Top 10 Questions to Ask When Looking for Investors and Board Members

1. Do you really need investors? Can you avoid funding by growing more slowly?
2. How actively involved will your investors be? How actively involved do you want your investors to be?
3. What value beyond money can your investors add (connections, advice, experience)?
4. What is the time horizon for a financial exit that your investors are expecting?
5. What, if anything, are your investors hoping to get out of their involvement beyond just financial return? How would they prioritize those things?
6. Do your investors and board of directors buy into the vision and mission of the company?
7. Would they accept less profits if it meant that the vision could be fulfilled faster?
8. How flexible are your investors and board members in their thinking?
9. Who controls the investors? Who controls the board?
10. Do the core values of your investors and board members match the core values of the company?