article thumbnail

What do investors REALLY want?

Up and Running

To demonstrate traction you might recruit a good management team, start making sales, build an advisory board or secure strategic partnerships. This is where the ‘exit strategy’ comes in. An exit strategy is not your plan for when the business fails, but rather, your strategy for returning money to investors.

article thumbnail

These 10 Key Elements Make a Business Plan Fundable

Startup Professionals Musings

Terms like “every customer needs this” and “next generation platform” are far too soft, and should be avoided. This is not the place for a detailed product specification, but an explanation of how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Solution and benefits. Focus is the keyword here.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Investors Expect Ten Essentials in a Business Plan

Startup Professionals Musings

Terms like “every customer needs this” and “next generation platform” are far too soft, and should be avoided. This is not the place for a detailed product specification, but an explanation of how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Solution and benefits. Focus is the keyword here.

article thumbnail

10 Answers That Make Your Startup Plan Investable

Startup Professionals Musings

Investors want to hear about customers with money who have a painful problem that you can solve now. Investors are looking for a concise description of your product or service without technical jargon or fuzzy marketing terms with value quantified in customer terms. What is your specific solution and value proposition?

article thumbnail

These 10 Key Elements Make a Business Plan Fundable

Gust

Terms like “every customer needs this” and “next generation platform” are far too soft, and should be avoided. This is not the place for a detailed product specification, but an explanation of how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Solution and benefits. Focus is the keyword here.

article thumbnail

Ten Tips for an Investment-Grade Business Plan

Startup Professionals Musings

Terms like “every customer needs this” and “next generation platform” are far too soft, and should be avoided. This is not the place for a detailed product specification, but an explanation of how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Solution and benefits. Focus is the keyword here.