Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 15, 2019

Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even. Don’t attempt to scale it until you have a proven repeatable business model that predictably generates revenue.

Startup 245

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 245

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2012

Yet I continue to see business plans, or even talk to founders, and can’t find the specifics of the business model anywhere. As Guy Kawasaki says in his book “ The Art of the Start ,” if you can’t describe your business model in ten words or less, you don’t have a business model.

Business Model 238

Business Model eCommerce Business Plan Revenue 238

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2021

How do you convince investors that your business model will really work, before you have a revenue stream that exceeds your expenses? Even if you are bootstrapping your business, and you are the only investor, you should be asking yourself the same question. Everyone must be part of the sales process. Marty Zwilling.

Business Model 414

Business Model Angel Investor Bootstrapping Revenue 414

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 20, 2015

How do you convince investors that your business model will really work, before you have a revenue stream that exceeds your expenses? Even if you are bootstrapping your business, and you are the only investor, you should be asking yourself the same question. business model entrepreneur investors startup viable'

Business Model 120

Business Model Angel Investor Startup Bootstrapping 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2020

Believe it or not, the business world changes even faster than technology, so you need to see changes coming in your industry, and even drive them. That means taking calculated risks with new business models, new customer segments, as well as new products and services.

Founder 312

Founder Intellectual Property Dilution Startup 312

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2011

This rather crude expression weighs heavily on the mind of all good startup founders, no matter how confident they appear. The real milestone, proving the business model, is that first product sold for full price to a total stranger, leaving him happy. Your revenue model has to make sense.

Business Model 244

Business Model Sales Customer Distribution 244

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 18, 2014

Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even. Don’t attempt to scale it until you have a proven repeatable business model that predictably generates revenue.

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Startup Angel Investor Technical Review 283

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 12, 2017

Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even. Don’t attempt to scale it until you have a proven repeatable business model that predictably generates revenue.

Startup 161

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 161

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2019

Friendly or hostile takeover attempts are just a couple of the many ways that company founders sense a loss of control of their own destiny. The board of directors, as well as public stockholders, are no longer part of the inside team focused on the founder’s vision to change the world. Startup founders don’t fit in a public company.

IPO 210

IPO SEC Prospectus Startup 210

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 19, 2011

Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even. Don’t attempt to scale it until you have a proven repeatable business model that predictably generates revenue.

Startup 286

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 286

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2012

Nail the business model. Leverage your customer conversations to predict and validate your business model. Don’t forget a viable financial model of costs, margins, customer acquisition, and break-even. Don’t attempt to scale it until you have a proven repeatable business model that predictably generates revenue.

Startup 296

Startup Angel Investor Technical Review Incubator 296

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 29, 2023

According to most definitions, anyone who starts a business is an entrepreneur , but most people don’t realize there are many startup types out there, and picking the wrong one can be just as disastrous as being stuck in a cubicle at work, or doing things with no interest and no skills. Fulfill your legacy and responsibility to society.

Intellectual Property 243

Intellectual Property Matching Business Model Cofounder 243

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 23, 2013

They evaluate you like you should assess a possible co-founder or first employee. Success means the entrepreneur must be laser focused on driving the business, passionate about a product, and passionate about a specific set of customers. Rational business model, with prices and volumes. Investors are people too.

Founder 270

Founder Cofounder Bootstrapping Entrepreneur 270

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2017

Even the most diligent investors are often surprised by apparently solid business startups that fail, while others succeed, despite the odds. The best founders operate with a key set of internal principles that allow them to break through all but the toughest business obstacles. Balance of technical and business knowledge.

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Stealth Lean Social Media 152

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2023

When I heard a friend and business mentor say, “Your startup won’t fail if you don’t quit,” I realized that every entrepreneur should adopt “never give up” as their mantra. Rather than quitting, there are always alternatives, like pivoting the business model or merging with new partners for support. So why do most startups fail?

Bootstrapping 339

Bootstrapping Business Model Social Media Partner 339

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 23, 2010

Yet I continue to see business plans, or even talk to founders, and can’t find a clear business model. As Guy Kawasaki says in his book “ The Art of the Start ,” if you can’t describe your business model in ten words or less, you don’t have a business model. eCommerce model.

Business Model 120

Business Model eCommerce Revenue Stock 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Thus the top priority of every entrepreneur who wants funding should be to build and highlight their “dream team” of co-founders, executives and advisers, to attract the biggest and best investors. Investor focus is on facilitating the scaling of a startup, after you have proven the business model.

Sweat Equity 152

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Software Review 152

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2018

validate your business model) Continuous improvement. Have you set the right price for your entrée, and correctly included all costs? Have you projected sales and marketing costs, cash flow, and capital requirements? Show return on investment, growth rates, and market penetration. Don’t stand still.

Founder 204

Founder Restful Business Plan Metrics 204

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2017

Indecision leads to doubt, then the two blend and become fear, which signals defense, resulting in being overrun in the business world, as well as the military world. Offense, for entrepreneurs, means leading with a new business model, new marketing, and new technology. Never be thrown off-guard by chaotic conditions.

Founder 246

Founder Differentiation Entrepreneur Global 246

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2017

Friendly or hostile takeover attempts are just a couple of the many ways that company founders sense a loss of control of their own destiny. The board of directors, as well as public stockholders, are no longer part of the inside team focused on the founder’s vision to change the world. Startup founders don’t fit in a public company.

IPO 218

IPO SEC Prospectus Technical Review 218

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 7, 2016

Founders soon learn that customers only spend real money for solutions rather than ideas. Success requires moving your passion quickly from the idea to the business implementation. Continuous improvement applies to the business model as well as the product. Enable team members to run the business as their own.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Architecture Agile Business Model 120

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 21, 2023

Savvy investors tell me that startup founders who claim to have never failed are either lying or have never tried anything innovative. A technical champion may drive a specific innovation, but the business leader has to own the result, in order to drive an appropriate business model, customer acquisition, support, and a growth strategy.

Intellectual Property 343

Intellectual Property Metrics .Net Social Network 343

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

The market and venture capitalists are looking for business, but with a continuing focus on proven business models. Here are some key action items that may give your business some visibility: Start with an investment-grade business plan. Line up a winning team. Line up a winning team. Timing is critical.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2018

Most of you new venture founders I meet as an angel investor seem convinced that starting the business is the hardest part. You look forward to the day when your business becomes self-sustaining, and settles into a long-term growth curve, ensuring financial success. Examples would include Pets.com, Webvan, and Blockbuster.

Angel Investor 167

Angel Investor Dilution Software Review Distribution 167

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2021

According to most definitions, anyone who starts a business is an entrepreneur , but most people don’t realize there are many startup types out there, and picking the wrong one can be just as disastrous as being stuck in a cubicle at work, or doing things with no interest and no skills. Fulfill your legacy and responsibility to society.

Intellectual Property 328

Intellectual Property Matching Business Model Cofounder 328

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

For no good reason, this process seems shrouded in mystery, when in fact it is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Remember that up to this point, the investor has primarily seen and talked to the founder and CEO, and studied written documents.

Technical Review 225

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Private Equity 225

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2015

Most technologists have little interest in the mechanics of starting and building a business. That’s why I recommend that they find a co-founder who loves business challenges, including marketing and finance. Outside investors are most interested in scaling a proven business model, not research and development.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Intellectual Property Cofounder Bootstrapping 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2021

She is a widely acclaimed C-suite advisor, speaker, and founder of HORN Strategy, LLC. The best approach is to listen and learn from them – and clarify your brand marketing, customer service, business model, or just find the right customers. Accommodate and integrate multiple cultures.

Leadership 426

Leadership Management Brazil Differentiation 426

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 24, 2012

I challenge any startup to show me they have avoided all of these: One of the founders isn’t delivering. While everyone was busy building the product and business model you detailed in your business plan, early feedback from the field makes it clear that you were somewhat wrong.

Software Developers 229

Software Developers Software Development Business Model Product Development 229

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

They expect to hear about founders and team member’s prior experience in building a startup, and knowledge in the relevant solution domain. They know it’s especially hard to provide a financial return with a free business model. Many naïve startup founders believe that they can make good money with low margins.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Technical Review Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 30, 2021

Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 399

Technical Review Product Advisory Board Business Model 399

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2015

Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Business Model 120

Business Model Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2021

Yet there are big challenges to hyperlocal, at least for consumer-focused hyperlocal startups, according to Sean Barkulis, Founder of UPlanMe, whose initial consumer-focused business model was an early casualty, writing in Street Fight : Every site requires real curated local content to engage users. This is not just a fad.

Finder 361

Finder Startup Curation Seattle 361

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

For no good reason, this process seems shrouded in mystery, when in fact it is nothing more than a final integrity check on all aspects of your business model, team, product, customers, and plan. Remember that up to this point, the investor has primarily seen and talked to the founder and CEO, and studied written documents.

Technical Review 237

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Private Equity 237

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

Too many founders today face the conundrum that they need capital to get started, and even angels defer until after you have your product built, business model proven, and a real revenue stream. Tags: entrepreneur startup investor super angels founder. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 215

Technical Review Early Stage Venture Capital Startup 215

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 9, 2023

Businesses require an equally elegant business model, with the right price, messaging and delivery channel to the right target customers to keep the dream alive and growing. Defining the right business model requires the same diligence as designing the right product, but the approach and skills required are different.

Technical Review 220

Technical Review Advisory Board Software Review Business Model 220

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2022

You can’t win as an entrepreneur or business owner without full confidence in your own ability, as well as in your solution and business model. Of course, you can be overly confident or unrealistic in your expectations, without the skills or plans to run a business. Beliefs produce behavior, so build confidence first.

Flash 353

Flash Angel Investor Cofounder Analytics 353