“It is very important to realize how running a business – and also selling a business – affects owners, both professionally and personally. This is an important topic I address in my book.”

Mindy Barker, Founder and CEO, Barker Associates

Mindy’s Book, Pitching to Win: Strategies for Success

Pitching to Win: Strategies for Success was written for successful entrepreneurs who have a proven concept with annual revenues of at least $1 million or executives with accountability for fundraising. This book helps clarify the process of raising capital and provides specifics on the seven essential tools required.

The process of raising money is not for the faint-hearted. This book dives deep into all the attributes that investors typically cite as reasons they pass on potential investments. They will tell you, “You are not ready, stay in touch,” instead of the real reasons. By understanding the process and using these tools, you can quickly reach a successful conclusion to a term sheet. The tools required for raising capital also provide the added bonus of insight into your business, helping you get out of your own way and to make better decisions.


Purchase Mindy’s Book on Amazon.

 

 

Book Reviews:

Mindy Barker is uniquely gifted as both a Chief Financial Strategist and Business Visionary. She has guided entrepreneurs to financial success, and now she shares those secrets in her latest book, Pitching to Win. If you are launching a business, building a business, or preparing to sell a business, then read this book. It will make the difference in winning or losing.

Barry Banther, Certified Management Consultant and best-selling author of  A Leader’s Gift, How to Earn the Right to be Followed.

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Entrepreneurs are ambitious risk takers – the ability to see around corners and manage risk that includes so many facets such as customers, funding, digital readiness, and culture is critical to sustainable success. Mindy’s passion in navigating this with entrepreneurs is insightful for risk-taking business owners who drive our economy.

Ryan Burke, EY Partner | Global Growth Markets Leader

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Having worked with Mindy, I can attest to the fact that she truly knows her subject matter. Pitching to Win compiles the best of her experience as an investment fund CFO, a CPA and a corporate strategist with a wealth of real-world examples. It is a valuable read for any business or entrepreneur who wants to be ready to win any current or future investment opportunities.

Walt Bussells, Former CEO of JEA (Jacksonville Electric Authority)

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Pitching a business is one of those processes that is daunting at best, a disaster waiting to happen at worst. In Pitching to Win, Mindy Barker breaks it down step by step so relevantly that failure is not even an option. In addition, she explains in layman’s terms the path to financial readiness – which every business needs regardless of whether they plan to sell. A must-read for entrepreneurs.

Tony Marinatos, Partner -Chartwell Capital

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The venture capital world was completely foreign to me, and I heavily relied on Mindy’s book to improve my pitch and my investor’s deck. Her book is short, easy to understand, and straight to the point. A must-read!

Camille Eddera, founder Eddera Jewelry and Birthstone Scents

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As a business owner, I learned from Mindy how to look deeper into my business to understand what is really going on. She is no stuffy CPA, but a witty and intelligent financial strategist who led me to insights I could not have achieved on my own. She has compiled a wealth of knowledge and experience in Pitching to Win. I highly recommend this book to any entrepreneur who wants to think and act more strategically when making business decisions.

Teresa Meares, Chair – NAWBO National Institute, Past National Board Chair of NAWBO, Client          

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(Review from Amazon)

In my career, I’ve worked with hundreds of management consultants and have been one myself. Mindy understands the weird world entrepreneurs live in. Pitching to Win is a book you should pay attention to even if you’re not on the hunt for capital right now because in it, Mindy offers up a cultural perspective on the things you need to do now to make your company appealing to investors in the future. The meat of the book, in my opinion, is the how-to section on assembling and then delivering the investor presentations. There she even describes the individual charts and their contents that you’ll need to build out the two pitches you’re going to need. She writes from the vantage point of someone who’s heard the good and the bad, received feedback from her audiences, and developed a few on her own. This book will help reduce the number of times you’ll need to fail in pitching your business to potential investors. It’s a short fast read, and it’s all gold and no rocks.

Larry Berk, Owner – Living Well Stores, Inc. 

Barker developed the idea for the book after seeing the need for a broader understanding of the process of selling a business and how that process affects company owners. She has worked in finance for more than 30 years, including time spent at both small and large corporations and with a private equity firm. Since founding financial strategy firm Barker Associates in 2012, she has coached a number of entrepreneurs and business owners through the process of maximizing efficiency and profitability, including helping get businesses ready for sale.

“My love of entrepreneurship came from my dad, who moved our family from a small town in Georgia to Winston Salem, North Carolina, to begin a company to metalize the egg-shaped containers for Hanes L’eggs Sheer Energy Pantyhose. I learned so much about building a business by working at his factory when I was younger,” said Barker, who is also a sought-after national speaker on entrepreneurship and finance.

Barker has also drawn from her experience as a mentor in the Athena PowerLink program and with the JAX Chamber’s Jacksonville Women’s Business Center (JWBC), helping assist entrepreneurs with financial strategy and company infrastructure. She is passionate about creating financial clarity to enable businesses to focus on the big picture, something she often sees lacking in entrepreneurial ventures.

“Mindy is a highly skilled businesswoman and speaker who humorously weaves stories from her professional experiences to communicate critical applications that help strengthen all areas of a business,” said Ellen Sullivan, director of the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center.

Strategies For Success

With Mindy’s unique background in both private equity and growth companies, she can drive strategy and execution to prepare entrepreneurs with the confidence and tools to seek investment funding. She has become a sought-after advisor and speaker on achieving financial clarity, pitching to investors, and strategically building enterprise value.

Speaking Request

If you would like to know more about having Mindy speak to your business, association, or group, please fill out the following information and we will get back to you right away. Thank you!

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Barker Associates is among the top contract CFO businesses in the Southeast, especially in Jacksonville, Florida. Mindy Barker proudly serves clients as a part-time CFO and financial consultant in Jacksonville (Jax), Jacksonville Beach, Neptune Beach, Atlantic Beach, Ponte Vedra Beach, Flagler Beach, Fernandina Beach, Amelia Island, St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, Orange Park, Macclenny, Middleburg, St. Johns, Keystone Heights, Palatka, Palm Coast, Orlando, and Winter Park; and in Georgia, especially in Atlanta, Georgia. She also serves Brunswick, Macon, St. Marys, Sea Island, St. Simons, and Waycross; as well as to clients all over the United States, including Louisiana (New Orleans, and Metairie). Mindy Barker is licensed as a CPA in Florida and North Carolina.