????4.展示進步和創業者“自身的資金投入”。與其說自己需要啟動資金，不如說自己已經自籌資金建立了一個樣板，但還需要資金將其推向市場，后者更有說服力。我們都見過這樣的人，他們說得天花亂墜，但從未付諸于行動。

????5.融資按部就班，不求一蹴而就。我們都想獲得一百萬美元的融資，“一步到位”地建造自己夢想的公司。但創業者幾乎不可能找到一位愿意出這么多錢作為啟動資金的人。以三四個月為期設置一些里程碑，展示取得的成果，然后再要求進一步的投資。

????6. 告知風險，立字為據。一定要向天真的親朋好友們坦率的說明創業的固有風險——至少有70%的初創企業可能會在開張前5年倒閉！不要從無力承受損失的家人或朋友那里拿錢。務必要仔細想想創業一旦失敗，資金投入損失殆盡的后果。

????7.一步一步地顯示遞增的價值。創業者依然在開發核心產品的時候，需要設法用外圍產品獲得市場的某種認同。在高科技領域，這叫做“盡早推出，查漏補缺（release early and iterate）”，這種方式可以讓創業者一邊開發產品，一邊根據市場變化對其進行修正，這樣做還可以讓早期的支持者看到企業的進步。

????8.融資未動，人脈先行。結交天使投資人或風險資本家，建立人脈的時候，掌握一個實實在在的項目（而不僅僅是一個想法）可以帶來非常積極的效果。因為，這樣才能切實擁有可資討論的東西，也才能算得上是名符其實的創業者。先跟投資人建立友誼，就手頭真是的項目想他們征求意見，接下來或許就可以開口要錢了。

????總體而言，不要僅僅只把家人和朋友僅僅視為最后的資金渠道。從熟人（而不是一位職業投資者）那里獲得創業資金可以帶來巨大的好處。它不僅可以讓親朋好友分享利潤，還能為創業者積累起具有戰略性意義的信譽度。

????我希望以上這些對有志創業的人來說都已經是常識，除此之外，別無他法。然而，作為一位專業投資人，我經常碰到一些陌生人，上述幾點他們連一項都沒有做到，就來向我申請高達100萬美元的創業資金。這種事總是讓我驚訝不已。

????我們都聽說過這樣的悲劇，一些人因為別人的發財夢而蒙受經濟損失，最終撕裂了親情和友情。在這些故事中，充當傻瓜的不僅是創業者，還包括他們的融資伙伴。但愿你不是。

????本文作者Martin Zwilling是職業創業家公司（Startup Professionals Inc.）創始人兼CEO。

????譯者：任文科

????4. Demonstrate progress and your own "skin in the game." Saying that you need money to start is not nearly as convincing as saying that you have built a prototype on your own dime, but need more to roll it out. We all know people who can talk a good game, but never get around to building anything.

????5. Ask for the minimum rather than the maximum. We would all love to have a million dollars of funding to "do it right" and build the company of our dreams. But your chances are minimal of finding someone who will give you that much to start. Set some milestones for three or four months out, and show what you can do, then ask for more.

????6. Communicate the risks, and write down the agreement. Be honest with na?ve family members and friends about the inherent risks of a startup – at least 70% fail in the first five years. Don't take money from family or friends who can't afford to lose it. Think hard about the consequences of a possible startup failure and the loss of their funding.

????7. Show some incremental value along the way. Look for ways to get some traction with a minimal product, while you are still developing the main event. In high technology, this is called "release early and iterate," which allows you to make corrections as you go, as well as adjust for the market changes. It also shows progress to early backers.

????8. Network to build investor relationships before you ask for money. Having a real project, rather than just an idea, is a strong positive when networking for angels or VCs. Now you really have something to discuss, and real credibility as an entrepreneur. Build the friendship first, ask for advice on a real project, then maybe money later.

????Overall, don't think of friends and family funding only as a last resort. There are massive advantages, like sharing profits with friends and family, as well as the strategic credibility than can be gained from funding from someone you know, rather than from a professional investor.

????I hope all of these points seem like common sense to you, and you wouldn't think of handling it any other way. Yet, I'm continually amazed at how often I am approached as a professional investor by strangers asking for a million dollars to fund an idea, without hitting even one of the above points.

????We can all recount horror stories of families and friendships torn apart by money lost on someone else's speculative dream. In these cases both the entrepreneur and the funding partner are the fools. Don't be one.

????Martin Zwilling is CEO & Founder of Startup Professionals Inc.