is to lose sight of the important things in life. Busy schedules and weekly routines have a tendency to put the brain on autopilot. Some of life’s essential truths need repeating. Keep this list handy and give it a read any time you need a boost. (read more)
8 Steps For Entrepreneurs To Avoid The Ego Trap.
Not all entrepreneurs have a background to start from a position of strength, but all have the ability to learn and the passion to succeed. (read more)
Apple Gunning to Start Production of the ‘iCar’ in 2020.
Apple has been secretly working on building its own car, reports say, and the company is pushing its people to get the car ready for production as early as 2020. (read more)
The 9 Reliable Ways to Raise Funding for Startups.
‘How to raise funding for startups” is one of the common questions that every new entrepreneur wants answers to. My answer always is that there is no magic formula to this. There are may creative ways to fund your startup. (read more)
Ten Tips for Closing an Angel Round.
Angel investment is the biggest source of early stage capital for early stage tech startups. It is crucial to understand how to interact with this important group. Following these tips will improve your chance of receiving the investment you seek and closing your funding round as rapidly as possible. (read more)
The Next Wave of Billion-Dollar Start-Ups
Acquisitions of unicorns, or young tech companies valued at more than $1 billion, were a hallmark of 2014. Venture-capital information keeper CB Insights reported 38 new tech companies have become worth $1 billion or more in the last year. (read more)
What’s More Important in Business: A Good Idea, or Just Good Timing?
Say you’re creating a company. You probably want to make sure it has competent managers, a good idea, maybe even a snappy name. All important factors, sure. But, like so many things in life, what if success in business is all really just a matter of timing? (read more)
Do You Have What It Takes To Be A Successful Entrepreneur?
As an entrepreneur, you’ll have all of the freedom in the world to be your own boss, but this requires a keen responsibility to keep the bottom line healthy, too. Entrepreneurs must understand that the buck stops with them and no one else…it is their game to win or lose! (read more)