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If I wanted to do something that was really really important to me, and the only way I could think of to do it was to ask my friends to give me money, and I finally got the courage to ask them, would I do so with a plan for repayment? Perhaps a personal one, but not one I'd make public or use for making any kind of promise. And actually, I don't think it makes sense that it would ever be repaid in kind (money). This is not an "investment" - that seems to be something you can't fully accept.
Have you not seen the gofundme requests that are for holidays and the like? Are you confusing it with justgiving?
If you were going to approach friends for a considerable sum of money to invest in a business, would you do so with a plan for repayment?