Like all gambles with large potential payoffs, venture debt and equity come with equally big risks. But when used correctly by experienced companies, venture debt and equity can act as rocket fuel that enables businesses to achieve many of their goals in much shorter timeframes.

“I keep six honest serving-men: (They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When, And How and Where and Who.”

— Rudyard Kipling, The Elephant’s Child

The Five W’s and How are well known by news reporters, but the checklist can be useful in other situations. Nearly every day I get questions from non-accredited investors about crowdfunding. “I want to get involved,” they say. “But give me some pointers.” So, in the interest of answering their queries and making it all-round easier for me, here’s my Business Evaluation Primer for non-accredited investors, who are interested in crowdfunding capital growth opportunities. I’m using Kipling’s checklist (and between you and me, we’re just following the same rules that the guys who raise money for a living follow).