Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 28, 2010

Every startup faces a myriad of challenges that are well beyond the scope of any founder, so you need a few guiding lights to illuminate the road ahead. I recommend that every early-stage startup find three Advisory Board members. Once your company is past the startup stage, you do need a board of directors.

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Advisory Board Technical Review Software Review Early Stage 125

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2022

In my role as an angel investor to startups, I’m struck by the broad variety of advisor strategies I see in investor presentations and business plans that cross my desk. That’s the function of a good advisory board. Keep the advisory board to a manageable size.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 9, 2020

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 308

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2012

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Advisory Board Stock Options Startup Stock 233

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 4, 2019

by Bruce Cleveland, Founding Partner at Wildcat Venture Partners and author of “ Traversing the Traction Gap “ As we continue our exploration of the Traction Gap Framework® – a step-by-step approach that startup teams can use to go from ideation to preparing to scale – I will walk you through the principles.

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Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2018

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 144

YoungUpstarts

MAY 24, 2019

by Bruce Cleveland, Founding Partner at Wildcat Venture Partners and author of “ Traversing the Traction Gap “ As we continue our exploration of the Traction Gap Framework® – a step-by-step approach that startup teams can use to go from ideation to preparing to scale – I will walk you through the principles.

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Framework Architecture Cleveland Early Stage 113

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2020

Many startup founders I know avoid establishing a formal advisory board or board of directors for as long as possible, with the excuse that this is just another burden, or it has more risk than value to the founder. You need board members who are these influencers, or know them well.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 2014

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

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Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Startup 245

SoCal CTO

MARCH 9, 2010

In my post, Technology Roles in Startups , I described some of the different ways I engage with startup companies such as CTO Founder , CTO , Part-Time CTO , Acting CTO , Consultant, Advisor and Advisory Board Member. Now, most often technical advisors are part of a broader advisory board.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Make sure your plan answers every relevant question that you could possibly imagine from your business partners, spouse, and potential investors. Build qualified advisory board. If you can convince a couple of domain experts, or a couple of experienced executives to join your board and be your advocate, that’s traction.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 1, 2014

One of the biggest myths in the business world is that startups are no place for Baby Boomers, that aging generation born between 1945 and 1964. Today people over 55 are almost twice as likely to create successful startups as Gen-Y, age 20 to 34. Member of the Advisory Board. boomers entrepreneurs gen-x gen-y startups'

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Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2010

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Both Sides of the Table

MAY 27, 2013

By spending more time educating your board on your business you get more valuable advice from them. Understanding where your VC partner sits in their respective fund and where their fund is in the cycle of its investment lifecycle will help you understand your VCs behavior. But asking your board will keep them engaged.

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Advisory Board CTO Hire Fractional CTO Los Angeles 365

YoungUpstarts

AUGUST 5, 2015

We were not any different, we had corporate bylaws, which my partner and I both reviewed and signed. Our company was essentially going to be 50/50, but since my partner at the time was Indian, we decided that we would apply for HUB status as a business. Unfortunately, a formal advisory board was something we never fully formed.

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CTO Hire Fractional CTO Advisory Board Software Review 100

www.instigatorblog.com

MARCH 2, 2010

Home About Contact My thoughts & lessons learned on startups, entrepreneurship, marketing and other stuff. The Importance of Advisory Boards for Startup CEOs Tweet When a startup receives financing it will need to setup a Board of Directors. Advisory boards are not for the company, they are for you. .&#

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Make sure your plan answers every relevant question that you could possibly imagine from your business partners, spouse, and potential investors. Build qualified advisory board. If you can convince a couple of domain experts, or a couple of experienced executives to join your board and be your advocate, that’s traction.

Intellectual Property 253

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 253

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2011

Probably 80% of the startups I know have found human resource issues to be the most treacherous. Trusted partners quit, personal friends become enemies, and staff management becomes a huge burden. Setting the wrong or no expectations is another of the most consistent problems I see with every startups.

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Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2021

Especially for entrepreneurs who have not built and sold companies before, and need this startup to be an attractive acquisition or IPO target in a few years, I can’t think of a better way to enlist outside experts and keep them motivated to help you meet the challenges of a startup. Size does matter. Maintain too little diversity.

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Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 30, 2014

If you are a new entrepreneur, or entering a new business area, it’s always worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. You need them before you need funding, and if you select the wrong people, or use them incorrectly, no amount of money will likely save your startup.

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Advisory Board Startup Stock Options Stock 276

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Make sure your plan answers every relevant question that you could possibly imagine from your business partners, spouse, and potential investors. Build qualified advisory board. If you can convince a couple of domain experts, or a couple of experienced executives to join your board and be your advocate, that’s traction.

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Austin Startup

SEPTEMBER 19, 2017

This post is written with B2B startups in mind, but should be generally applicable. For startup founders, it’s never too early to start thinking about putting together a target market advisory board. In other cases, they may come from your channel partners or elsewhere. Never discount the power of a warm intro.

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 25, 2022

If you have had a bad day, or are in a negative state of mind, skip any tough negotiation sessions with partners and personnel discussions. Do your homework on new investors, partners, and vendors. Establish an advisory board of experienced peers. Formalize all business and partner agreements.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2012

Probably 80% of the startups I know have found human resource issues to be the most treacherous. Trusted partners quit, personal friends become enemies, and staff management becomes a huge burden. Setting the wrong or no expectations is another of the most consistent problems I see with every startup.

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Advisory Board Forecast Early Stage Product Development 240

SiliconHills

MAY 13, 2013

By SUSAN LAHEY Reporter with Silicon Hills News Brandon Knicely, managing director of Portico International and founder of Austin Innovation Partners, has started mid-cap companies and small companies, invested in developing nations and worked for non-profits in New York City.

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BeyondVC

JANUARY 3, 2019

We had another solid year filled with learning, growth, laughter, and new projects and partners. Thanks to all of the amazing founders, advisors, co-investors, corporate partners, and others that helped make 2018 an amazing year. Welcome to our annual boldstart recap and enterprise predictions letter. First check to Series B?—?congrats

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Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 31, 2017

The best business partners have strengths that complement yours, and they are smarter than you in their domain. I always recommend that a startup founder enlist an advisory board of three to five members, and I find that people who resist this help are not very resilient. They bring you solutions, not just problems.

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 12, 2010

Probably 80% of the startups I know have found human resource issues to be the most treacherous. Trusted partners quit, personal friends become enemies, and staff management becomes a huge burden. Setting the wrong or no expectations is another of the most consistent problems I see with every startups. Marty Zwilling.

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Advisory Board Startup Forecast Early Stage 125

Gust

NOVEMBER 23, 2014

If you are a new entrepreneur, or entering a new business area, it’s always worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. You need them before you need funding, and if you select the wrong people, or use them incorrectly, no amount of money will likely save your startup.

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Advisory Board Startup Stock Options Stock 185

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 6, 2016

In my role as an angel investor to startups, I’m struck by the broad variety of advisor strategies I see in investor presentations and business plans that cross my desk. That’s the function of a good advisory board. Keep the advisory board to a manageable size.

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Advisory Board Angel Investor Later Stage Stock 151

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2010

Taking other people’s money to fund your startup changes your life in ways you cannot predict. To someone laboring in a cash-strapped startup, money often seems to be the endgame. Once you take investment, you will also have a fiduciary board, with the responsibility of making the company successful. By Francine Hardaway, Ph.D.

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Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015

In my years of advising startups and occasional investing, I’ve seen many great ideas start and fail, but the right team always seems to make good things happen, even without the ultimate idea. You need to have a technical genius on the team to get your startup product off the ground. Outsourcing your core competency does not work.

Technical Cofounder 120

Technical Cofounder Cofounder Advisory Board Stock Options 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2020

I found this reality addressed well in a new book, “ Fast Times ,” by McKinsey Partners Arun Arora, Peter Dahlstrom, Klemens Hjartar, and Florian Wunderlich. The passion and commitment that characterizes startups inevitably fades, particularly if things aren’t always going well. Transformation fatigue from continual challenges.

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Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2013

If you are an entrepreneur for the first time, or entering a new business area, it’s usually worth your time to assemble an Advisory Board of two or three executives who have travelled that road before. Here are some tips on using your advisory board effectively: Select people who complement your experience.

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Advisory Board Entrepreneur Stock Options Stock 241

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Make sure your plan answers every relevant question that you could possibly imagine from your business partners, spouse, and potential investors. Build qualified advisory board. If you can convince a couple of domain experts, or a couple of experienced executives to join your board and be your advocate, that’s traction.

Intellectual Property 222

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 222

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2022

Investors and partners look for entrepreneurs that will look them straight in the eye when speaking, and give their full and undivided attention while you’re speaking. No entrepreneur is an island, so take the initiative to build an advisory board. A negative attitude takes everyone down. Be warm and completely accessible.

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Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 16, 2009

However the Customer Development Model and the Lean Startup work equally well for startups on the web. Union Square Ventures The next morning I got to spend time with Brad Burnham , partner at Union Square Ventures talking about their investment strategy and insights about web-based businesses. It’s an impressive portfolio.

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