Finding Money Advice

Over the past thirty years Kate Lister has started, operated, and sold several successful businesses. She’s written three business books: Undress For Success–The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home (John Wiley & Sons, 2009),

About the Authors

Finding Money–The Small Business Guide To Financing (2009 eBook; and one formerly published by Wiley by the same title), and The Directory of Venture Capital (Wiley 1995 and 1998). She maintains two business blogs, Undress4Success.com and FindingMoneyAdvice.com, and has written articles for publications including the Wall Street Journal and Entrepreneur Magazine. Kate’s research has been quoted in the Harvard Business Review, USA Today, Washington Post and many other publications. She’s spoken at over a hundred entrepreneurial events throughout the U.S. and Canada. Prior to starting her first business, Kate spent 10 years as a commercial bank lender, private equity investor, and venture capitalist.

Tom Harnish, a serial entrepreneur, has spent countless (and frequently fruitless) hours in front of lenders and investors. Always on the bleeding edge of technology, he has learned a thing or two about what to do, and what not to do in terms of raising money.

More details about the authors below:

KATE—Catherine Lister

Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook

Over the last thirty years, I’ve launched and managed several successful businesses. Through lectures and individual counseling, I’ve advised thousands of business owners about finance, business planning, and marketing. I’ve written three business books and dozens of articles, helped hundreds of businesses find debt and equity financing, and been both an angel investor and venture capitalist.

Founder and President of Aerodite, Inc.

San Diego CA, 2006 to Present

The company develops publications, programs, and research on telework, home business, and entrepreneurship including:

• Undress For Success—The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home (published by John Wiley & Sons, New York 2009). The book has won the praise of some of the top names in telework and work-life research.

• Undress4Success.com, a web site dedicated to helping individuals, companies, and community leaders understand telework.

• Webinars and lectures on topics including sustainability, pros and cons of telework, finding and managing telework, business finance, and entrepreneurship.

• FindingMoneyAdvice.com to educate entrepreneurs about how to finance and manage growth.

• Finding Money—Secrets of a Former Banker as an eBook (a title formerly written for and published by John Wiley & Sons, New York). The director of the Wharton Entrepreneurial Center said it was “the best business book I’ve ever read on the subject.”

• The Telework Savings Calculator which has been used by company and community leaders throughout the U.S. and Canada to quantify the potential for telecommuting to reduce their carbon footprint, save money, and increase productivity. The calculator results have been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Washington Post, and many other publications.

• The synthesis over 250 studies on telework, telecommuting, home business, and work-life issues. Interviews with dozens of virtual employers, employees, advocates, and venture capitalists who have invested in the remote work model. The TeleworkResearchNetwork.com will publish and share research.

Founder and President, Barnstorming Adventures, Ltd.

San Diego CA, 1991 to 2006

Conceived, funded, and operated the nation’s oldest and largest vintage airplane sightseeing business. Operation included 7 vintage aircraft and 25 pilots including active and former Navy, Air Force and Marine aviators, and airline pilots. As a hands-on owner, managed all aspects of business including marketing, public relations, financial management, personnel, operations, and FAA compliance.

Public relations efforts resulted in articles in over 100 publications around the globe. Television coverage included numerous programs on The Discovery Channel, The Travel Channel, German TV, local and national network news, and many others. Successful web marketing resulted in a page rank of six and top five placement in all major search engines.

Founder and President, Investech

Gladwyne PA, 1986 to 1992

Consulting for businesses from startup to $20 million in revenue. Services included:

• Business Consulting: Assistance in financial survival and growth strategies. Clients included high and low technology manufacturers, distributors, retail, and service organizations.

• Business Financing: Worked with business owners to develop successful business plans and funding requests, and assisted them in raising capital from a broad range of private, institutional and government debt and equity sources.

• Corporate Consulting: Clients included Eastman Kodak, Radnor Venture Partners, Corestates Bank, Unisys, Liberty Bank and others with an interest in understanding, assisting and educating emerging and established businesses.

• Disadvantaged Business Training / Microloan Program: Led to the creation of a microloan program aimed at disadvantaged entrepreneurs based on the Grameen Bank (Bangaldesh) circle-borrowing model. Developed the entrepreneurial training materials and programs as well as loan underwriting criteria and convinced five Philadelphia banks to provide seed grants for the program.

• Public Speaking / Publications: Conducted over one hundred lectures for business owners, bankers, accountants, and attorneys throughout the U.S. and Canada, on topics including business financing, financial management, succession planning, and business and strategic planning.

• Featured expert in local and national press including the Wall Street Journal, Inc. magazine, Nation’s Business, Success Magazine, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Journal of Banking, and many other business publications.

Director/Minority Partner, Perpetual Capital

Wayne PA, September 1992 to March 1993

One of two operating principals in a private merchant banking organization, formed with several principals of Radnor Venture Partners to invest in undervalued and fast-growing companies whose financial needs did not fit traditional institutional or venture capital underwriting criteria. Activities included organizational development, marketing, investment and underwriting analysis, investment decisions, valuation, financial and market due diligence, memorandum development, and investment marketing.

Senior Lending Officer, Fidelity Bank

Philadelphia, PA January 1985 to October 1986

Relationship manager and new business developer for businesses with $1 Million to $20 Million in revenue. Responsibilities included: analyzing, structuring, approving and negotiating credit facilities of between $100,000 and $10,000,000; new business development through aggressive prospecting; cross-selling of non-credit services; account maintenance; and customer retention. Position reported to Senior Vice President.

Various Positions, Mellon Bank

Philadelphia, PA May 1979 to December 1984

• Senior Correspondent Banking Officer: Relationship manager for Mid-Atlantic correspondent banks. Responsibilities included: developing strong credit (e.g. inter-bank lending, loan participations and interest rate swaps) and non-credit relationships (e.g. check clearing and data processing) with other regional and local banks; analyzing industry and regional trends; and financial analysis of customer banks and loan participation prospects. Position reported to Senior Vice President.

• Assistant Credit Manager/Credit Analyst: Staff position in support of commercial lending division. Responsibilities included: assistant manager of credit analysts; analyzing the management and financial performance of, and industry outlook for, commercial borrowers.

• Senior Banking Services Officer: Sales and support division responsible for multi-million dollar data processing service relationships with correspondent banks. Responsibilities included: relationship management and business development in the sale of bank data processing services to senior banking executives of local banks; product management; liaison between marketing and data processing personnel; development and marketing of technology products; and management of clerical staff.

Writing

• Coauthor of Undress For Success—The Naked Truth About Making Money at Home (John Wiley & Sons, 2009)

• Coauthor of Finding Money – The Small Business Guide to Financing (John Wiley and Sons, New York NY, 2005. Revised as eBook in 2009)

• Coauthor of The Directory of Venture Capital (John Wiley and Sons, New York NY, 2000 and 2004)

• Author of numerous articles published in The Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur Magazine, Success Magazine, The Journal of Banking, and many others.

Current and Former Board Memberships/Affiliations

• TechCast.com: one of a hundred virtual thinktank experts

• Telework Coalition, Advisory Board Member

• Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Small Business Council, Board Member

• Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Board Member

• Wharton Small Business Development Center, Advisor/Lecturer

• Temple University Entrepreneurial Institute, Board Member/Lecturer

• Drexel University Entrepreneurial Forum, Board Member

• St. Joseph’s University Entrepreneurial Program, Founding Board Member/Lecturer

Awards

• Inc. Magazine / Arthur Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award Program Finalist (1989)

• Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce: Business Advocate of the Year (1989)

• U.S. Small Business Administration District and Regional: Business Advocate of the Year (1989)

Other Business Ownership

• Co-owner of a news distribution business. Purchased in 1979, sold to Knight Ridder in 2000.

• Investor in an electronic publishing company.

Education

• St. Joseph’s University Graduate School of Business. September 1982 to June 1984. Graduate studies in finance.

• Philadelphia University. September 1976 to May 1980. Bachelor of Science. Major in management, minor in computer science. Academic honors.