It’s flattering and exciting to hear a friend or family member wants to invest in your startup. It signals that they see the potential of the idea and believe that you can execute on the vision. However, it’s important to proceed with caution.
Advantages of Friends and Family Investing in Your Startup
When starting a business, one of the main challenges entrepreneurs face is securing funding. Friends and family is an often overlooked source of investment funds. While this may not be the right option for everyone, there are several advantages to consider.
- Quitting Your Day Job. Investment from friends and family may provide you with enough capital to transform your side hustle into your full-time gig. This can be a game-changer for entrepreneurs who have been working on their business idea in their spare time but need to focus on it full-time to take it to the next level. Dedicating more time and energy to your startup will often lead to faster growth and success.
- Building an MVP. Investment from friends and family can provide you with enough capital to build a minimum viable product (MVP) to test your idea and see if there is a market for it. This is particularly important for startups that are still in the early stages of development and may not yet have a proven business model. With additional funding, you can invest in market research, product development, and marketing efforts that can help you better understand your target audience and refine your business model. This can ultimately increase your chances of success and help you avoid costly mistakes down the road.
- Community Support. Finally, getting investments from friends and family can help you build a strong support network around your business. Your loved ones may be more invested in your success than strangers who have invested solely for financial gain. They may also be more patient when it comes to seeing a return on their investment, which can be helpful for startups that are still in the early stages of development. Having a community of supporters can also provide you with valuable feedback and insights that can help you improve your business. Your friends and family may be able to provide you with constructive criticism, ideas for new products or services, and referrals to potential customers or partners.
Receiving funding from friends and family can provide several advantages that are worth considering, especially for women, minorities or those without a history in the startup world. For these outsiders, accessing capital in the early days of a company can often be difficult.
The Dangers of Friends and Family Investing in Your Startup
While accepting investments from family members may seem like an easy way to secure funding, it can also come with significant risks.
- Personal Relationships Can Be Affected. Mixing business with personal relationships can sometimes lead to conflicts or misunderstandings that could damage those relationships. For example, if your startup encounters financial difficulties or is unable to provide a return on investment in a timely manner, it could strain your relationship with the investor. They may feel frustrated or resentful toward you for putting their money at risk. Alternatively, if your startup becomes successful and begins generating significant returns on investment, it could also create tension within personal relationships. Friends and family members who did not invest in your company may feel left out or undervalued compared to those who did.
- Legal and Financial Risks. Another danger of accepting investments from family members is that it can create legal and financial risks. It’s important to comply with securities laws and regulations when accepting investments. Failure to do so can result in legal and financial consequences for the company and the investor. One specific issue is whether the investor meets the definition of an accredited investor. In general, an individual needs to be an accredited investor in order to invest in startups. The two most common ways investors meet this requirement are if they have a net worth of $1 million (excluding the value of their primary residence) or if they earn at least $200K per year. To learn more about accredited investors, click here.
- Boundaries. When accepting investments from friends or family members, it can be difficult to maintain professional boundaries. This can lead to conflicts of interest and can make it challenging to make objective business decisions. Furthermore, it’s often difficult to just spend time together without it turning into a business meeting. Do you really want to be talking shop at Thanksgiving dinner?
It’s important to establish clear expectations and boundaries before accepting any investments. This can involve discussing how often you’ll provide updates on the progress of your company, what happens if there are unexpected challenges or setbacks, and how decisions will be made within the company.
Communicating Risks and Potential Rewards of Investing in a Startup
When discussing investment opportunities with friends and family, it’s important to be honest about the risks involved. Startups are inherently risky ventures, and there is a chance that the investment could result in a loss. Statistically speaking, the vast majority of startups fail.
One effective way to communicate these risks is to provide your loved ones with a clear understanding of your company’s competitive landscape and market potential. This can help them see how your business fits into the larger industry and what unique value proposition it offers.
It’s also important to provide regular updates on the progress of your company, including any challenges or setbacks you may encounter along the way. By being transparent about both successes and failures, you can build trust with your investors and demonstrate that you are committed to building a successful business.
In addition to discussing potential risks, it’s important to highlight the potential rewards of investing in your startup. This can include discussing past successes or milestones achieved by the company, as well as outlining future growth opportunities.
Ultimately, effective communication is key when it comes to securing investment from friends and family. By being transparent about both the risks and rewards of investing in your startup, you can build trust with your loved ones and create a solid foundation for long-term success.
Get Legal Counsel
If you choose to accept investment funds from friends and family, it’s essential that both parties seek professional legal and financial advice before accepting any investments. Mixing personal relationships with business means that everyone should have clear expectations going in to avoid tension down the road.
Working with a startup investment attorney will ensure that all legal requirements are met, and the investment agreement terms are fair and transparent for everyone involved. They can also help you understand the potential risks associated with accepting investments from friends and family, such as legal liabilities or conflicts of interest.
If you need legal counsel, feel free to reach out to us here.
Open and Regular Communication with Investors
After making an investment, honest and open communication can help set realistic expectations with your investors. As your company grows and evolves, it is important to keep your investors informed of your progress, challenges and future plans.
One effective strategy for managing expectations is to set clear goals and timelines for achieving them. Then, communicate progress on a regular schedule. By providing regular updates on how you are progressing toward these goals, you can help your investors understand what to expect in terms of returns on investment.
It is also important to be transparent about any challenges or setbacks that you encounter along the way. This can include discussing changes in market conditions, unexpected expenses or pivots in business strategy. By being honest about both successes and failures, you can build trust with your investors and demonstrate that you are committed to building a successful business.
