Initial public offerings or “IPOs” transition a company from being private to going public.  Most often companies go public to raise capital, but companies may also raise capital though other means such as a private offering.  Alternatively, some companies may be required to go public based on their size of the company and the number of shareholders such as Facebook.  Regardless of company size, entrepreneurs should consider whether going public is right for their companies.  Some advantages and disadvantages to going public are explained below.