Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Here are some tips which will signal traction to investors, as well as your team: Document your business plan. It’s hard to build a business without a plan, just like it’s hard to build a house without a blueprint. It doesn’t prove your business model of pricing, distribution, and support. Become a visible expert.

Intellectual Property 222

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 222

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

There was no viral social networking products back then like Twitter where people could easily discover your content. We have also been very busy with our next release, which is due out by December 11th (but I’ll save that for a different post). Page 4: Business Model. Page 3: Competition. Page 5: Financials.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Term Sheet San Diego Viral 274

ReadWriteStart

JULY 9, 2023

Even if you have a trusted lawyer or legal adviser, you still need to be able to read and understand legal documents yourself and identify questionable wordings in them, no matter how boring it may seem to you. Business Models and Pricing Know your business model prior to launching a startup.

Intellectual Property 122

Intellectual Property Startup Burn Rate Metrics 122

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2014

This doesn’t work well with “nice to have” offerings, like social networks, but does work for new drugs and medical devices that solve critical health problems. Subscription model. This is a very popular model today for Internet services, calling for monthly or yearly low payments, in lieu of one value or cost-based price.

Revenue 287

Revenue Startup Business Model Retention 287

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 23, 2013

This doesn’t work well with “nice to have” offerings, like social networks, but does work for new drugs and medical devices that solve critical health problems. Subscription model. This is a very popular model today for Internet services, calling for monthly or yearly low payments, in lieu of one value or cost-based price.

Product 290

Product Revenue Business Model Retention 290

Austin Startup

APRIL 27, 2019

Recently one of the startups in our portfolio, eRelevance, failed, as the Austin American-Statesman documented. Cotter bucks the flavor-of-the-day entrepreneurial stereotype: the college dropout popularized by both our own Michael Dell and recently Mark Zuckerberg and the great movie The Social Network.

B2C 51

B2C Austin Cofounder IPO 51

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 1, 2017

This doesn’t work well with “nice to have” offerings, like social networks, but does work for new drugs and medical devices that solve critical health problems. This is a very popular model today for Internet services, with monthly or yearly payments, in lieu of one higher up-front price.

Revenue 166

Revenue Affiliate Advertising Retention 166

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 22, 2011

I suspect the real challenge is not the semantic web technology , but new attractive business models from smart entrepreneurs. U sers can now interact in real time on documents, collaboration, including making changes. According to Tasner, who is a marketing guru, business models and marketing in the Web 3.0

Web 239

Web Semantic Entrepreneur Mobile 239

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

DECEMBER 20, 2016

Now that Facebook has open-sourced their entire data center infrastructure, does that make it easy for a competitor to overtake Facebook as a social network? One thing would be: You would be judged. ” In this sense, building in public would force you to create quality, artful code.

Open Source 120

Open Source API Framework Salary 120

Steve Blank

MARCH 18, 2011

The IPO offering document became the playbook for startups. This next wave of web startups; Social Networks and Mobile Applications, now reached 100’s of millions of customers. Rather they understood that a startup is a temporary organization designed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model.

Internet 334

Internet IPO Silicon Valley Agile 334

Gust

AUGUST 24, 2014

This doesn’t work well with “nice to have” offerings, like social networks, but does work for new drugs and medical devices that solve critical health problems. Subscription model. This is a very popular model today for Internet services, calling for monthly or yearly low payments, in lieu of one value or cost-based price.

Revenue 184

Revenue Startup Retention Internet 184

VC Adventure

OCTOBER 23, 2014

But it’s rare when you have the feeling that you’re investing in a business that may both be that and has the potential to touch millions of lives. We feel we’ve found that in Ello – a social networking business that’s part Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook, but at the same time all its own. Simply put: this isn’t the case.

Cofounder 103

Cofounder Social Network Flash Finance 103

Steve Blank

APRIL 15, 2011

This week they were testing one of the most confusing sections of a company’s business model – Customer Relationships - the activities used to “Get, Keep and Grow” customers in a physical or virtual (web or mobile) channel. Using the business model canvas, the changes to their business were obvious.

Customer 256

Customer Cloud EC2 Channel 256

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2011

Here are some key action items that will give you some priority: Create an investment-grade business plan. This means build a plan that hits all the hot buttons; problem/solution, executive team, competition, business model, reasonable financial projections, and what’s in it for the investor. Line up a winning team.

Venture Capital 233

Venture Capital Revenue Elevator Pitch Silicon Valley 233

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. You won’t impress investors by claiming that everyone in China needs one, and nobody else has exactly the right features to compete with you.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2010

This doesn’t work well with “nice to have” offerings, like social networks, but does work for new drugs that solve critical health problems. This model is relevant only if you have multiple products and services, each with a different cost and utility. Razor blade model. Portfolio pricing.

Product 247

Product Startup Portfolio Revenue 247

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. You won’t impress investors by claiming that everyone in China needs one, and nobody else has exactly the right features to compete with you.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

VC Adventure

OCTOBER 23, 2014

But it’s rare when you have the feeling that you’re investing in a business that may both be that and has the potential to touch millions of lives. We feel we’ve found that in Ello – a social networking business that’s part Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook, but at the same time all its own. Simply put: this isn’t the case.

Cofounder 48

Cofounder Social Network Flash Finance 48

Gust

AUGUST 5, 2012

Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it assumes at least 100M users and $50M investment. You won’t impress investors by claiming that everyone in China needs one, and nobody else has exactly the right features to compete with you.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Steve Blank

JANUARY 26, 2016

Today these potential adversaries are able to harness the power of social networks, encryption, GPS, low-cost drones, 3D printers, simpler design and manufacturing processes, agile and lean methodologies, ubiquitous Internet and smartphones. Department of Defense and Intelligence Community are now facing their own disruption from ISIS.

Silicon Valley 120

Silicon Valley North Korea Agile Lean 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Explain the business model. Many people seem to use the social network advertising model for revenue, but forget it requires at least 100M users and $50M investment. You won’t impress investors by claiming that everyone in China needs one, and nobody else has exactly the right features to compete with you.

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186

Professor VC

APRIL 7, 2011

There isnt a need to negotiate a number of terms in standard preferred financing documents and legal fees will be less. Don't Stop Believin' Is There Any Truth in "The Social Network"? The arguments for convertible debt are that it is quick, easy and cheaper to get a financing done. ► January. (1).

San Jose 36

San Jose Technical Review Angel Investor Valuation 36

Duct Tape Marketing

JUNE 19, 2017

Every one of my competitors shows up for local searches and my business does not? I find the need to produce content and participate in every social network exhausting? Narrowly define and document the answer to this question: How would I spot your ideal client? I’m getting constant pitches from SEO companies?

SEO 67

SEO Social Network Matching Networking 67

Austin Startup

SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

Deciding to tinker with pricing without taking into account the overall business model and customer profile is most often a wrong-headed move. One could come up with similar example in all aspects of a business. I’m not talking about general social networking. Who would want a $50,000 Ferrari?

Cap Table 48

Cap Table Austin PR Founder 48

Occam's Razor

APRIL 8, 2013

It means you're relevant to the business, and if your trip around the cycle is successful, you'll have helped the organization get closer to its goals. Another way to find the metric you want to change is to look at your business model. The business model also tells you what the metric should be.

Metrics 156

Metrics Analytics Lean Churn Rate 156

Professor VC

AUGUST 26, 2011

Is the model consistent with the business plan? Does the business model make sense? Do you understand the business and market? The process of building the model forces you to answer the difficult questions related to the business model and give a complete picture of the opportunity.

Silicon Valley 35

Silicon Valley San Jose Hockey Stick Venture Capital 35

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

That Google document provides cut and pasteable text I can share with other investors, based on their stage, focus, and appetite. . This is a great example of why data businesses have substantial moats. Boardex and Relationship Science make it easier to understand and map social networks into potential limited partners.

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

reidhoffman.org

NOVEMBER 12, 2013

Friendster’s valuation set the tone for the entire social networking space. Press and analysts characterized LinkedIn in one of two ways: “LinkedIn is an interesting niche that might be worth paying attention to” or “LinkedIn is the Friendster for business”. The general rule is one business model drives the business.

Entrepreneur 111

Entrepreneur Revenue Viral Networking 111

Haystack

DECEMBER 17, 2019

It can be accounted for as a business expense. It exploits social networks and reputations at work for using the most cutting-edge tools. 2/ Luxury Productivity SaaS: Another benefit to entrepreneurs of “prosumer being the new consumer” is that these customers have a willingness to pay for better software products.

Cap Table 113

Cap Table Finance Database Software 113

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 16, 2013

“With new business models comes the need for new technologies. ARISE Entity Search Engine : Current search engines such as Google and Bing organize information in terms of keywords and documents, rather than via deeper understanding or context. ARISE’s Entity search engine aims to take search beyond mere web pages.

Singapore 140

Singapore Asia Technology Networking 140

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

OCTOBER 24, 2011

So that means stuff like thinking about what a business model might be, it does mean customer development. They have 27 business units. In fact if I were to describe Mint, you see it as the business model of make money by pushing offers for credit cards, loans, and so forth onto people. What’s the worst case?

Cofounder 208

Cofounder Technical Review Software Review Differentiation 208

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2010

Get introduced via one of the social networks, or a professional organization, before you approach a VC with a business proposal. Create an investment-grade business plan. Don’t try to talk your way to a deal before you have the documentation. Both operating executives and top advisors count. Timing is critical.

Venture Capital 123

Venture Capital Elevator Pitch Silicon Valley Massachusetts 123

maplebutter.com

JANUARY 8, 2013

I’m not afraid to pick up the phone, cold call someone, use LinkedIn to find someone who’s recently left a company that might be considered competitive and ask them for advise around the business model and marketplace. Now our biz model is lighter, more flexible. I think quick, do something, then review what I’ve learned.

Technical Review 44

Technical Review Startup Cofounder Software Review 44

Software By Rob

AUGUST 18, 2010

Rob, frankly I’m surprised you’re endorsing this business model. #5 at 9:42 am I agree with the point by Reader X that the Free/Premium model is a marketing strategy. Rob, frankly I’m surprised you’re endorsing this business model.&# at 1:59 pm i do believe it depends on your business model.

Software Review 78

Software Review Software Revenue Cofounder 78

Entrepreneurs-Journey.com by Yaro Starak

MAY 18, 2011

In “The Social Network&# , the movie based on Facebook’s meteoric rise to prominence, my favorite line is when the young college students sit around a Harvard dorm talking about how fast their idea took off. That’s the target audience who values speedy and prompt delivery of mission-critical documents.

Ratchet 86

Ratchet Internet Differentiation Audience 86

Up and Running

JULY 14, 2015

Our business model was Pinterest. We were doing Social bookmarking around health and wellness products. It goes to show you that the business model was good but we just … We’re not the right team. For example, on our first company, our idea was not to do the social bookmarking. Caroline: Yes.

Incubator 60

Incubator Email Startup Oregon 60

sivers.org

JUNE 25, 2010

In the project, they upload multiple documents to be translated. Each document has a from-language, to-language, and a name. The system counts how many words are in each document. The announcement shows how many documents, how many words, and a price. The translator rejects or approves. The translator rejects or approves.

CTO Hire 84

CTO Hire Hiring Software Review Technical Review 84