Kenneth Marks – Handbook of Financing Growth
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What excites you most about your book’s topic? Why did you choose it?
Author: It’s a topic that needs to be addressed given the state of many small businesses; it is away to have a meaningful impact on job creation.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: How long did the book take you from start to finish?
Author: The first edition of the Handbook of Financing Growth evolved over many years with informal and formal research. When we obtain a contract to publish the book …it then took about two years. The 2nd edition took about a year with the updates and revisions.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What aspect of writing the book did you find particularly challenging?
Author: Constantly making the messages and content concise.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What surprised you the most about the book writing process?
Author: The willingness of others in the business and investment community to contribute in a meaningful way.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: Did you have any favorite experiences when writing your book?
Author: I really enjoyed the personal interviews and research. In addition, the development of the capital structure framework for emerging growth and middle-market companies …which is a significant advancement in corporate finance knowledge.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What do you hope your readers will gain from reading your book?
Author:
• View your company holistically with financing being a fully integrated element …proactively manage the capital structure of the company (most leaders are reactive and wait until they need capital to find it instead of managing their financings like the other parts of the company)
• Raise capital when you can, not when you need it
• Structure and terms of a deal are more important than valuation
• Principle – match the funding source with the financing type and the use of funds
• The cheapest capital is usually internally generated or comes from a source that has a reason to care about your company’s success
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What projects are you currently working on?
Author: Beginning to organize a book on mergers and acquisitions for middle-market companies.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: Is writing your sole career? If not, what else do you do?
Author: My primary business activity is advising CEOs, CFOs and boards on strategic issues.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: Did you do any research for your books, or did you write from experience?
Author: Both. We established a database of about 400 funding sources and surveyed this group to provide a factual base of qualitative and quantitative facts to support and calibrate our observations and experiences. We leveraged the experience base of our authors, contributors and validated with research.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: How did you come up with your title?
Author: Focus on what the market needs and will respond to.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What books have influenced you the most?
Author:
• The Bible
• Early in my career …What They Don’t Teach You At Harvard Business School: Notes From A Street-Smart Executive by Mark H. McCormack
• Strategic Selling by Miller & Heiman
• Trusted Advisor by David Maister
• Valuation by Tom Copeland
• Warren Buffet’s annual reports
FASCINATING AUTHORS: Who was your publisher and why did you choose them?
Author: John Wiley & Sons. Chose in 2001.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What are the specific problems/challenges your target market faces that your book and company can solve?
Author:
1. Provides alternative funding techniques and sources for companies being pushed from the commercial banks.
2. How to increase the chances of obtaining funding in a difficult market.
3. How fast a company grow with internally generated funding.
4. What type of financing is right and when.
5. Understanding the role of advisors in the financing process.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: What is the most controversial aspect of your message or book?
Author: Not sure controversial, but could be rather surprising to leaders that haven’t raised capital — raising capital is first about the people and credibility. Our book has surprisingly few formulas and math.
FASCINATING AUTHORS: Thank you for taking the time to be part of this interview!
To learn more about the book and Author, please visit – http://www.handbookoffinancinggrowth.com/
