Tuesday, August 25, 2020

A Comparison of Shakespeares Prince Hamlet and Machiavelli’s The Princ

A Comparison of Prince Hamlet and Machiavelli's The Princeâ â â â â â â â â â Â Â â Machiavelli expresses that it is essential for a sovereign, who wishes to look after himself, to figure out how not to be acceptable, and utilize this information and not use it, as indicated by the need of the case. Machiavelli's thoughts both thoroughly analyze to the techniques utilized by Hamlet. Hamlet's longing to make the lord distraught and inevitably slaughter him, is the thing that he figures he should do so as to fix things. Hamlet battles to keep up his situation as ruler. Maybe he comes up short on the basic characteristics of a sovereign delineated by Machiavelli. Â As indicated by Machiavelli, the quest for all things viewed as prudent and commendable will just prompt the sovereign's ruin. This is totally obvious on account of Hamlet, since he is on a mission to vindicate his dad's demise. The fight among great and shrewdness is continually in the cutting edge of Hamlet's brain, as he falters between acting common or seeking retribution by and large. In the first place, Hamlet battles to stay great consistently, however this causes him outrageous anguish. Hamlet is a fair man, who laments for his dad. He endures in view of the deceitfulness of the others in the court, particularly his mom and his uncle, and later, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Hamlet can see through them all, and understand that they're untrustworthy. He expresses these words to Guildenstern: Anything besides to th' reason. You were sent for, and there is a sort of admission in your looks, which your modesties have not make enough to shading. I know the great King and Queen hav e sent for you. (Hamlet, II, ii., 278-280) Â Hamlet's genuineness is additionally observed when he is talking with his mom. In act I, scene ii, Gertrude asks him for what reason the de... ...e his objective was to get and hold power. He needed to demonstrate Claudius to be an unfit ruler, and he did as such, however just as Hamlet himself was going to pass on. Hamlet needed to cause anguish by slaughtering the ruler, yet at long last, he is viewed as a legend, since he exposed his dad's executioner. Â Sources Cited and Consulted: Dark, Terry A. Mr. William Shakespeare and the Internet. http://www.palomar.edu/Library/shake.htm. Jones, W. T. Bosses of Political Thought. Ed. Edward, McChesner, and Sait. Vol. 2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1947. Lee A. Jacobus.â A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers.â fifth version. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin's, 1998. Machiavelli, Niccolo. The Prince. Trans. Slope Thompson. Norwalk: The Easton Press, 1980. Shakespeare, William. The Three-Text Hamlet. Eds. Paul Bertram and Bernice Kliman. New York: AMS Press, 1991.

Saturday, August 22, 2020

The Three Little Pigs

Growing up I’m sure numerous children had confidence in all fantasies, giving them the motivation to think everything in life must be great, for instance having the ideal kid/sweetheart and living joyfully ever after with him/her, or being rich and live in this large palace, and getting everything without exception they may need. As we as a whole know in all fantasies there’s constantly a defeat, on the grounds that there’s consistently somebody negative that’s frustrating another person from being glad or free. On account of the Three Little Pigs there was a wolf that harassed three blameless little pigs. The notable fantasy takes its crowd on an excursion of three pigs and a wolf. Albeit most if not all fantasies are pretend, a portion of the things in them are like genuine circumstances. In the wake of perusing the fantasy, it is anything but difficult to relate this invented story to something we face in our general public now which is tormenting. There are a few comparable qualities of the wolf and the normal â€Å"bully† which are not constrained to the way that both anticipate control and accommodation, display physical terrorizing, and feeds on control. In this specific fantasy the wolf assumed the job of a domineering jerk. The wolf chose to torment the pigs until he got what he needed simply like the run of the mill menace. In the fantasy the pigs out hurt the domineering jerk and made him flee crying, shows kids that harassers are not too extreme in terrible within, it’s a front they put on to get what they need and to get regard. As the wolf flees crying gives us that the story is finished and in spite of the fact that they may not say it yet it leaves us to accept the three little pigs are carrying on a cheerfully ever after gratitude to the pig with the block house. As we as a whole know that’s not really how a genuine story may end, the harasser may flee crying however it as a rule returns multiple times harder. Menaces are typically the meanest looking individuals around, generally greater than there casualties, and furthermore frightening looking. Tormenting unravels nothing; it messes more up, and gives the foes low confidence for the following individual. Most domineering jerks typically meet there coordinate simply like in the fantasy the Three Little Pigs. The domineering jerk played with the two most fragile pigs first and he won, yet the third pig set out to appear as something else and faced him and beat the competition leaving the harasser with a face brimming with tears and a hot base from attempting to slither down the fireplace. That’s at times everything necessary is for that one individual to develop the guts to confront a domineering jerk, not to advance viciousness yet once in a while that might be the main way out. The third little pig cut on bubbling water when the wolf was attempting to get down his stack to show him a thing or two they’ve been implying to him the whole time, and that was simply to disregard them. The harasser needed to be insatiable and to get what he needed, and wound up getting an unexpected end result. In the story we may know there’s three little pig siblings that all intended to live in isolated homes now that their more established. The initial two pigs assembled their homes out of sticks and straw, the wolf tagged along and handily blew their home down. The last pig was the most intelligent on the grounds that he fabricated his home out of blocks, and by and by along came the large awful wolf. The wolf originally thumped and the pig addressed yes who’s there, and the wolf said it’s a poor little sheep searching for food let me in. The pig wasn’t tricked and didn’t let him in so the wolf started attempting to fit and puff and blow his home down as he did to his siblings. The wolf attempted and attempted until he turned blue however the house wouldn’t move. The wolf at that point recognized the fireplace and chose to go down it to get in. The pig heard him so he started bubbling high temp water and included fire then the wolf got set ablaze. Notice I never referenced what befell the pigs after the wolf blew their homes down, leaving us to accept that the pigs all carried on a joyfully ever after. Well not in the commented on Three Little Pigs from London, by David Nutt, the initial two pigs were eaten by the wolf after he huffed and puffed and blew their home down. Toward the end the third little pig bubbled and ate the wolf after it descended the stack and fell in the bubbling water. In the Walt Disney story for the Three Little Pigs, when the wolf blew the first pig’s house down he hurried to the second pig’s house made of sticks. The wolf came there and blew his home down and they hurried to their brother’s house with the blocks. At that point when the wolf attempted to descend the fireplace they did anyway bubble high temp water and include some warmth. Rather than the wolf stalling out in the pot and getting eaten by the pig, the warmth flew the wolf directly pull out of the smokestack. The Three Little Pigs show youngsters ethics through intriguing stories. At the point when it was first made it was called â€Å"The Wolf and the seven Young children. † That rendition and the Walt Disney adaptation show duty in light of the fact that the pigs needed to assemble their own home for security from the wolf. Obligation is something all adaptations of the Three Little Pigs share. The pigs are autonomous, indicating that difficult work is constantly granted and trust me it truly is. Additionally in the Disney adaptation when the pigs were all together, and the wolf was attempting his hardest to get in. the pigs confronted him as one in the block house and really sent him home crying. That just shows cooperation, holding, and courage; and it could likewise enable an individual to face life conflicts all through life. The wolf had no still, small voice or cares when it went to the results to his activities. Which is much the same as a domineering jerk nowadays, they don’t care about getting in a difficult situation what so ever. Those are the ones we for the most part find in prison till this day. Toward the finish of the story when the wolf attempted to go down the stack and get scorched, represents that terrible conduct isn't acknowledged and it in the long run prompts some discipline. I’ve referenced collaboration and obligation. For instance when there’s a youngster viewing the film they’re not going to consider how the pigs collaborated and brought down the wolf and consider it cooperation or holding. Thought the youngsters simply appear to be so into the pigs, after it I’m sure they become familiar with a little duty and some great ethics throughout everyday life. Taking a gander at the Brothers Grimm version†¦ The examination of the two stories are to some degree the equivalent in spite of the fact that the London rendition of the story might be more vicious than the story we may know, there both comparative on the grounds that the third little pig accomplished something his siblings didn’t which is think carefully and face the harasser as it were. At the point when you read the London adaptation it appears it’s simpler to identify with on the grounds that it’s progressively like a genuine story. The initial two little pigs got ate since they weren’t thinking carefully; the third pig was more brilliant than his sibling and endure.

Monday, August 3, 2020

Financing Your Business through Venture Capital

Financing Your Business through Venture Capital © Shutterstock.com | DRogatnevIn this article, we will start with 1) an introduction to venture capital and 2) venture capital terms you should know, continuing then with 3) people behind venture capital funds, 4) how to choose the right VC fund for a business, 5) the process of getting venture capital funding, and 6) a conclusion.INTRODUCTION TO VENTURE CAPITALWh ­en a new business is started, money is required to launch it, to pay employees, and to rent space, furniture, equipment, supplies etc. Often, ventures are financed through means other than banks and financial institutions, which may refuse financing due to a number of reasons including high risk or innovative business ideas. In such cases, venture capital is a good way to finance your venture. Funds lent by investors to startups and small businesses with expected longer term growth potential, is venture capital. It is investing in an enterprise where there is a substantial element of risk for the investor, yet it has the potential for greater than average returns.Venture capital funding is most often in the form of cash for a share in the equity of the startup. Most VC comes from an investor group, investment banks or other funding enterprises. These investors are not merely funding your venture, they also are experts of their field and will want to have a say in the administration and running of your business.There are some differences between venture capital and traditional funding. The most important ones are:VC focuses on startup business and young companies that are expected to grow exponentially.VC invests cash in exchange of equity, which means that the VC’s have a more active role as compared to traditional funding sources where there is no investment but a cash loan is provided.VC invests in companies that are high risk, but expected to yield higher returns.The investment provided by VC is for a longer term than traditional finance.VC has an active directorial governance of the enterprise , as also in strategic marketing, and technical guardianship, etc.VC funding is conditional to the enterprise going public at the end of a period of 3 â€" 7 years in the hope that by then the company will have become profitable and the equity can be cashed and profit booked. The cash thus realized for VC firm is put back into the fund. A successful cycle for the VC fund portfolio is to profit manifold over the original investments. The profits are disbursed to the investors according to their contribution percentage of the fund.For example, a fund invests $100 million in 10 companies ($10 million each). Some of these will fail, some stand still, and some may do well enough to go public. Those that eventually go public, may be worth a hundred million dollars. From a $100 million total bet, a fund may yield $200 million over a 3 -7 year period. The law of averages works here with the successful ventures covering up for the not so successful investments for the VC. The skill of the art is, Knowledge.VENTURE CAPITAL TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOWEquity capitalEquity capital or funding, means cash raised by an enterprise in return for a share of ownership in the company. It is represented by outright ownership of shares and stock, or a legal agreement and status to convert other financial instruments into stock. Key sources of equity are angel investors and VC firms. VC is long term or “patient capital”, which gives startup firms time to mature as profitable entities before encashing the investment.Venture fundA classic approach for VC firm is to open a fund; i.e. a pool of money, attracted from wealthy individuals, companies, and pension funds, etc., for the VC firm to invest. The firm raises a fixed amount for the fund.Seed fundingWhen a private individual or investor finances a startup in its initial stages, it is known as seed funding. The amount invested as seed capital or seed money is dependent entirely upon the investor’s whim. The money is invested in exchang e for an equity share in the startup. This is very early stage funding, to support a venture until it can sustain itself, or is ready for more investment. Seed options include family, friends, angels, and crowdfunding.Series A FinanceThe initial phase of finance for a young firm venture after seed investment is called Series A Finance. Generally, it is the first opportunity offered to external investors to make an investment in a startup. Series A may be in the form of preferred stock and include non-dilution exceptions, in the event that a further financing round occurs in the future.  Known also as ‘A round’ financing, it tends to occur when a company is generating some revenue, but rarely will a business generate net profits at this stage.Second RoundIt is the financing of working capital  for early stage companies that are selling products, but not quite yielding a profit. This is also known as a ‘Series B’ round.Bridge FinancingWhen a startup requires extra funding betw een full VC rounds it called Bridge Financing. This is typically to raise small amounts rather than a full funding. Generally the existing investors will fund the bridge finance too, but it is not essential that they do so.Capital call or Draw downThis is a legal call by a company that has been promised funding to demand it of its investors. Sometimes, the VC also face a cash crunch due to slow financial market or other related reasons, under such circumstances, they are unable to find the money required to invest in a company that they had promised to fund. Under such conditions, the company can legally demand the funds it has been promised by the VC.PEOPLE BEHIND VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDSWho runs a VC fund, and their powers?Former entrepreneurs, financial professionals, and similarly experienced individuals set up VC funds. These individuals are called the GP’s or the general partners. They are the people who decide the size, investment options, and offers of a VC fund. Based upon t hese recommendations, suggestions and offering memorandum, investors who wish to become the limited partners or LP’s invest their money in the fund.GPs They are the people who manage the VC fund and make investment decisions on its behalf. GP’s typically place personal capital up to 1 2% of the fund’s total amount to show their commitment to the LP’s.Venture Partners They are the deal brokers for the fund. These are the partners who find the investment options for the fund and its partners. They get a percentage of the deals they introduce as compensation.Principals They are mid-level players in the fund and are often working their way up to the position of becoming a partner in a fund. They are generally people who have risen up the ranks from associates to senior associates. They often have commensurate expertise in an allied field, such as  management consulting, or a sector that’s of keen interest to the VC fund’s strategy.Associates This is an entry level posit ion in the VC. They may rise through the ranks if they are good enough. Normally, to become an associate in a VC, the person has to have a few years’ experience in an allied field such as investment banking and management consultancy.Entrepreneur in Residence EIR’s are the resident evaluators of the VC funds. They are generally experts of their field and are entrusted to study any potential investment opportunity, sound it out and approve it before the VC makes an offer for investment. EIR’s are temporarily commissioned by VC firms, typically for periods of six to eighteen months.HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT VC FUND FOR A BUSINESSChoosing the right fund for your business very important. You need to know which funds are interested in your line of business before you approach them. Do your research about a fund by defining your needs and asking questions such as:Do I need funding?What type of funding do I need?What is the stage of my firm’s development, and what level of VC invest ment is sought?What is the quantum of funding the firm requires?Once you have determined your own requirements then you can begin your research on the VC funds that might be interested in your firm. Research the VC firms by:Finding out as much as they can about a fund: Internet has provided you a powerful tool to discover more about the VC you are interested in. look up the internet to learn about the firm and what is being said about it on the social media. This will provide you with a clear enough picture to determine whether the VC is for you or not.Asking Questions about the funding and viability of the fund: Study the investment pattern of the fund. If it hasn’t made an investment in the past few months, it could mean that the fund might be facing finance crunch. Also look into the average size of the funding to know how much funding you can expect.Discovering the fund cycle and pace: Most funds have a fund cycle and pace at which they fund new ventures. They may be funding o nly so many ventures in a quarter. If their quota is over, it is useless expecting them to invest with you.Whether the partners in the fund work well together: A fund where the partners all work together well is the one you should associate yourself with. Cohesiveness is important since these people are going to be sitting on your management board and directing your business to an extent. If there is no harmony it is bound to affect your enterprise too.Look for the perfect angel investor: Pick out your angel investors wisely. Look for people who are well connected in the VC world and will help you later in finding a VC to invest in your idea.Choose wisely: Above all, choose your VC wisely. Do not hurry into the contract look at all the pros and cons before accepting an offer.If you are looking for a venture capital fund here is a good resource of the top 100 Funds that invest in early stage startups.THE PROCESS OF GETTING VENTURE CAPITAL FUNDINGOverall, the process of VC funding usu ally involves several phases in a companys development, which generally follow these steps:Step 1: Preparing a Business Plan.This is perhaps the most important part of the process of VC funding. You need to have a detailed business plan with all the various stages of your venture described in detail including the financial outlay for each stage. It should systematically assess all factors critical to the business and its goals. It should be accompanied with a Mission Statement which is a concise outline of your business and summarizes the intended business purpose, goals and exactly how they will be executed. Focus on the specialty market intending to be served and the USP of your venture. More often, specialists fare better with VCs.Step 2: Contacting VCs and pitching business idea.The next step is to find a VC and to present your business plan to them in order to interest them in your project and get a promise for investment. Ensure that you include the resumes of all the major pe ople involved in your enterprise and their previous experience in similar projects. It helps if you concentrate on the following:People behind the firm: VC’s are more interested in the potential of the people who are behind the idea being pitched to them. They are more likely to be interested in projects where the associated people have a track record of some sort and have experience in their field. Also passion and enthusiasm for the project also affects the decisions of VC’s.Try to get referrals : VC’s place a much higher priority on companies and entrepreneurs that are referred or endorsed by people they know and trust. This is why it is important to have angel investors or consultants who are well known or connected in the VC world. They can then get you a warm introduction which can go a long way in settling the decision in your favor.Gain traction, follow up: Before the VC’s loosen their pockets for you they need to be sure that you have the wherewithal to deliver what you promise and that your project has market potential. This may necessitate a pilot project or beta testing to demonstrate the market traction. Follow up the market test with reports that can be displayed to the VCs to convince them off the viability of your project.Step 3: First Contact with VC (a call with an associate).You start at the bottom with an associate of the VC looking over your Mission statement or business plan to determine whether the VC would be interested in your project or not. This is the person who determines the future of your venture at a VC. If the associate is convinced of the idea, he then schedules a call to speak to you about the project and where you wish to take it. If this goes well then the your file moves along to the next level to a partner meeting where you plan may be discussed.Step 4: First Meeting.If your plan is good enough to interest a partner, you may be invited to a meeting. This initial meeting could be scheduled at their office or your o ffice, whichever is more convenient for both parties. You can expect to be asked the following during this meeting:What is your experience and your educational background and other such questions that may give them insight about you and your abilities.Details of your team members and their qualifications and experience to gauge the overall expertise of the entire team.Who or what you perceive as your competitors and how your project will match up to the competition.About Product Differentiation.Whether you are aware of your market and its size.What exactly your funding requirements are.If you arrive at a general valuation range that suits both parties, the partner may require a presentation in person, or via videoconferencing to their associates.Step 5: Initial Due Diligence.Once the partners are satisfied with their interaction with you and your presentation of your project. They may ask for your financial records to go through them to ascertain the health and viability of your com pany. They may also ask to speak to your team members and customers to gauge your worth.Step 6: Term Sheet.If all is proceeding positively, the VC firm may furnish you with a term sheet. This document contains the details of all the terms and conditions under which you are being offered the money. This is generally about three to ten pages and is indicative of an investment interest. The VC, with the term sheet, is attempting to forge agreement around the general terms of a deal before lawyers create a thorough investment agreement proposal.Step 7: Negotiations (about valuation and other terms).Go over the term sheet with your lawyer and if there are any areas you feel need to be negotiated, mark them out to be discussed with a partner or an associate. Bear in mind that a term sheet contains comprehensive protection clauses for the VC, these can significantly reduce any valuation to an entrepreneur. Its vital to engage an experienced lawyer with you, to negotiate a term sheet. This process may take several months. Your negotiating power is limited by certain factor such as your need for money, you and your firm’s reputation, the need for the finance, experience, market conditions, etc.Step 8: Complete due diligence.This may require a full disclosure of all your financial records, documents, contracts, etc. The VCs have to know all about your project before they hand over their money to you. You need not be scared, just provide the information asked for. Remember, they are going to be part owners in your venture as well as co-administrators and decision makers, so there is nothing to hide here really.This due diligence will cover many aspects including:Full business planDetailed sales pipeline by customer typeDetailed operational plan and budgetHiring planDetailed revenue assumptionsAudited financial statementsBank reconciliation detailProduct Pricing listDetailed product roadmapCustomer, Employee, Insurance, and Lease contractsRelevant whitepapers and analys t coverageDetails on IT infrastructureCurrent partner listLead generation processesCustomer satisfaction surveyCustomer reference listDetails on intellectual propertyCurrent capitalization chart with options detailOrganizational chartSalary and bonus structure for companyEmployee turnoverManagement background checksCompetitive analysisExpected acquirersPast board meeting minuteStep 9: Investment documents and signing them.Signing terms prematurely, before completing due diligence is construed as a desperate act. However, assuming progress, you will receive a final investment document from the VC’s lawyer. Review it closely with your legal team and negotiate required alterations. Pay attention to any representations or warranties you are confirming as an officer of the company, and also personally. A final investment document usually states:Share Purchase Agreement;Investor Rights Agreement;Right of First Refusal and Co-Sale Agreement;Voting Agreement.VCs dont generally want the co mmon shares that exist when a company is founded; they want preferred shares as they have a number of protections, like liquidation preferences and voting rights. These provide VC’s with downside protection and control.Step 10: Execution with VC support.Once the documents are signed, the VCs start taking active interest in the enterprise. Typically the funds are not invested in one go. They are released over a period of time and are most often linked with milestones completed.Step 11: Exit.Though VCs are investing in you for a longer term than traditional financer would, they are in it only to nurture you and take you so far, book a profit and then take their leave of your venture. This process may take about 4-7 years. The exits are planned through merger, or acquisitions, or through going public and launching an IPO.CONCLUSIONOf the thousands companies with business plans that apply a vast majority never get anywhere near a VC. Hundreds of applications are examined each day and may be just one or two of those may make it anywhere beyond an associate’s desk. So the question rises, how likely is it to get venture capital funding?If you are in a severe cash crunch and have a winning business plan, you may try the VCs for funding. Overwhelmingly, VCs prefer to invest in any enterprise after its potential has been exampled and an investor’s risk diminished. VC’s are choosy! In a free capitalist market place there is always more hope than actual success.By building a venture to a level where its potential is self-evident, one is more assured of attracting several VC funds. This enables one to choose the better VC fit for an enterprise, to negotiate preferable terms, while retaining more of the business and its control. But if you already have a proven business plan, then do you really need a VC in the long run? You would be handing over a large piece of your pie and administrative rights to a VC in exchange for finance.There are no simple remedies here. VC ’s could be the greatest thing to happen to a company or the worst scenario. The choice is to finance a startup oneself, and for the time being stay small, or take a risk and seek venture capital. However, be aware that in the marriage, there is no divorce.Just because one reads about venture capital, the venture capitalists, and their publicized winners, does not automatically translate to one receiving a slice of that VC fund. So think before you waste your precious time chasing the VC dream.