Reply With QuoteI suspect that friends and family are the most common source of investment capital for startup breweries, but they certainly aren't getting it done for me. Then again, as somebody put it to me today, the cure for cancer would have a hard time raising capital in this economy. One thing is certain: the people who solicit financing on this website are f'ed if they're ever investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or the securities administrations of any states their investors reside in (unless they've "gone public" via a lengthy and expensive registration process). You can read more about it here:
http://www.sec.gov/info/smallbus/qasbsec.htm
In other words, you won't have many legal options outside of friends and family (and the people they know, the people those people know, etc.) unless you register a public offering.
As for your other questions, investors and payment plans will come in all shapes and sizes. It's unlikely that a brewery will be able to provide a quick return, so you can probably rule out anyone looking for a quick buck. I'm planning on sharing distributed profits in proportion to what each investor contributes, but my business partner and I are treating our up-front work as fixed financial contributions that factor into the profit sharing (i.e. sweat equity). I can't speak for anyone else, though, and I haven't succeeded yet, so don't pay too much attention to me.
Joe
) would expect to be paid something, even before there was anything to pay them with. And would they expect to be paid evenly with an owner/operator who maybe invests less money, but much, much more sweat.
Originally Posted by coastalbrew
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