Gust

AUGUST 30, 2012

Team, Business Model, Traction, Customer Acquisition, Scalability, Defensibiity, Capital Efficiency, Churn, Time to Breakeven, Exit Strategy. Size, Growth, Concentration, Geography, Demographics, Competition, Channels, Regulatory Environment, Technological Developments, Adjacent Markets, Characteristics of the Deal.

Founder Vesting 144

Founder Vesting Option Pool Exit Strategy Vesting 144

Gust

OCTOBER 21, 2012

Both had access to the same technology, people, and market. I found a good summary of the relevant keys to business operational excellence in a new book by Faisal Hoque, called “ The Power of Convergence.” Maximize technology architecture and standards. during that period. Apple is now at $570B, with Microsoft at $240B.

Architecture 162

Architecture Startup Washington Operations 162

Gust

AUGUST 24, 2014

In this more traditional product pricing model, the price is set at two to five times the product cost. Use it when your new technology gives you a tremendous cost improvement. Value model. This model was popular back in the heyday of dot.coms , when investors were buying followers, but is not so common today.

Revenue 184

Revenue Startup Retention Internet 184

Gust

AUGUST 12, 2012

Because it addresses an internal audience, it can use technical jargon and assume the reader understands the technology. Equally important, marketing and sales people should be able to identify benefits and marketing strategies, set prices, and validate a business model. Market research.

Product 150

Product Business Plan Differentiation Business Model 150

Gust

AUGUST 19, 2012

Solution product & technology. Describe your technology patents and “secret sauce”. Business model. Fuzzy terms like “not user-oriented” or “too expensive” are not helpful. Here is how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Opportunity sizing.

Elevator Pitch 146

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 146

Gust

DECEMBER 20, 2011

We now know that this ‘build it and they will come” is a prayer rather than a business strategy. In reality, a startup is a temporary organization designed to search for a repeatable and scalable business model. You need a combination of skills. What skills?

Angel Investor 93

Angel Investor Oregon Business Model Search 93

Gust

NOVEMBER 3, 2013

The discipline of writing down a plan is the best way to make sure you actually understand how to transform your idea into a business. Business model doesn’t make money. You may have the solution to the world hunger problem, but if your customers have no money, your business won’t last long.

Intellectual Property 183

Intellectual Property Startup Viral Early Stage 183

Gust

AUGUST 5, 2012

Many entrepreneurs scare away potential investors by claiming that their technology represents “truly disruptive technology.” 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.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Gust

DECEMBER 16, 2012

This is called “validating the business model.”. A good start is taking an active role in relevant technology groups, trade associations, university activities, and local business groups. Network to the maximum with investor connections.

Angel Investor 179

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Angel Groups 179

Gust

DECEMBER 28, 2011

And, extending the time to exit also increases the risk of failure – perhaps by being blind-sided by technology or a large competitor. Plan to prove your business model and get to positive cash flow with angel money and without VC investment.

IPO 153

IPO Venture Capital Entrepreneur Angel Investor 153

Gust

DECEMBER 27, 2012

You should know EVERYTHING about your business, product, customers and competition. You should have a crystal clear understanding of your business model and your financials. The expectation is that in an era of increasing technology and decreasing costs, you will be bringing them an operating company with at least some traction.

Software Review 164

Software Review Term Sheet Technical Review Angel Investor 164

Gust

SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

Yet, new technology can quickly blindside you, and market dynamics change, plus you need to broaden your opportunity. Implement a new business model. Software as a service (SaaS) has now pretty much replaced the old licensing model, but offering it was a strategic risk for SalesForce.com. Take the strategic risk.

Forecast 188

Forecast Viral Social Network Business Model 188

Gust

NOVEMBER 25, 2012

Pivots come in many different flavors, each designed to test the viability of a different hypothesis about the product, business model, and engine of growth. Technology pivot. Sometimes a startup discovers a way to achieve the same solution by using a completely different technology.

Silicon Valley 187

Silicon Valley Architecture Startup Channel 187