Capital Raising 101: What the SEC Wants Small Businesses to Know

Raising money can feel intimidating, especially for women who didn’t grow up around investors or financial jargon. But the SEC’s recent focus on small-business capital formation shows that it wants to make the process more accessible.

✅ What the SEC emphasized this year

The SEC’s Office of the Advocate for Small Business Capital Formation highlighted three major areas:

• Early‑stage capital raising

• Growth‑stage funding

• Small-cap public markets
  

Their goal? Reduce friction, increase transparency, and help small businesses access the capital they need to grow.

Photo by ThisisEngineering on Unsplash

✅ What this means for you

Even if you’re not raising money today, understanding the landscape helps you:

• Price your business more confidently

• Explore crowdfunding

• Understand investor expectations

• Avoid compliance mistakes

✅ Crowdfunding is becoming more founder‑friendly

Regulation Crowdfunding (Reg CF) allows small businesses to raise to $5M from everyday investors. The SEC is exploring ways to:

• Simplify disclosures

• Reduce compliance costs

• Improve investor education

✅ Final thought

Capital raising isn’t just for tech bros. It’s for women building ethical, audit‑safe businesses with real value.

Source: SEC Small Business Forum Report

Legal Disclosure:

CompliantHer™ program of (Relannford Enterprises LLC) is not a law firm. This document is intended for educational and informational purposes only and does not provide medical, legal, or financial advice. If you have questions about your specific situation, please consult a physician, attorney, or accountant licensed to practice in your state and/or country.

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