The Big Raise by Michael Miller and Alexander Baker book cover

The Big Raise

The Four Stages of Raising Capital for Start-Up Owners and Entrepreneurs

Michael Miller and Alexander Baker

The new entrepreneur’s guide to financing your start-up.

Every successful entrepreneur needs at least two things: a great idea and the funds to bring that idea to life. While headlines and stories of great founders’ successes may have you believe raising money is easy, in reality, the grueling nature of pitching investors for capital can exhaust investors emotionally and physically and still leave them without needed funds. So what can you do?

In The Big Raise, Michael Miller and Alexander Baker take the guesswork out of raising money for your start-up. By breaking down the process into four stages—ideation, preparation, the raise, and after the raise—the authors lead you through the venture capital landscape, demystifying it with the knowledge that comes from their vast experience in business, law, and the world of finance in both Canada and the United States. Key terms are defined, and attainable concepts are explored, all to help prepare you for investor expectations and avoid some of the common pitfalls that plague many start-ups as they seek funding.

You may already have the good idea. Once you have the skills and knowledge to go into the fundraising process with confidence, you are more likely to hear investors say Yes.


Reviews

“A necessary read for any entrepreneur trying to raise money. The Big Raise artfully distills critical knowledge and concepts for success.”

“This book gives entrepreneurs a versatile model for understanding the capital raising process, illuminating the fundraising journey ahead.”

“For early-stage founders facing the daunting learning curve of fundraising, this book is a game-changer.”


Michael Miller is a Toronto-based financial professional specializing in valuation, transaction structuring, and equity analysis. He has been quoted and featured as a financial expert across several platforms and publications including BNN Bloomberg, Business Insider, MarketWatch, Vice, and the Financial Post. In addition, he co-authored “High” Profits from Accounting for Cannabis Plant Industry, the world’s first accounting business case about the cannabis industry. Miller also guest-lectures on financial subjects at several colleges, including the University of Cambridge, York University, Toronto Metropolitan University, and George Brown College.

Alexander Baker is a corporate attorney at an international U.S.-based law firm where he maintains an M&A, private equity, and venture capital practice, working on a wide array of transactional and governance matters for public and private companies, and private equity and venture capital funds. Baker has lived and worked in both Canada and the United States, and he currently resides in Dallas, Texas.


ISBN 978-1-77458-324-1
$21.95 CAD $17.95 USD
Published October 3, 2023
5.5 × 8.5 338 Pages
paperback, ebook