Info

Mark Moore

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 18:35:38 GMT

Mark Moore is a Senior Business Analyst at the Go BIG Network.His areas of specialty are startup funding and acquisitions.

Mark Moore has over 13 years of entrepreneurial and management experience. As a current business owner with extensive experience in Healthcare, Information Technology, Manufacturing and Operations Mark has assisted in the growth of companies from initial start up to acquisition phases. Mark graduated with a bachelor's degree in business marketing from Franklin University.

Cody Warren

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:56:29 GMT

Cody Warren is a Senior Business Analyst at the Go BIG Network. His areas of specialty include startup funding, market analysis, logistics, and marketing.

He is a dynamic leader who brings a proven ability to balance analytic with creative insights to his daily coaching of entrepreneurs. His clients regularly describe him as conscientious, well organized, and a skilled coach. Cody is a graduate of Bowling Green State University where he double majored in Finance and Marketing.

Cody is an accomplished marathon runner with over 10 marathons under his belt including South Beach, Nashville, Toledo, Cincinnati Cleveland (2 times), Dublin, New Orleans, and Columbus (3 times).

Frequently Asked Questions

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 21:10:03 GMT

STARTUPS

I have a great idea - can you get me funded?

That depends on you.

We can work with you figure out what type of capital may be available to you, who can provide it, and how to put your best foot forward to find it. But no one can guarantee you'll get funded except for the person who writes you the check.

We'd like to think working with us will make this process a lot easier since we've been through it a ridiculous amount of times and can probably help you avoid wasting time and energy in the wrong places.

But ultimately it's going to come down to whether or not a lender, credit provider, investor or someone else with money thinks you are a good bet.

I need funding this month / next week / tomorrow / in five minutes - can you make this happen?

Probably not.

Funding isn't a quick process, and in the business funding realm, there are very few quick fix solutions. This isn't like a payday loan that you can get at a strip mall or a credit card you get an instant approval for.

There are some funding options that can be accessed relatively quickly, but they often require you to have a business that can leverage some of its assets to do so.

For those looking to raise equity capital from angel investors, venture capitalists, private equity investors and such, it's typically a longer process that can easily stretch out from 4 to 6 months if things go well.

What you will hear from us most consistently is that this process is time consuming and challenging. That's why we're here to make it easier.

What types of funding can you help me find?

We try to look as broadly as possible. We can help identify credit, debt, and equity sources which would include business credit lines, SBA loans, commercial mortgages, angel investors, venture capital firms, and private equity among many others.

What we do well is look across all forms of capital so that we give you the best perspective of what your options may be. Then we can help dig in and identify how to put your best foot forward as you approach the right funding source.

Does Go BIG provide funding directly?

No. We provide the tools you need to help find the funding.

Can Go BIG introduce me to investors?

Yes, we can, but it's not our main focus. Our focus is on identifying the right capital sources for your business so that you can spend more time talking to the right people.

Direct introductions are always the best way to meet investors but with almost 10,000 active funding requests going through our Network on any given day, it's not realistic to do this manually.

Do you charge for your service?

For some of our services we do. We offer online paid membership to our site starting at $59 per month which allows you to access our Network of members directly.

We also have a Business Analyst group that works one-on-one with entrepreneurs to help prepare them for funding. These services are typically flat fees starting at around $300.

Can I just call you?

Yes, please do! We have team of Business Analysts that focus specifically on walking entrepreneurs through the startup process. We do this all day for a living, so feel free to leverage our experience here.

Call us at 888-391-7096.

Why isn't this free? I like free.

We like free too, really. We try to balance the cost of offering our help with realistic budgets that we think startups can afford. We're also working on new products and services that we can roll out to our members that will in fact be free. But until Google buys us, we gotta charge something to keep the lights on.

INVESTORS

I'm an investor, how do I use Go BIG?

You can sign up online and we will review your application immediately. To ensure quality and for the safety of our Members we do require at least one phone interview with any new investors before we approve them to be active on our Network.

Is membership free for investors?

Yes. You guys are the ones writing checks so we certainly don't want to inhibit your use of the Network or access to startups looking for funding.

Can I contact startups directly?

Yes you can, through our system. To avoid any potential problems with abuse of the system, we require all initial contact to be routed through our site. Thereafter you're free to take the conversation off Go BIG as you feel necessary.

What types of capital are Go BIG startups looking for?

We assist startups in finding a very broad range of capital from business credit all the way up to private equity and large commercial finance deals. We also cater to just about every industry type from tech companies to real estate to entertainment to fashion. We aim to help all startups at all ends of the capital spectrum.

If you provide a specific type of capital, please let us know in the interview process so that we can help identify more targeted deals for you.

Careers

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:50:18 GMT

Title: Go BIG Network is Hiring Stellar Sales Consultants

Position: Senior Sales Consultant
Location: 1322 Manning Parkway
Powell, OH 43065

Website: www.GoBIGNetwork.com
Contact: careers@gobignetwork.com

At Go BIG Network, we want to help entrepreneurs be significantly more successful.

Here’s your chance to join a fast growing, high-energy, organization solely focused on helping entrepreneurs build great companies.

Job Description

Every day our trained Senior Sales Consultants work with entrepreneurs who have joined the goBIGnetwork.com site to help them grow their business. To date over 300,000 companies have joined Go BIG and we enjoy trying to help as many as we can.

Contacts are made from customers who have already joined Go BIG, and are reached through a combination of email and phone calls. Sales Consultants are responsible for reaching out to and maintaining relationships with clients from initial contact through to the sale.

Clients sign up on goBIGnetwork.com primarily looking for funding for their businesses. Go BIG offers access to its investor network through a self service subscription (starting at $59 per month). However those clients who need personal support or additional services (such as writing a business plan) are offered our consulting services ranging between $400 and $5,000 depending on the program.

Compensation

Our compensation plan is a 40/60 partnership with our team members, with no ceiling. Sales Consultants receive a 40% commission on all of their sales plus additional bonuses for supporting our clients over time. The average Senior Sales Consultant earns between $5,000 and $8,000 per month in take home commissions.

Position Requirements

- A genuine interest in Entrepreneurship
- The ability to consult AND close.
- The ability to manage sales opportunities through a sales cycle
- Effective pipeline management and utilization of a CRM system to track sales opportunities
- Outstanding communication skills - you're talking to very smart entrepreneurs
- Aptitude for basic customer service and sales techniques.
- Professional appearance and demeanor.
- A positive attitude and desire to help your clients.

What You'll Take Away

If you love entrepreneurship, this is better than any MBA or class you could ever take. You'll learn about all aspects of growing a startup company from identifying a market opportunity to securing your first round of Venture Capital. In the process you'll have the opportunity to help some of the millions of new startups become a reality.

Our Environment

We work in a casual, fun atmosphere. Not the kind of "casual, fun atmosphere" that a big corporation tells you about and then sticks you in a cubicle and ties you to some horrible middle manager.

Our offices are located in Powell, nestled over a beautifully wooded ravine with floor to ceiling windows of natural light. You can literally see chipmunks playing while you're on the phone. An outdoor patio surrounds the building with deck chairs and picnic tables which is great in the Spring and totally useless in the Winter.

The team is experienced and highly energetic. We are all entrepreneurs ourselves. We want to conquer the world, and we look for people who share our passion.

What We Do

Go BIG helps entrepreneurs start and grow successful companies. Every day our team helps entrepreneurs start their businesses, craft business plans, and pitch investors. To date, we have helped thousands of entrepreneurs obtain millions in funding and grow their businesses. It's what we love to do and we're looking for people who share our passion.

About Our Founder

Go BIG was built for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Our Founder, Wil Schroter, has built 8 startup companies in the past 17 years from pure startups to companies surpassing $2 billion in sales. His startups include Blue Diesel (now inVentiv), Swapalease.com, Go BIG Network, Bizplan.com, GotCast.com, Unsubscribe.com, Affordit.com, and Virtucon Ventures. Wil has been recognized by the Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the Year Award and the U.S. Small Business Association Young entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Business Planner

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 18:43:40 GMT

Title: Go BIG Network is Hiring a Business Plan Writer

Position: Business Plan Writer
Location: 1322 Manning Parkway
Powell, OH 43065

Website: www.GoBIGNetwork.com
Contact: careers@gobignetwork.com

At Go BIG Network, we want to help entrepreneurs be significantly more
successful.

Here’s your chance to join a fast growing, high-energy, organization solely
focused on helping entrepreneurs build great companies.

Job Description

We need a startup company business plan writing nerd - someone that
absolutely loves startup companies the way we do!

We work with thousands of startup company entrepreneurs every month in an
effort to help them launch their companies. We need someone who can join
our team to help these entrepreneurs craft well-articulated business plans
that investors will love.

Different writers have different specialties. We're looking at smart people
who can create as many of these documents as possible:

Elevator Pitch. We take a big idea and help an entrepreneur pare it down to
just a couple sentences. This can take weeks even with the best
entrepreneur, so your ability to communicate and revise effectively is
critical.

Pitch Deck. Mastery at the art of PowerPoint. You know and love
Microsoft's dated and archaic slide software and can make it sing songs for
you. We create beautiful pitch decks for our clients to help them present
their ideas to investors and partners.

Business Plan. The meat of the deliverables including a strong presentation
of the mechanics of the business, its operations, and the people behind it.
You have a great understanding of marketing plans, financial plans, and
operational plans. You put together beautiful gantt charts because you can.

Projections. You understand how to get a company to $100 million in revenue
in 4 years, even if they don't. You can work backward from key assumptions
and build up forecasting models that hold up. You never use the phrase
"this is conservative" because you know projections aren't.

Financials. You can create Income Statements, Cash Flow Projections,
Balance Sheets, and Pro Forma Projections. You have a strong command of the
world of Excel, and a Pivot Table is your friend.

Market Research. You can tell a client how many coffee shops serve Espresso
in Boca Raton (answer: 53). You understand how to use "the InterWebs" to
find key pieces of data that can hold up financial forecasts. You know what
TAM means.

Each plan writer works directly with our clients to gather requirements and
manage their project to completion. We have a great deal of domain
expertise that we want to be able to share with you in order to provide the
benefit of our experience to our clients.

We will spend lots of time teaching you the tricks of the trade.

Compensation

Compensation is a combination of base plus performance based on number of
plans completed to the satisfaciton of our clients. We want to combine
quality with efficiency and we will develop a plan customized to your work
habits to help balance this with you.

Position Requirements

- A genuine interest in Entrepreneurship
- The ability to consult AND close.
- The ability to manage sales opportunities through a sales cycle
- Effective pipeline management and utilization of a CRM system to track
sales opportunities
- Outstanding communication skills - you're talking to very smart
entrepreneurs
- Aptitude for basic customer service and sales techniques.
- Professional appearance and demeanor.
- A positive attitude and desire to help your clients.

What You'll Take Away

If you love entrepreneurship, this is better than any MBA or class you could
ever take. You'll learn about all aspects of growing a startup company from
identifying a market opportunity to securing your first round of Venture
Capital. In the process you'll have the opportunity to help some of the
millions of new startups become a reality.

Our Environment

We work in a casual, fun atmosphere. Not the kind of "casual, fun
atmosphere" that a big corporation tells you about and then sticks you in a
cubicle and ties you to some horrible middle manager.

Our offices are located in Powell, nestled over a beautifully wooded ravine
with floor to cieling windows of natural light. You can literally see
chipmunks playing while you're on the phone. An outdoor patio surrounds the
building with deck chairs and picnic tables which is great in the Spring and
totally useless in the Winter.

The team is experienced and highly energetic. We are all entrepreneurs
ourselves. We want to conquer the world, and we look for people who share
our passion.

What We Do

Go BIG helps entrepreneurs start and grow successful companies. Every day
our team helps entrepreneurs start their businesses, craft business plans,
and pitch investors. To date, we have helped thousands of entrepreneurs
obtain millions in funding and grow their businesses. It's what we love to
do and we're looking for people who share our passion.

About Our Founder

Go BIG was built for entrepreneurs by entrepreneurs. Our Founder, Wil
Schroter, has built 8 startup companies in the past 17 years from pure
startups to companies surpassing $2 billion in sales. His startups include
Blue Diesel (now inVentiv), Swapalease.com, Go BIG Network, Bizplan.com,
GotCast.com, Unsubscribe.com, Affordit.com, and Virtucon Ventures. Wil has
been recognized by the Ernst & Young entrepreneur of the Year Award and the
U.S. Small Business Association Young entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Trevion Blanding

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:43:01 GMT

Trevion Blanding is a Senior Business Analyst at Go BIG Media. He is a Startup Specialist and team expert in Business Financing and Investor Relations.

Trevion is a highly sought after consultant for his effective strategic planning and client relations skills. He has several years of experience working with entrepreneurs and business professionals in the networking and financial industries as well as the faith-based community.

As Vice President of Connect Your Life, Trevion was responsible for coordinating events, securing nationally renowned speakers and providing an atmosphere conducive to cultivating and exchanging ideas, information, and opportunities. These events were attended by thousands of business professionals and entrepreneurs nationwide.

As Director of Development for The Raney Center for Faith Based Research, Trevion was responsible for designing, implementing and managing all fundraising activities including annual giving, endowment and capital campaigns, special projects, and other school-related solicitations. Through his efforts, he secured a significant amount in funding for the Center.

His professional success and personal accomplishments have allowed him to sit on several boards of up and coming companies. He currently advises clients in all 50 states in the areas of startup funding, business development, customer acquisition strategies, and sales strategies.

He is also a public speaker in the areas of entrepreneurship, goal setting, and relationship building.

His ultimate goal with Go Big Media is to put his clients in the best position to succeed financially and personally by developing a strategy tailored to their needs. His ability to connect like-minded individuals with shared goals contributes to the financial and personal success of his clients.

Our Services

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:29:43 GMT

Thank you for your interest in our services. To ensure that you receive the products and services right for your situation, please call 888-391-7096 to speak with one of our business analysts.

Our analysts are also able to offer helpful advice on the funding process and associated services.

Privacy Policy

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:09:44 GMT

The privacy of Go Big Network users and their information is extremely important to Go Big Media and we take this matter very seriously. All users of the Go Big Network are covered by the following Privacy Policy. The Go Big Network reserves the right to update this Privacy Policy. If required to do so, or it is in our best interest, Go Big Media may release user information in compliance with law enforcement agencies.

In order to secure your personal information, all communications between you and the Go Big Network website are secured. Furthermore, your personal information cannot be accessed by other users. Therefore, other users will never be able to see this private information. Moreover, Go Big Media will never share your contact information with another user, unless requested to do so by you.

Persons under the age of 18 are prohibited from using the Go Big Network and any associated services. These individuals are therefore not authorized to submit any private information to the system and Go Big Media accepts no liability for such actions.

The Go Big Network

The Go Big Network is an online service that allows business professionals to connect and interact with one another. Users are represented on the site with personal profiles. You choose the information in your profile and therefore control what can be seen by other users. The Go Big Network must collect certain pieces of information in the normal course of its business and Go Big Media retains the ownership rights to this information.

Primary Information Types

There are several primary types of information that are collected including Contact, Profile, and Internet information. In the future, credit card information may also be accepted for membership fees and other services. Go Big Media is in no way limited to the collection of only this type of information and may deem it necessary to collect other data. You will be notified if any changes are made to this policy via a posting on this website.

Contact Information

Upon registering as a Go Big Network user, certain contact information such as your name, email address, and mailing address may be collected. This serves as an example and is not intended to be a complete list of information that may be collected at registration.

Profile

Following registration, Go Big Network users will be prompted to complete a profile. Current users can also make changes to their own user profile. A user profile may contain, but is not limited to, your name, a personal statement, your work experience, goals, and any items contained on a resume. You should use good judgement about the information that you post in your profile since this can be viewed by others on the Go Big Network. Your personal contact information CANNOT be viewed unless you release this information. Addtionally, the information in your profile can be edited at your discretion at any time.

Internet

As part of our efforts to provide better services to Go Big Network users, Go Big Media collects certain information related to the Internet and your computer. In order for us to analyze trends and provide superior service to our users, Go Big Media retrieves the web address (URL) of both the website that you visited directly before and directly after visiting the Go Big Network site. We also receive certain other information about your personal computer such as the unique IP address. Go Big Media also follows a standard practice of using cookies and logs to analyze website usage. Cookies a extremely small files that are stored on your computer and help us to provide you with a better experience by automatically recalling your preferences each time you visit our site. Cookies will not harm your computer in any way and can be deleted at any time.

Third party vendors, including Google, show your ads on sites on the internet.
Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website.
Users may opt out of Google's use of cookies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page. (Alternatively you can point users to opt out of a third party vendor's use of cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt out page.)

User Accounts

You may make changes to your Go Big Network account and any associated preferences at any time. To make changes, you must log onto the Go Big Network and make any edits through the My Go Big section. You may also request to terminate your Go Big account. To request a removal of your account, please contact us.

System Generated Emails

As part of the normal functioning of the Go Big Network, users may receive email requests from Go Big Media or for contact from other users. Additionally, Go Big Media will send you system generated emails and promotional materials. These communications may begin during the registration process and continue while your account remains on the Go Big Network. If you wish to opt out of promotional emails, please contact us and specify your request. You can adjust the frequency of emails that you receive by making these changes in the My Go Big section of your account.

Affiliate and Partner Services

We do intend to use a third party to verify and process credit card information for any fees or purchases made on the Go Big Network or with Go Big Media. All third parties are required to use your information in a secure manner and only for the purpose given to them and cannot store or release this information. Certain profile information, including contact information, may be released to our affiliates and partners for the purpose of marketing and improving our service to you.

If you have a question about this privacy policy, please contact us or write to us at:

Attn: Privacy Policy
Go Big Media, LLC.
1322 Manning Pkwy
Powell, Ohio 43065 USA

Refund Policy

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:42:30 GMT

In a perfect world everyone would love what they bought and refunds would never be necessary. But the world isn't quite that perfect, hence the obligatory Go BIG Refund Policy.

Go BIG Refund Policy:

If we made a mistake somewhere, we'll work with you to quickly resolve the matter. Go BIG Network does not offer refunds outside of an internal error.

Under no circumstances shall the Go BIG Network be held responsible for overdraft charges incurred from your financial institution as a result of any purchases or renewals through or in connection with our websites. It is the sole responsibility of you as a customer to ensure "overdraft fees," "overage fees," or "overlimit" or any other fees from your financial institution do not occur by taking the necessary action to avoid them. Furthermore, Go BIG is not liable for any fees incurred due to billing errors.

Subscriptions

Subscriptions are billed on a monthly recurring basis. Your card will be debited the full purchase amount on the date of your purchase. All subsequent renewals will be billed on thirty day increments from your first renewal date until you cancel your monthly Subscription. We will not refund "un-used" portions of a Subscription. If you decide to cancel, we simply stop all further billing and your subscription will expire at the end of your current billing period.

Requests

Requests are billed on a monthly recurring basis. Your card will be debited the full purchase amount on the date of your purchase. All subsequent renewals will be billed on thirty day increments from your first renewal date until you cancel your monthly Request. We will not refund "un-used" portions of a Request. If you decide to cancel, we simply stop all further billing and your subscription will expire at the end of your current billing period.

Pro Subscriptions

Pro Subscriptions are billed on a monthly recurring basis. Your card will be debited the full purchase amount on the date of your purchase. All subsequent renewals will be billed on thirty day increments from your first renewal date until you cancel your monthly Pro Subscription. We will not refund "un-used" portions of a Pro Subscription. If you decide to cancel, we simply stop all further billing and your subscription will expire at the end of your current billing period.

Contacting Go BIG with a Refund Issue

If we made a mistake with your billing please contact us through our Contact Us form.

Ilya Bodner

Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:01:36 GMT

Ilya Bodner is the Senior Vice President of Consulting for the Go BIG Network. Ilya has over 10 years of experience as a successful entrepreneur in which he has successfully launched, managed, and sold off several businesses.

For the past 5 years, Ilya has specialized in helping entrepreneurs find the funding they need to start and grow their businesses. Over this period, Ilya has helped thousands of entrepreneurs access millions of dollars in capital.

Ilya holds a Bachelors Degree from the Ohio State University as well as a Masters in Business Administration (MBA).

His Advice:
Over the course of the last 10 years as an entrepreneur I have successfully launched, managed, and sold off several businesses. Each organization has added some value to my understanding of the business world today. My philosophy has been that 9 things out of 10 that I try will fail, but that golden one is always worth the battle. In my experience that has proven to be the case and my successful businesses still operate today under the management of those whom I have sold off to.

Contact Us

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:53:48 GMT

Unlike big faceless companies that try to hide behind complicated voice message systems and overseas call centers, we actually encourage our members to hop on the phone and chat with us directly.

We get to spend all day on the phone with entrepreneurs just like us talking about big ideas and helping them figure out how to find capital. We enjoy the calls, so give us a ring.

Customer Support

888-391-7095

support@gobignetwork.com

Business Analysts

888-391-7096

A quick note about Business Analysts:

Our Business Analysts can help you identify what types of capital may make sense for your business, but they also offer consulting services on a paid basis like any lawyer, accountant, or Web designer. You're free to spend time asking questions and getting to know them, but any longer term engagement will carry a small fee.

Craig Talley

Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:12:29 GMT

Craig Talley is the Vice President of Investor Relations at the Go BIG Network.

Craig brings over 25 years experience in senior management and executive level positions with various companies including Go Big Network, Alycone Inc., Possitivity, Verify, Inc., Goodrich Aerostructures, Honeywell (Manufacturing Systems Division), and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of America.

His primary expertise is in the areas of business development, sales, operations, manufacturing, supply chain, industrial engineering, quality assurance, and management consulting.

Craig is a graduate of The Ohio State University, where he received Bachelor of Science Degrees in both Operations Research and Economics. He has co-authored multiple publications on shop floor automation, decision support systems, manufacturing process improvement, and white-collar productivity measurement and improvement.

He also received the Institute of Industrial Engineers award for "Best Project Performed by an Industrial Engineer" for his work in white-collar productivity and work methods improvement.

Testimonials

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 20:51:12 GMT

Music Production Funding

Name: Robert Green

Location: Connecticut

Industry: Music Production Company

Goal: To obtain $1.5MM in funding for a music production company.

Goal Reached: 100% of $1.5 Million
Read the case study...

Real Estate Construction

Name: Larry Williams

Location: Cary, North Carolina

Industry: Real Estate Construction

Business: Gemini Homes

Goal: To obtain $1MM in funding to for construction projects.

Goal Reached: 100% of $1MM
Read the case study...

Family Fun Center

Name: Charles Whitman

Industry: Family Fun Center

Goal: Obtain funding to build a family fun center.

Goal Reached: $2MM in Equity Funding
Read the case study...

Movie Production Company

Name: Curtis Green

Location: Los Angeles, California

Industry: Movie Production

Goal: To obtain funding to produce his latest movie.

Goal Reached: 100% of $100,000
Read the case study...

Home Remodeling Business

Name: Aaron Ward
Location: Colorado Springs, CO
Industry: Real Estate
Goal: Financing for home flipping business
Goal Reached: 100% of $20,000
Read the case study...

Rental Property Funding

Name: William Stringer

Location: Gahanna, OH

Industry: Real Estate

Goal: Raise $150,000 for Rental Properties

Goal Reached: 100%
Read the case study...

Real Estate Funding

Name: Lonnie Heward

Location: Michigan

Industry: Real Estate Appraisals

Goal: To obtain up to $20k for his business.

Goal Reached: $15,000
Read the case study...

Video Game Funding

Name: David Allen

Location: Phoenix, AZ

Industry: Online Video Gaming
Company: Quest Online, LLC

Goal: To receive funding for his gaming company.

Goal Reached: FUNDED
Visit their Website...

"We secured funding to grow our Media Company!..The daily notices are key – I review them every day, and if they seem like a good match, I contact them with our “introduction Email”. This is how we found Greg. It just takes time, patience, and a solid foundation."

Media Company Funding

Name: Danielle Spandau

Location: Boca Raton, FL

Industry: Multi-Media Marketing and Production
Company: Multi-Media Marketing and Production, Inc.

Goal: To receive funding for an ESPN2 TV Series

Goal Reached: FUNDED
Visit their Website...

"We secured the funding we needed (for ESPN2 TV Series)!..After only 1 month of posting I received over 25 contacts from investors and capital investment groups… and was able to secure the funding we needed. In addition, I found an executive producer and partner that I was looking for, to take my independent television shows and production company international. Thank you for putting together such great services for companies looking for funding. I would recommend Go Big Network to any small or large business looking to expand and find the additional funds to do so."

Healthcare Company Funding

Name: Justin Fontenot

Location: Abbeville, LA

Industry: Professional Medical Staffing Company
Company: Symmetric Healthcare Staffing

Goal: To receive funding for an ESPN2 TV Series

Goal Reached: FUNDED

Visit their Website...

"Secured funding to expand our Healthcare Staffing business..We were able to secure the additional funding we needed to expand our business. Thank you for your time and for helping make the perfect connection. For that, I will forever be grateful."

Medical Software Funding

Name: Ben Lieblich

Location: Akron, OH

Industry: Medical Software Company
Company: Propractica

Goal: To receive funding for a Medical Service Company.

Goal Reached: FUNDED

Visit their Website...

"Got $125k Investment...As ProPractica sought its first growth financing, Go BIG served as a means to find investors in the $50,000 to $150,000 range. ProPractica met a professional investor who focuses on Internet-delivered software and was just beginning to research the healthcare vertical. This investor committed $125,000. "

Fraud Prevention

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 00:29:32 GMT

There are fraudulent people, posing as legitimate investors, and they often prey on an entrepreneur's fund-raising efforts. This is a time when you're most vulnerable, and it doesn't matter what site you're on, someone is willing to prey on you. While Go BIG Network is doing all we can to prevent fraudulent investors from entering the site, there are some things you need to watch for. (Keep in mind these tips are merely guides to help reveal potential danger. There is a possibility legitimate investors may or may not follow some of these practices.) With the following tips, you can better prepare yourself to avoid future situations of fraud.

Don't Invest in Anything Based on Appearances

Just because an individual or company has a flashy web site doesn't mean it is legitimate. Web sites can be created in just a few days. After a short period of taking money, a site can vanish without a trace. Don't judge a person/company by their web site.

Do Your Homework

Don't invest in anything you are not absolutely sure about. Do your homework on the investment to ensure that it is legitimate. Do your homework on the individual or company to ensure that they are legitimate.

Research, Research, Research!

Check out other web sites regarding this person/company. If this is your dream or company, you owe it to yourself, to do the due diligence of really digging deep. If you care, the deal can wait a week until you find out how valid they are.

Be Cautious of Special Investments

Be cautious when responding to special investment offers (especially through unsolicited e-mail). Inquire about all the terms and conditions. Ask about every detail, and get every official paper they have. If they're willing to fund you, they're willing to go the extra mile for your sound mind.

And the last Golden Rule - If it sounds too good to be true it probably is!

Beware of Foreign Funding

The Sophisticated Nigerian 419 Scam is one such scam. Beware of any international “firm” which requires a “fee” to be sent through a wire transfer to a foreign bank. The FBI warns against this and other similar scams. Take a moment to familiarize yourself with other scams where you could be targeted. (http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm).

Guard Against Unaccredited Investors

An accredited investor, according the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is one who:

A bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company; has an individual net worth of or joint net worth with spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of purchase a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

News and Media

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 22:49:50 GMT

Press Releases

Go Big Expands Customer Service Department

Go BIG Network, the biggest online network connecting investors to entrepreneurs and small businesses, announced an expansion of customer service and customized options for members to find resources in the marketplace.

Bizplan.com debuts as new tool to help entrepreneurs prepare for fundraising

Go BIG Network, the biggest online network connecting investors to entrepreneurs and small businesses, introduces BizPlan.com, the leading online business planning solution. Bizplan.com enables entrepreneurs and business owners to quickly easily create a quality business plan to be used in the fundraising process.

Online/Interactive

Top 10 Job Sites to find Rock Star Programmers

"There are plenty of programmers out there, but rock star programmers? They are few and far between. Learn how to locate these gems and keep them happy with the resources (below).You can list your job on Monster, but you're better off listing on a job site that caters to technical workers. These job sites are made with your star programmer in mind."

-HR World

Finally, a Source

"I have long lamented the lack of a small business community online that can provide very small business owners — those who are home-based, solo practitioners or managing just a few employees — with the support and resources they need. I recently checked out GoBigNetwork and I think some of my cries were heard."

-Small Biz Resource

goBIGnetwork: ‘Craigslist for start-ups’

"The idea is useful as it allows VC firms to find good ideas to fund which they might usually miss! Also, start-ups can list vacancies which they need filling."

-Webby's World

The Investor Connection

"Running a small business often requires you to explore multiple options, so another site helpful for making the investor-entrepreneur connection is Go BIG Network."

-TheStreet.com

Print

Making the Most of Online Matchmaking for Small Firms

“Entrepreneurs can create profiles and post ads looking for investors and others to help start their businesses.”

-The Wall Street Journal

Help getting started

"Bounce your ideas off experts in the Getting Started forum at Go Big Network."

-Money Magazine

Reach Out and Find Someone

"If you've got a business plan and are looking for potential investors, you might try Go BIG Network, which aims to connect startups, investors, and job seekers."

-BusinessWeek

Terms of Service

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:24:15 GMT

The Ground Rules

The membership of the Go BIG Network succeeds because of the quality of its members and some basic rules that everyone adheres to. We reserve the right to deny service to any member or prospective member at any time if they do not play by the rules.

No Soliciting. Do not offer to "sell" anything to a member upon first contact. Focus on introducing yourself and the benefits you provide, not outwardly hawking a product or service. If you are a vendor, please contact our B2B partnership services about our Pro Account System.

No Misrepresentation. Please be as honest and forthright about yourself and your offer as possible. Members are encouraged to report any communications that they consider to be misleading or any members that appear to be misrepresenting themselves.

No Leeches. A leech is someone who doesn’t respect the interests of the community and attempts to abuse the system for their own benefit. They take constantly and offer nothing in return. The Network succeeds because of our community’s ability to give. Don’t be a leech.

Legal Disclaimer

This is the Terms of Service agreement for Go Big Media, LLC and the Go Big Network. All Go Big Network users must read and accept every aspect of this and any other agreement or policy provided by Go Big Media. If you do not agree to these terms, you are prohibited from using the Go Big Network or any affiliated services. Moreover, Go Big Media reserves the right to modify this agreement at any time. Your use of the Go Big Network and affiliated services indicates your unconditional acceptance of all changes made to this agreement at any point.

Securities Solicitation Policy

By posting on this site Member represents and agrees that nothing contained herein constitutes an offer to sell or solicitation of an offer to buy any security, and that if any offer or sale of securities is deemed to have occurred by reason of a posting or listing on this Site such offer and sale is made solely to institutional or accredited investors as those terms are applicable under state and federal securities laws. Member agrees that GoBigNetwork provides no services or assistance in connection with any funding request except to provide an efficient means of identifying the Member to potential funding sources and for allowing direct contact between a Member and potential funding sources.

Accredited Investor Affirmation

To be listed on the Go Big Network, each accredited investor affirmatively represents that he/she/it is subject to and will comply with the applicable provisions of securities laws and regulations, including any filing requirement, of each state where registered as accredited.

Trademark Infringement

All names and logos associated with Go Big Media and the Go Big Network are trademarks of Go Big Media, LLC. You may not use any Go Big Media trademark in any manner without Go Big Media's written consent. Furthermore, users may not infringe on any patents, trademarks, or other copyrights of Go Big Network users or any other parties whatsoever.

The Go Big Network

The Go Big Network allows professionals to connect with small businesses, entrepreneurs, investors, customers, vendors, employees and advisors. The Web site acts as a "virtual rolodex" that people like yourself can use at any time to connect with other professionals that can help your business.

Conditions for Membership

For obvious legal reasons, the Go Big Network or any affiliated services may not be used by persons under the age of 18. This same restriction applies to any users suspended or removed from the Go Big Network or any affiliated services. Users are prohibited from transferring or profiting from the transfer of their Go Big Network account to another party. If you do not meet these requirements, you are not eligible to use the Go Big Network.

Terms of Information Use

Go Big Media is authorized to use any information that is provided by Go Big Network users or affiliates. This information is used at no charge from the users and may be used for any purpose associated with Go Big Media, the Go Big Network, or any affiliates. All information that a user posts on the Go Big Network is completely the USER's responsibility. Go Big Media, LLC is not responsible for any misrepresentation of facts or other errors in this content. Go Big Media, LLC strives to ensure the integrity of the information on the Go Big Network, but cannot guarantee the truthfulness of the information that each user provides through the Go Big Network. Go Big Media reserves the right to release any user information or other information if required to do so by law.

Go Big Network Contact System

Go Big Media has created a proprietary messaging system for users to communicate with one another and for Go Big Media to contact these users. Additionally, Go Big Media may communicate with its users via email or other forms of contact in the normal course of business. All users must agree not to abuse the Go Big Network contact system in manner. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in account suspension or termination.

Confidential Information Exchange

All information submitted to the Go BIG Network, including messages, will become property of Go BIG Media. Any investor or entrepreneur on our site requesting to contact any other investor or entrepreneur on our site, does so at their own risk and is solely responsible for conducting any legal, accounting, or due diligence review. Please do not send any confidential information through the Go BIG Network. You're best off using the system to make contact with other Members and then continue any confidential information exchange through your own methods.

Use of the Go Big Network

Your use of the Go Big Network Service must follow the guidelines set forth in this agreement. The Go Big Network may refuse or revoke service or other offerings without prior notice to any user or potential user for any reason. Users must obey all applicable local, national, and international laws associated with the use of the Go Big Network and any affiliated services.

Users take complete responsibility for all activities that occur under their Go Big Network account with or without their prior knowledge or consent. In the event that you discover any unauthorized use of your account, you must immediately notify the Go Big Network so that the proper actions can be taken.

Types of Business Not Supported

Based on past experience, there are a few businesses that we just can't seem to support without throwing the rest of our community up in arms. These include Multi Level Marketers, Home Based Business Services, and just about anything that has to do with pornography or adult entertainment. We reserve the right to cancel or suspend accounts that appear to be related to these types of business. If you're running one of these types of businesses, you will probably have more luck on Craigslist, as they are a more generalized listing service.

User Agreement

Users agree with Go Big Media NOT to use the Go Big Network or any services provided by Go Big Media or its affiliates to:

Commit ANY unlawful acts
Post or "spam" other users on the system with unsolicited advertising or other communications
Harm the Go Big Network, Go Big Media, or any related systems and infrastructure in any way through any means
Collect or resell data containing other users' profile or personal information or any other information on the Go Big Network
Harass other users or anyone else in any way
Misrepresent themselves in any way through profile postings, messages sent to
Go Big Media or other users, or any other method
Commit any actions considered to be unethical or to abuse the Go Big Network system, other associated services, or users
Attempt to deliberately solicit members to leave the Go BIG Network in favor of another related or competitive service

Disciplinary Guidelines

Go Big Media has set in place a listing of disciplinary guidelines for regarding the use of the Go Big Network or any affiliated services. Go Big Media may, but is not obligated to, enforce penalties for breaching these guidelines. Foremost, you agree that the Go Big Network may immediately suspend or terminate your Go Big Network account and all access to the Go Big Network and other services without prior notice. The following will lead to the suspension or termination by the Go Big Network of a user's account 1) violation of this Terms of Service or the User Agreement within this document 2) Violation of any applicable laws 3) A user's request to have their own profile removed 4) Account inactivity.

Account termination will include, but is NOT limited to the previous items and events listed. Go Big Network account suspension or termination includes the complete stoppage of all use of the Go Big Network and any affiliated services. All account suspensions or terminations will be made at Go Big Media's discretion and without necessarily consulting any other parties. Go Big Media is not liable for any damages associated with the suspension or termination of a user's account.

The Go BIG Network will not issue any refunds whatsoever to Members who have violated these Terms of Service. Users further agree to the terms set forth in the Refund Policy.

Extent of Liability

By accepting this Terms of Service agreement, you agree that Go Big Media, LLC and any persons or entities associated or affiliated with Go Big Media are not responsible for any damages to any party as a result of using the services provided or transacting business with Go Big Media or affiliates. Go Big Media reserves the right, but is not obligated, to screen the content that is posted on the Go Big Network for any abusive, false, unreliable or other unacceptable material. However, we cannot guarantee that users will not find such material on this site. We rely a great deal on the Go Big Network user base to help protect the standards and integrity of the Network. Please report any such offenses to Go Big Media so that proper action can be taken. We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to terminate any accounts that are in violation of this Terms of Service Agreement or any other policies that our company maintains. We hold no responsibility for ANY damages caused for any reason to users of our services or to other parties. Furthermore, Go Big Media is not responsible for malfunctioning features or services that may hinder your use of the Go Big Network or its offerings or cause damages to any party. We will do our best to provide a fully functioning service with complete integrity at all times, but this cannot in any way be guaranteed. Go Big Media will not be held responsible for the actions of other users on the Network or outside parties that disrupt the normal functioning of the network.

Membership on Go BIG Network does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation by Go BIG Network of an offer to buy any investment interest in the business ventures of members. The actual sale or purchase of an investment interest shall be a private and independent transaction between the members without any participation by Go BIG Network. In no event will Go BIG Network be liable for any loss of earnings or any other commercial damages, losses or expenses arising out of or in correlation with an independent transaction, agreement, or interaction between site members.

If you have any questions or would like to report any violations of these Terms of Service or other policies set forth by Go Big Media, please contact the following:

Attn: Terms of Service

Go Big Media, LLC.

1322 Manning Pkwy

Powell, Ohio 43065 USA

About Us

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:20:52 GMT

On any given day Go BIG manages up to 10,000 active requests for funding by entrepreneurs looking to start everything from restaurants to real estate ventures to the next big technology play. By this point we’ve seen just about every type of idea you could imagine.

What We Do

Go BIG helps entrepreneurs by offering guidance throughout the fundraising process from identifying a solid capital raising strategy to finding investors to preparing the pitch.

How We Charge

Many entrepreneurs use our Network to identify potential capital partners and reach out to them. We charge a small monthly fee (starting at $59) for those that want to access our service.

Others need a little bit more help, from finding the right capital raising strategy to writing a business plan. For that we have a Business Consulting group that charges small fees starting at $300 for help.

Of course there's a ton of content on our site that's free and we highly encourage you to spend some time on it. We're trying to demystify the funding process and make it easier for startups to get started.

What We Don't Do

We're not capital brokers. We're not lenders. We're not investors. We can't guarantee you'll find funding with us - no one can (unless they are writing the check themselves!).

We don't take commissions on raising capital. We don't "shop" your deal for you. We're here to help you make sense of this process and speed it up, but at the end of the day it's still up to you to cross the finish line.

About the Company

Go BIG was founded in 2004 and is located in both Santa Monica, California and Columbus, Ohio.

Scam Prevention

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:20:06 GMT

Scam artists, posing as legitimate investors, often prey on an entrepreneur’s fund-raising efforts. This is a time when you’re at your most vulnerable, and when you are willing to take the first deal that may cross your desk. While Go BIG Network is doing all we can to prevent fraudulent investors from entering the site, there are some things you need to watch for. (Keep in mind these tips are merely guides to help reveal potential danger. There is a possibility legitimate investors may or may not follow some of these practices.) With the following tips, you can better prepare yourself to avoid scamming.

Meet Face-to-Face

Meeting a potential investor face-to-face is critical. If an investor is about to invest several hundreds of thousands of dollars into a business idea, the investor should be eager to meet with you. If not, beware.

No Money Up Front

Generally, investors will not ask for money up front, and they will not ask you to wire it to them. If you ever have questions or concerns ask the investor. If the investor is unwilling to answer to your satisfaction, then move cautiously before entering into an agreement.

Beware of Foreign Funding

Guard Against Unaccredited Investors

An accredited investor, according the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is one who:

A bank, insurance company, registered investment company, business development company, or small business investment company;

has an individual net worth of or joint net worth with spouse, that exceeds $1 million at the time of purchase

a natural person with income exceeding $200,000 in each of the two most recent years or joint income with a spouse exceeding $300,000 for those years and a reasonable expectation of the same income level in the current year

a trust with assets in excess of $5 million, not formed to acquire the securities offered, whose purchases a sophisticated person makes.

(For additional information accredited investors visit http://www.sec.gov/answers/accred.htm)

Our Founder - Wil Schroter

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:15:32 GMT

Go BIG was founded in 2004 by serial entrepreneur Wil Schroter.

Wil has started 8 companies in the past 17 years, from startups to companies that are now public with over $2 billion in sales.

Along the way he's learned an awful lot about financing companies.

His last three companies Affordit.com, GotCast.com, and Unsubscribe.com, are venture-backed by over a dozen well-respected venture investors.

In addition to starting companies, Wil also writes about them. His book, Go BIG or Go HOME details key strategies to growing startups bigger and faster. He's also a nationally syndicated columnist as well as a contributor to Forbes, TechCrunch, and VentureBeat.

Wil has been recognized by both the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the U.S. Small Business Association Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award (back when he was actually young).

Here are the companies Wil has started...

Helps small businesses afford big purchases

Funded by -

Bessemer Venture Partners
Founders Fund
Crosscut Ventures
Baroda Ventures
Mark Goines (Morganthaler Ventures)
Mark Suster (GRP Ventures)
Jim Armstrong (Clearstone Venture Partners)

Helps people get rid of unwanted junk mail with the push of a button

Funded by -

First Round Capital
Charles River Ventures
Draper Fisher Jurvetson
SV Angel / Ron Conway

Helps aspiring talent find roles on television

Funded by -

NCT Ventures

Wil also started quite a few companies on his own dime. They included:

One of the first and largest interactive Web agencies

Self Funded with $37
Sold to inChord Communications, then to Ventiv
Grown from a small company to over $2 billion in sales

Helps entrepreneurs find funding

Self Funded
Over 300,000 Members
Largest network of entrepreneurs and professional investors

Allows car lease holders to walk away from their car leases

Self Funded
Largest automotive online leasing marketplace

Online business planning tool

Self Funded
Most comprehensive online business planning tool

Virtucon Ventures

Incubator of Companies

Self Funded
The people behind all of the companies listed on this page

How it Works

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 01:09:00 GMT

Go BIG helps entrepreneurs through the entire fundraising process from creating a capital raising strategy to preparing their information to identifying the right capital sources.

How to Use Go BIG

Go BIG maintains a very large database of capital sources, from angel investors and venture capitalists to direct lenders and capital brokers.

You may search our database for free, but contact is restricted to paid members (starting at $59 per month). Feel free to take a look around and see if there are some matches for your capital needs before jumping in with a paid membership.

You Can Also Call Us

We would also encourage you to call us. Yes, we're an Internet company that uses an old school telephone, but hey, that's because it works!

You can call us toll free at 888-391-7096

Our Business Analysts spend all day talking with entrepreneurs just like you trying to help them figure out what their capital options might be.

Finding capital is a confusing process so we try our best to demystify it a little bit. Hopefully we can work with you to uncover some options that make sense for your business.