Letting small companies sell equity stakes online would be a huge boost to those firms—like angel investing on steroids. Broadening the Base Currently, equity-based crowd funding falls under strict Securities and Exchange Commission rules governing angel investing. Funding is the lifeblood of any small business. million U.S. read more. MORE >>

The 504 Loan Refinancing Program—implemented under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010—allows small businesses to refinance not only existing debt but use excess equity to obtain working capital that can be used to finance eligible business expenses, explains Steve Smits, associate administrator for the Office of Capital Access at SBA. MORE >>

Sharing equity in your business early on can lead to complex problems as your company grows. If you’re going to make extraordinary demands of your team (and we all know you are), there will come a time when they crack. Startup entrepreneurs live, eat and breathe their companies. It’s not just greed. Show them you care. Get flexible. MORE >>

Here's how you can avoid Zynga's equity snafu if you're considering offering employees stock options. You can see this difficulty play out in the equity clawback drama allegedly unfolding at online gaming start-up Zynga. It raises a fundamental question about employee equity: What is the deal? MORE >>

Yet, according to many sources , over 90 percent of all businesses are started and grown with no equity financing, and many others would have been better off without it. In fact, most of the rich entrepreneurs you know actively turned away early equity proposals. Of course, every company needs these, in due time. You need a prototype. MORE >>