As important as fundraising is to startups, they also need to find solid investment partners that can provide strategic advice when necessary.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need capital to continued to grow, but money is, I hate to say it, money\u2019s not easy, but money is plentiful,\u201d Zagorski said. \u201cIt\u2019s what comes with that money that\u2019s most important. What you really need to consider is who\u2019s your partner that\u2019s helping you bring those new dollars in, and what are they going to be after those dollars come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best investment partners are ones that are thinking beyond transactions and about the longer-term growth prospects for a company. That view includes those times when businesses face challenges.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen times are good, there are lots of people who want to be your friend,\u201d Zagorski said. \u201cIt\u2019s those that are going to be there when times get tough, when you need strategic advice, when selling your story isn\u2019t a slam dunk to every investor that you meet. Those are the real partners, and that\u2019s who you should look for as a strategic adviser.\u201d<\/p>\n