Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 20, 2022

By definition, new startups have to do this to even have a shot at funding from venture capitalists and survival, but I find that existing companies often rest on their laurels far too long. You can’t ignore the key principles preached by every innovative entrepreneur: Build tomorrow’s opportunity rather than extend today’s.

Silicon Valley 367

Silicon Valley Artificial Inteligence Global Agile 367

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2020

After many years of working with angel investors seriously trying to find new ventures worthy of their hard-earned money, I find their frustration often exceeds that of entrepreneurs sincerely looking for financial help. Undefined business model or very low gross margins. Future unproven projections don’t set today’s valuation.

Due Diligence 308

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Preferred Stock Startup 308

Steve Blank

JULY 13, 2021

By the end of the 20th century, case studies and business plans had reached an evolutionary dead-end for entrepreneurs. The Rise of Business Schools – Management as an Occupation. The business school was invented in the first decade of the 20th century in response to a massive economic transformation in the U.S.

Lean 436

Lean Agile Business Model Business Plan 436

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 16, 2009

Eric Ries in Times Square For any model to be useful it has to predict what happens in the real world – including the web. I realized the Customer Development model needs to be clearer in what exactly a startup is supposed to do, regardless of the business model. “What is the “Business Model” of your startup?&#

Customer Development 228

Customer Development Web Developer Customer 228

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 31, 2014

But if you want to build a scalable startup you need to be asking how you can you get enough customers/users/payers to build a business that can grow revenues past several $100M/year. startups ignore the rest of the world until they scale in their own country. They intended to get scale for their business by growing in the U.S.

Global 335

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Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 4, 2012

Driven by the recent recession, smart entrepreneurs of all ages are jumping into the fray with new ideas, new recovery strategies, and discarding outmoded business models. I see it most in the newest generation of entrepreneurs (Gen-Y), who were shocked out of entitlement into action by the recession.

Entrepreneur 234

Entrepreneur Viral Revenue Distribution 234

Up and Running

AUGUST 6, 2014

The Social Enterprise Alliance offers this definition: “In its early days, the social enterprise movement was identified mainly with nonprofits that used business models and earned income strategies to pursue their mission. What about the rest of us? In terms of legal structure, social enterprises have many options.

Rhode Island 107

Rhode Island North Dakota Louisiana Vermont 107

Austin Startup

MARCH 15, 2017

The African-American community with a global movement known as the Afro-Tech quietly mastered blockchain/distributed ledger technology several years ago to benefit urban communities. What We Discovered About Blockchain The Afro-Tech approached blockchain and distributed ledger as how it will affect African-Americans in everyday living.

Technical Review 54

Technical Review Silicon Valley Software Review XML 54

Lightspeed Venture Partners

OCTOBER 7, 2012

He had been at it for 6 months and had no sales or distribution lined up yet. They are seeking $40k for a 33% stake and want investors who can provide introductions for distribution and licensing on their behalf. In this way, they remind me of the Lifter Hamper entrepreneur. The entrepreneur was clearly desperate.

Technical Review 110

Technical Review Technical Cofounder Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 110

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2013

Driven by the recent recession, smart entrepreneurs of all ages are jumping into the fray with new ideas, new recovery strategies, and discarding outmoded business models. I see it most in the newest generation of entrepreneurs (Gen-Y), who were shocked out of entitlement into action by the recession. Marty Zwilling.

Startup 247

Startup Viral Revenue Distribution 247

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

One of the biggest mistakes entrepreneurs make is misunderstanding the role of venture capital investors. There’s lots of lore, emotion, and misconceptions of what VC’s do or don’t do for entrepreneurs. In this time, building a successful business meant building a company that had paying customers quarter after quarter.

Silicon Valley 235

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 235

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 1, 2016

After many years of working with angel investors seriously trying to find new ventures worthy of their hard-earned money, I find their frustration often exceeds that of entrepreneurs sincerely looking for financial help. Undefined business model or very low gross margins. Future unproven projections don’t set today’s valuation.

Due Diligence 120

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Preferred Stock Seed Stage 120

Reid Hoffman

MARCH 19, 2019

Tim O’Reilly’s recent article, “ The fundamental problem with Silicon Valley’s favorite growth strategy ,” makes an impassioned argument that the ideas in our book, Blitzscaling , encourage entrepreneurs to behave in ways that are irresponsible or even dangerous in the pursuit of what he characterizes as “runaway growth.”

Cofounder 28

Cofounder Business Model IPO Non-Compete 28

Steve Blank

MAY 29, 2019

Innovators are not entrepreneurs. My contribution has been, “Why don’t we design classes more closely modeled to what innovators and entrepreneurs actually do.” Today the capstone class is most often experiential, team-based, hands on, focused around the search for a repeatable and scalable business model.

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Incubator Lean Programming Government 332

Business Plan Blog

JUNE 13, 2013

Read about How to Write a Business Plan. A business idea is not enough to build a successful business. Ideas are everywhere, but successful businesses are not. The difference lies in having a solid business model and business strategies around your great idea.

Business Plan 55

Business Plan Balance Sheet Restful Differentiation 55

Steve Blank

AUGUST 5, 2010

Fairchild Semiconductor became the progenitor of a flood of Silicon Valley chip companies and at the same time the adoption of the limited partnership as the model for Venture Firms gave VC’s their own profitable business model. But these VC’s aren’t Lean because they fund startups with web-based distribution models.

Lean 263

Lean Internet Silicon Valley Venture Capital 263

The Next Web

OCTOBER 2, 2013

Distribution and cashflow pose challenges in China. That’s why the free business model is so popular in China. Furthermore, the steady cashflow in the Western market also comes about because of one key factor: the distribution model. The majority of users are relatively lower-end with lower educational background.

China 122

China Developer Intellectual Property Mobile 122

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 5, 2022

So, that’s why we are excited about 2022 because there will be more and more entrepreneurs and businesses. Here’s the pivot other entrepreneurs are making next year: #1- Work four days a week. I’ve devised a sustainable business model where we will contribute to the ecological welfare of our environment.

Entrepreneur 115

Entrepreneur Affiliate Green Cloud 115

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2010

Driven by the recent recession, smart entrepreneurs of all ages are jumping into the fray with new ideas, new recovery strategies, and discarding outmoded business models. I see it most in the newest generation of entrepreneurs (Gen-Y), who were shocked out of entitlement into action by the recession.

Startup 127

Startup Viral Revenue Distribution 127

Steve Blank

APRIL 30, 2009

SuperMac sold our graphic boards for the Macintosh through multiple distribution channels: direct sales to major accounts, national chains, independent rep firms, etc. Initially your job is to understand each of the parts of your business model before you hire someone to do it.

Sales 120

Sales Silicon Valley RSS Las Vegas 120

Hearpreneur

OCTOBER 6, 2019

No matter the tale, the background behind each and every business is what fuels each and brand. We asked some entrepreneurs and business owners, why they started their businesses: #1- Out of necessity. First, we built relationships with 10+ colleges, getting distribution rights to their students.

Entrepreneur 62

Entrepreneur Ireland LLC Kansas 62

Up and Running

MAY 1, 2014

The vast majority of business owners and entrepreneurs aren’t business experts. Just like you, they’re learning as they go and don’t have degrees in business. Writing a business plan may seem like a difficult hurdle, but it doesn’t have to be. If your business model (i.e., “how Financial summary.

Business Plan 163

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Distribution 163

Duct Tape Marketing

NOVEMBER 1, 2017

And he is going to carry the torch the rest of the way. And then I think in a lot of ways it’s become air for every sort of channel and element and, even as you suggest in your last book, a business model in itself. Joe Pulizzi: And it’s wonder, you know, looking at it from the small business side for just a moment.

Cost 36

Cost Marketing Audience Media 36

Up and Running

MAY 28, 2015

We recently had Tim Berry, Palo Alto Software founder and business planning expert, present our Bplans audience with his latest advice on lean business planning. ” and our first instinct as entrepreneurs and business owners is yes, let’s do drive-through. What distribution, are we using gems or are we a web?

Lean 60

Lean Business Plan Video Software Review 60

Tim Keane

OCTOBER 3, 2012

Long term thinking -- for entrepreneurs » October 03, 2012.  When this risk retires, the rest works pretty well.   This is much different than companies who have very low technical risk, i.e., they can write a really good "app,"  but who ultimately cannot sell enough to make the business perform.

Technology 74

Technology Marketing Intellectual Property Montana 74

abovethecrowd.com

APRIL 17, 2013

When evaluating new marketplace investments, we are naturally biased towards entrepreneurs who understand the strategic rationale behind the argument for a lower rake. This is one of my favorite marketplace business model “tweaks.” The rest is history. As Jeff Bezos is fond of saying, “ your margin is my opportunity.”.

Europe 101

Europe Social Network Technical Review IPO 101

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 25, 2020

We’re actually a distributed team, so we’re in both SF and LA. We have a distributed team for a reason, which is that if you cut your travel time to work completely, you actually have a lot more time to work efficiently. It’s also amazing to learn from so many great entrepreneurs out there that are not in the technology space.

Technical Review 65

Technical Review San Francisco Artificial Inteligence Cofounder 65

crowdSPRING Blog

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

For much of the past five years academics, journalists, bloggers, and assorted mass-media-tag-alongs have been heralding the “ death of newspapers ,” the downfall of the publishing industry and the collapse of information distribution as we know it.

Small Business 88

Small Business Public Relations Social Media New York 88

Reid Hoffman

AUGUST 17, 2021

You have to say, “Well, why is it that all of this massive amount of investment, position, customers, retail position, capital, talent, and all the rest, is all oriented in this direction?” But also think about it in terms of business model. It’s a massive distribution advantage. Why is your thing radically different?

Cofounder 69

Cofounder Differentiation Search Advertising 69

Reid Hoffman

AUGUST 17, 2021

You have to say, “Well, why is it that all of this massive amount of investment, position, customers, retail position, capital, talent, and all the rest, is all oriented in this direction?” But also think about it in terms of business model. It’s a massive distribution advantage. Why is your thing radically different?

Cofounder 69

Cofounder Differentiation Search Advertising 69

Up and Running

APRIL 28, 2015

Your business model has to truly be similar to the company you are referencing. If you aren’t solving some problem in the world, you are going to have a long uphill climb with your business. Some businesses have key strategic partnerships that are critical to their success. “We’re the Netflix for Video Games”.

Forecast 60

Forecast Hockey Stick Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 60

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2017

Writing a business plan is hard work, so I get lots of pushback from prospective new venture founders that it’s just a waste of their valuable time in this rapidly changing environment. In my experience to the contrary, first-time entrepreneurs without a written plan almost always fail. Investors classify these as hobbyists.

Business Plan 179

Business Plan Business Model Distribution Partner 179

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

For a Series A round you want to prove you have built a repeatable and scalable sales/revenue model and understand all parts of the business model. Series B is about proving your net revenue model (can you be profitable?). Team, Product, Traction, Business Model and Market. Business Model.

Cofounder 431

Cofounder Seed Stage Valuation Metrics 431

Professor VC

JUNE 20, 2011

I took a look back at our original financial model we presented to VCs in 2004. The business model (OEM through broadband and home security companies for mass distribution) if not specific product functionality has remained largely the same. Before the $52M Series D , the $23M Series C , the $15.5M

San Jose 28

San Jose Angel Investor Term Sheet Venture Capital 28

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 22, 2017

Corner Piece Productions doesn’t have its own website currently, but here’s the site for West of Her, which picked up five Best Narrative Feature awards over our festival tour this summer, along with rave review from critics across the country, and is set for wide video on demand distribution this year. The rest is history!

Naming 48

Naming Entrepreneur LLC Software Review 48

Steve Blank

MAY 7, 2009

For those of you who don’t know, business plan competitions are held by universities who get their students to enter and compete to see who has the best business idea. In exchange, these VCs/companies get early looks at new deal flow and offer aspiring entrepreneurs feedback and advice on their business plan.

Business Plan 156

Business Plan Silicon Valley RSS Venture Capital 156

Duct Tape Marketing

MARCH 13, 2024

By building resilient businesses through remote work and technology, entrepreneurs can thrive in today’s fast-paced world. John (00:51): So let's start first, I work with a lot of agency owners and there are challenges with that business model. There are challenges in every business, in every industry.

Software Review 76

Software Review ChatGPT Technical Review Small Business 76