Many entrepreneurs still dream of “going public,” making billions of dollars, and playing with the big boys. Even though the Initial Public Offering (IPO) alternative for a successful startup seems to be coming back into vogue, it is relatively rare. Consider the recent example of Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. MORE >>

So here are the most common exit strategies and considerations these days for planning purposes: Merger & Acquisition (M&A). Initial Public Offering (IPO). If you startup is your dream, why would you want to think about an exit? Wrong. Remember that equity investments are not like loans with interest. MORE >>

Canadian IPO (initial public offering) can be particularly attractive for companies of "pre-Nasdaq" size (from a market cap of C$50 million to C$500 million) and for those companies that are in the energy, metals and mining, clean technology or technology sectors. Option 2: Regulation A offering. By Kevin M. Several U.S. MORE >>

For instance, if your company is only a few weeks old and you have zero customers and your product offering is still in design, don’t expect someone to hand over $10 million to fund your efforts. This is the initial excitement period, the time when you dream of riches and fantasize the life of a business owner, but you have no real plan. MORE >>

The initial public offering has long been the ultimate goal of successful entrepreneurs. But now the decision to go public is much more difficult--and riskier--than it used to be. We aren't going public as long as I'm around," he says. Complying with public-company regulations is expensive and time-consuming. MORE >>