Venture Deals: Be Smarter Than Your Lawyer and Venture Capitalist is the definitive guide to venture financings. This book is for anyone who wants the insider's guide to raising money, negotiating deals, and to know what really makes venture capitalists tick. Don't believe us? Check out these recommendations:

A must-read book for entrepreneurs. Brad and Jason demystify the overly complex world of term sheets and M&A, cutting through the legalese and focusing on what really matters. That.s a good thing not just for entrepreneurs, but also for venture capitalists, angels and lawyers. Having an educated entrepreneur on the other side of the table means you spend your time negotiating the important issues and ultimately get to the right deal faster. - Greg Gottesman, Managing Director, Madrona Venture Group The adventure of starting and growing a company can exhilarating or excruciating.or both. Feld and Mendelson have done a masterful job of shedding light on what can either become one of the most helpful or dreadful experiences for entrepreneurs.accepting venture capital into their firm. This book takes the lid off the black box and helps entrepreneurs understand the economics and control provisions of working with a venture partner. - Lesa Mitchell, Vice President, Advancing Innovation, Kauffman Foundation Venture Deals is a must read for any entrepreneur contemplating or currently leading a venture-backed company. Brad and Jason are highly respected investors who shoot straight from the hip and tell it like it is, bringing a level of transparency to a process that is rarely well understood. Its like having a venture capitalist as a best friend who is looking out for your best interest and happy to answer all of your questions. - Emily Mendell, Vice President of Communications, National Venture Capital Association I've been reading and loving Brad Feld's blog for years. He's one of my favorite venture capitalists on the planet. I'm delighted Brad and Jason have written the definitive book for entrepreneurs seeking to learn about raising and going through the venture capital process. - Bijan Sabet, Spark Capital In my entrepreneurship class at Stanford, the number one topic is venture financing -- how it works and how (or even whether) to get it. There are no two better people to coach an entrepreneur through the venture process than Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson, and next to in-person guidance this book is the next best thing. I am planning to make this required reading for my class at Stanford. - Heidi Roizen, Fenwick and West Entrepreneurship Educator, Stanford University Technology Ventures Program My biggest nightmare is taking advantage of an entrepreneur without even realizing it. It happens because VCs are experts in financings and most entrepreneurs are not. Brad and Jason are out to fix that problem with Venture Deals. This book is long overdue and badly needed. - Fred Wilson, Union Square Ventures I would highly recommend .Venture Deals. to any entrepreneur, venture capitalist, student, or casual reader who wants to get the .true scoop. on how venture deals come together and what the venture capital landscape truly looks like. The authors are not only veterans of the industry, but are willing to share their unvarnished views of what venture is all about. The reader will not find the insights shared here anywhere else. And, perhaps best of all, the authors write in an easily readable, casual style that makes the book quite fun to read. - Craig Dauchy, Cooley LLP Feld and Mendelson pack a graduate level course into this energetic and accessible book. The authors. frank style and incisive insight make this a .must read. for high-growth company entrepreneurs, early stage investors, and graduate students. Start here if you want to understand venture capital deal structure and strategies. I enthusiastically recommend. - Brad Bernthal, CU Boulder, Associate Clinical Professor of Law - Technology Policy, Entrepreneurial Law

Q: What tips do you have for startups who aren’t in any of the usual vc hotspots like the Valley, NYC, or Boston?

Some people believe that the real estate adage “location, location, location” is sacrosanct when starting a company.  While there is no doubt that it is easier to find your way in a well-known entrepreneurial community, companies get started (and flourish) everywhere.  Following are some suggestions for getting started if you aren’t in one of the usual VC hotspots.

Don’t worry about it: Presumably you live where you want to live.  If you don’t, consider moving!  However, if you are where you want to be, realize that building your business – and your life – go hand in hand. 

Be realistic about the available resources: Every community that can support entrepreneurship (and basically every MSA in the US can) has its strengths and weaknesses.  Usually these are defined by three things: (1) local universities and research programs, (2) major companies in the area, and (3) historical vectors of entrepreneurial activity.  Be realistic – if you want to start a new biotech company and you live in a city that doesn’t have any graduate-level life science research, no anchor biotech companies, and no history of creating biotech companies, the odds are stacked against you.  On the other hand, if you live in a telecom rich region and you want to start a new OSS for IP services company, you are probably in pretty good shape.

Find the local entrepreneurial ecosystem – now!: It’s easy, is usually right in front of you, and often simple to access.  Find an advisor who is a successful local entrepreneur and is plugged into the scene.  Go to every local “entrepreneurial” event, especially those linked to regional or national organizations.  Don’t be shy asking for help – the worst someone can say is no.

Don’t try to get investors to do unnatural acts: Assuming you are looking for capital, focus your energy on two categories: (1) local investors – either angel or VCs and (2) VCs that are interested in the specific business you are creating.  In category #2, “software” is not a specific business – you need to be a lot more granular than that.  Your chance of #2 is enhanced by a relationship / investment with someone in category #1, so make sure you focus enough energy on that early on.

Don’t play the “we can be virtual” game: While being virtual can work for some businesses and some entrepreneurs, it’s not the cure all for being in a geography other than “the top tier.”  If you make progress, you will reach a point relatively early where you want everyone on the team to be in one place (or your investor will.)  If “being virtual” is natural for your team, that’s cool – go for it – but don’t use it as a justification for geography.