Small Business Equity Financing for Advisors and vCFOs

Course Outline

Private Investment | Government Grants | Capital Raising | Early-Stage Innovation | Crowd Sourced Funding | Venture Capital

Unlocking Growth with Equity Financing

In today’s fluctuating economic climate, businesses must navigate complex financial landscapes to ensure sustainability and growth.

Small Business Equity Financing is a comprehensive eLearning course designed to equip Business Advisors and Virtual CFOs with the knowledge and tools to guide their clients through various funding options.

Equity financing involves raising capital through the sale of shares in a company. For small businesses, this means offering a portion of ownership to investors in exchange for funding. Unlike debt financing, which requires regular repayments, equity financing does not burden the company with ongoing financial liabilities. Instead, investors assume a share of the company’s profits and losses, aligning their interests with the business’s success.

This course emphasizes the critical role of equity financing in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

What’s This Course All About?

This course provides a detailed understanding of equity financing and its significance for small businesses.

Participants will learn about different funding options, the benefits of equity financing, and how to effectively advise clients on securing investments to foster business growth and resilience.

Who Should Enrol?

This course is ideal for:

• Accountants aiming to provide comprehensive financial guidance to SMEs.
• Business Advisors and Consultants looking to enhance their advisory services.
• Virtual CFOs seeking to expand their expertise in financing options.
• Entrepreneurs wanting to understand funding opportunities for their businesses.

Learners will have access to a comprehensive resource library of information relating to all key equity financing options for business owners.

Course Content

This course consists of 6 modules:

1. Private Investment
• Private Investment Types and Considerations
• Risk Management and Due Diligence
• Ongoing Monitoring and Reporting
• Benefits for Accounting Firms

2. Government Grants
• Types and Scope of Government Grants
• Eligibility and Application Requirements
• Grant Agreements and Payments
• Benefits and Advisory Opportunities for Accounting Firms

3. Capital Raising – s708 of the Corporations Act
• Understanding Section 708 of the Corporations Act
• Types of Investors and Their Qualifications
• Documentation and Governance
• Benefits and Opportunities for Accounting Firms

4. Early-Stage Innovation
• Legislation and Purpose of Early-Stage Innovation Companies
• Qualification Criteria and Due Diligence
• Investor Benefits and Restrictions
• Opportunities for Accounting Firms

5. Crowd Source Funding and Equity Raising
• Crowd Sourced Funding (CSF) Equity Raising Basics
• Roles and Responsibilities of CSF Intermediaries
• Process and Documentation for CSF Offers
• Benefits and Opportunities for Accounting Firms

6. Venture Capital
• Understanding Venture Capital
• Creating Value and Due Diligence
• Funding Process and Stages
• Role of Advisors and Structuring Capital Raising

Course Structure

• Learners can complete courses at a place that suits them, within and outside work hours
• Each learner will have a dedicated login to give them personal access to their course
• Module material includes online presentations, workbooks, PowerPoint Slides, templates, scripts and articles
• All modules also incorporate formal qualitative assessment tasks that encourage learners to develop practical actions demonstrating understanding of the concepts
• All assessment tasks are scored, with directed feedback to learners on their response
• As the learner progresses, they develop their personal SMART action list to drive change
• Managers are able to see at a glance how their staff are progressing
• All learners have access to course content for 12 months following their enrolment

Learning Process

Our self-paced eLearning courses follow a 4-step process in relation to learning objectives:

All modules are structured with specific learning objectives and assessment tasks. Learners are expected to demonstrate that they understand learning objectives and can apply concepts through completion of the assessment tasks. A SMART action planning template is used to consolidate specific actions and to ensure that a timeframe for completion is established and followed. Regular review of progress is ensured through commitment to completing the course.