New York SBDC Research Network

From Thomasnet According to Bicycling.com, the modern carbon-fiber bike is “a technological marvel” based on its superior strength over traditional metal bikes, at a fraction of the weight. So why isn’t everyone hopping on one of these top-notch bikes to pedal around town? Two reasons – the cost is insane and, say the experts at Bicycling.com, carbon-fiber can be a manufacturing nightmare. Typical problems mostly relate to quality control, in a production environment that requires lots of labor and precision, which is why the Silicon Valley startup Arevo intends to upend the process with 3D printing. The company has a prototype of the first 3D printed carbon-fiber bike, and Arevo hopes to propel the business into manufacturing ASAP. The intention is to partner with existing bike manufacturers and automate the production aspect using a robotic arm.

If you’ve ever been told that you could make easy money and it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Pyramid schemes often sound like enticing business deals, but fraudsters may use this “business model” - to take advantage of you. Before you invest your time and money, it’s important to ask good questions and do some research on the company. Here are some typical characteristics of a pyramid scheme: Emphasis on recruiting No genuine product or service is sold Promises of high returns in a short period of time Easy money or “passive income” (money you earn without doing anything) No demonstrated revenue from retail sales Find more information on identifying pyramid schemes and how to protect yourself at: investor

Venture capitalists (VCs) make you work hard for their money by inundating you with question after question about your fundraising process, your company goals, your founding team, among other things. Many of these questions will seem reasonable. Some will seem ridiculous. But no matter the question, you must have an answer. And your answers better be good. Behind all of this interrogation, there is one key underlying question: what makes you different? Regardless of the variation on the theme, your potential VC is really asking why your business — as compared to others vying for their money — is worth their investment. If you’re ready to join the ranks of funded entrepreneurs, you need to be prepared to answer this key question. How? Read HOW from the ASBDC .

From www.reit.com : Real Estate Investment Trusts, or REITs, are a practical way for all investors to invest in large-scale, income-producing, professionally managed companies that own commercial real estate. As an investment, REITs historically provide portfolio diversification plus strong and reliable dividend income. Publicly traded REITs have demonstrated superior long-term risk-adjusted returns, as well as the liquidity and transparency of public capital markets. Here are answers to fundamental questions about REITs.

I like Entrepreneur magazine and I especially like Guy Kawasaki's column which I have mentioned here before. If you are a dabbler like myself, you will appreciate his succinct and friendly style. I am so behind in my reading that I was reading an older column and then a more recent one came to my attention, so they are both listed here: Garnering Angels "Sure, you may have ventured for VC, but raising angel capital takes a different kind of skill." By Guy Kawasaki Entrepreneur Magazine - January 2008 Explains about angel investors - what motivates them and how seeking an angel is different from looking for venture capital. Another angel investor article on Entrepreneur's site, focuses in particular on an angel network that helps women-owned businesses. Send me an Angel Can you get angel funding to expand your company? By Aliza Sherman Entrepreneur Magazine - October 2007