Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Reserve the company name on social networks to protect it. They must amplify your “elevator pitch” to investors, as well as key points from the business plan and the financial model. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. This is called “validating the business model.” Define some intellectual property.

Intellectual Property 249

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Use your networking to get advice, but all jobs can be do-it-yourself. Adding free users or customers to increase valuation makes sense for a venture-backed startup looking to go public, but will kill bootstrapping. Use your equity for key executives and business partners. Operate small, but show a big-company image.

Equity 349

Equity Hockey Stick Bootstrapping Sweat Equity 349

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. See where your cashflow bottoms out.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

Here are some key action items that may give your business some visibility: Start with 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.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2021

In startup business plans, a bubble is too many entrepreneurs and too many investors chasing the latest “next big thing,” like Google search engine, Facebook social network, or Amazon e-commerce site. High valuation, low profit. In all these cases, a bust is inevitable, and everyone may lose. Overconfidence.

Demand 362

Demand Government Venture Capital Valuation 362

Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations.   I’ve sat down with entrepreneurs and a copy of a term sheet guide I like [ “Term Sheets & Valuations - A Line by Line Look at the Intricacies of Venture Capital Term Sheets & Valuations ” by Alex Wilmerding, Aspatore Press.] The Valuation Question.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. See where your cashflow bottoms out.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Both Sides of the Table

JULY 29, 2010

We received so much positive feedback from our This Week in Venture Capital show walking through valuation calculations & term sheets that we decided to do a Q&A show this week to address topics that entrepreneurs want to learn about. The best thing to get is a “right sized&# valuation. A: It’s not best.

Venture Capital 282

Venture Capital Term Sheet Valuation Stock Options 282

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2021

At this point your entity may already have several million in valuation, so the IRS will tax your shares at that value immediately as income, just when your cash flow is at its lowest. Business plans and other documents should always be labeled as confidential. Trouble with the IRS over Founders stock value.

Cost 363

Cost Non-Compete Accredited Investor Cofounder 363

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $1 million, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Networking is key here, and you need to find an angel who understands your industry and shares your passion. Friends and family.

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2016

Who would not want to joint the unicorns (recent startups with a current valuation of over $1 billion)? He nails the current key startup parameters, including the following: Crafting a lean business plan as your road map. The days of lengthy, text-heavy, business plan documents prepared by expensive experts are behind us.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 120

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Should I trust my instincts for founders and products or should I be more focused on the market size or business plan? Otherwise you’re a stock picker, which in this business isn’t a good thing. I have always advised startup companies against letting valuations get massively ahead of market norms.

Deal Flow 347

Deal Flow Early Stage Investment Bankers Technical Review 347

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

While Google fights on the edges, Amazon is attacking their core - Chris Dixon , May 22, 2010 Google is fighting battles on almost every front: social networking, mobile operating systems, web browsers, office apps, and so on. it’s about measuring online influence and I’m big on metrics as a key element of business planning; 2.)

Fractional CTO 248

Fractional CTO Startup Venture Capital Cofounder 248

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Write a great business plan, but know that few will read it. Business plans are an extremely valuable exercise and should always be presented to show the entrepreneur is serious and has done his homework. could be a Business Analyst, a Bachelor of Arts, or a Bad Ass. List them in your business plan.

Angel Investor 159

Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review Accredited Investor 159

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to 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. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

It never hurts to start networking personally with all levels of investors early, but sending out teasers and business plans to every name you can find on the Internet is a waste of your time and theirs. Tune your investor pitch and funding expectations accordingly.

Angel Investor 370

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 370

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Reserve the company name on social networks to protect it. They must amplify your “elevator pitch” to investors, as well as key points from the business plan and the financial model. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. This is called “validating the business model.” Define some intellectual property.

Angel Investor 224

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2020

Use your networking to get advice, but all jobs can be do-it-yourself. Adding free users or customers to increase valuation makes sense for a venture-backed startup looking to go public, but will kill bootstrapping. Use your equity for key executives and business partners. Operate small, but show a big-company image.

Hockey Stick 423

Hockey Stick Bootstrapping Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 423

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2011

Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $1 million, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Networking is key here, and you need to find an angel who understands your industry and shares your passion. Friends and family.

Technical Review 233

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Venture Capital 233

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to 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. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

Gust

AUGUST 5, 2012

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. See where your cashflow bottoms out.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Gust

JULY 12, 2012

We finished our first full day at a dinner with Halo , the Northern Ireland Business Angel Network (Alan Watts). On Wednesday, April 18th, I gave a keynote speech on US Startup Valuation Trends for the 1st Irish Angel Meetup. Later that afternoon, we visited the phenomenal new Titanic Experience – Not to be missed!

Community 121

Community Estonia Ireland Finland 121

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. See where your cashflow bottoms out.

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to 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. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Intellectual Property 253

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 253

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Should I trust my instincts for founders and products or should I be more focused on the market size or business plan? Otherwise you’re a stock picker, which in this business isn’t a good thing. They do this because they have amazing skills at writing business plans. With which other investors?

Early Stage 361

Early Stage Deal Flow Investment Bankers Technical Review 361

Gust

SEPTEMBER 27, 2014

One excellent way to do this (with a good bit of help from the experts), is to create a draft business plan using LivePlan from Palo Alto Software. There’s no use banging your head against a VC’s door with a social network venture if they only invest in biotech companies.

Angel Groups 159

Angel Groups Elevator Pitch Software Review Deal Flow 159

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 20, 2019

You may have a thoughtful business plan, a proven team, and a great product, but if the market isn’t big enough to present them with an outsized opportunity to make money, they’ll pass. Have a reasonable attitude about your early-stage valuation, and don’t get too hung up on it. Draw upon connections to help get an audience.

Technical Review 140

Technical Review Due Diligence Early Stage Differentiation 140

Gust

JUNE 17, 2012

Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $1 million, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Networking is key here, and you need to find an angel who understands your industry and shares your passion. Friends and family.

Technical Review 164

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 164

David Teten

MARCH 28, 2012

The conventional school of thought argues that investors –generally- should be creating value by selecting the “right” companies, business plans, and teams into which to invest. Almost every VC will say, “I respond to the CEO’s requests, I put him in touch with someone in my network when he asks me to”.

Portfolio 144

Portfolio Private Equity Venture Capital Early Stage 144

The Startup Magazine

AUGUST 5, 2021

Communication skills are essential and you shouldn’t be too sensitive when it comes to people’s opinions of you and your startup business. You should also be prepared for failure and have a backup plan should you not achieve your goals. You need to set out with a startup business plan in mind. Be Goal-Orientated.

Startup 179

Startup Networking Business Plan Finance 179

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

Develop a Business Plan. Grow Your Network. Your compliance obligations will surge once your business starts the process of offering securities to potential investors—so start early. What is your business worth? Develop Your Business Plan. Set a Fundraising Goal. Perform Background Checks.

Equity 125

Equity SEC Technical Review Security 125

Gust

OCTOBER 20, 2011

In 2011, the valuation of pre-revenue, start-up companies is typically in the range of $1.5–$2.5 Diversification across industry sectors is not as easily achieved for angels as could be accomplished in public markets, but can be achieved by co-investing with trusted angel colleagues in a broader set of businesses. million.

Valuation 146

Valuation Pre-Money Valuation Intellectual Property Technical Review 146

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. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient. Become a visible expert.

Intellectual Property 222

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 222

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 1, 2010

Use this approach before you have a real valuation, a real product, or any real customers. If you are looking for $25,000 to $250,000, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Networking is key here, and you need to find an angel who understands your industry and shares your passion. Friends and family.

Technical Review 149

Technical Review Bootstrapping Startup Venture Capital 149

ConversionXL

AUGUST 11, 2021

A sponsorship strategy should cover five areas: Assets Audience data Asset valuation Activations Market identification. Asset valuation. Lean on your professional networks too. Who are you connected with on LinkedIn or friendly with at networking events that could make a good prospect? Are they a potential sponsor?

Audience 139

Audience Social Media Email Ruby 139

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2018

It never hurts to start networking personally with all levels of investors early, but sending out teasers and business plans to every name you can find on the Internet is a waste of your time and theirs. Tune your investor pitch and funding expectations accordingly.

Angel Investor 184

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 184

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2021

Internet domain names can be acquired from most hosting providers or Network Solutions , for as little as $10/year each. Immediately go to relevant social media sites and grab the same name, even if you never plan to use the accounts. Companies often use non-patentable but important trade secrets to run their business.

Intellectual Property 363

Intellectual Property Portfolio Valuation Non-disclosure Agreement 363