Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 3, 2015

The visibility of Google, Facebook and a few others continues to propagate the myth that the ultimate objective of every entrepreneur should be to take their startups public via an initial public offering at the earliest opportunity. All strategy and operational moves become public.

IPO 120

IPO Initial Public Offering Entrepreneur Private Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2012

Many entrepreneurs still dream of “going public,” making billions of dollars, and playing with the big boys. They don’t realize that this option would likely be their worst nightmare, since it costs millions for the road show, usually dilutes your equity to a tiny fraction, and takes away all your entrepreneurial control.

Exit Strategy 239

Exit Strategy IPO Investment Bankers Entrepreneur 239

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2011

Many entrepreneurs still dream of “going public,” making billions of dollars, and playing with the big boys. They don’t realize that this option would likely be their worst nightmare, since it costs millions for the road show, usually dilutes your equity to a tiny fraction, and takes away all your entrepreneurial control.

Exit Strategy 235

Exit Strategy IPO Investment Bankers Entrepreneur 235

YoungUpstarts

MAY 31, 2016

Oliver, author of “ Mantra Design ” and “ Mantra Leadership “ Successful businesses are not a result of chance, but are the by-product of an effective and evolving strategic plan, complimented by an equally effective operating infrastructure, and supported by exceptional human talent. Think narrowly.

Technical Review 100

Technical Review Leadership Early Stage Initial Public Offering 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 26, 2018

Despite the fact that the number of IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) for startups have continued to stay low, I still hear it touted often as the preferred exit strategy. Yet I believe the trend will continue flat as entrepreneurs become more aware of other considerations that make the IPO route less and less attractive.

Exit Strategy 128

Exit Strategy IPO Initial Public Offering SEC 128

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2013

Many entrepreneurs still dream of “going public,” making billions of dollars, and playing with the big boys. They don’t realize that this option would likely be their worst nightmare, since it costs millions for the road show, usually dilutes your equity to a tiny fraction, and takes away all your entrepreneurial control.

IPO 224

IPO Founder Exit Strategy Investment Bankers 224

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2013

In the old days, every entrepreneur dreamed of someday taking their startup public, and making it a multi-national powerhouse. In my view, the key reasons that IPOs have lost their luster from an entrepreneur and investor perspective include the following: The US IPO process seems broken. Going public is an expensive process.

IPO 242

IPO SEC Prospectus Startup 242

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2016

Despite the fact that the number of IPOs (Initial Public Offerings) for startups have continued to decrease, I still hear it touted often as the preferred exit strategy. Yet I believe the trend will continue down as entrepreneurs become more aware of other considerations that make the IPO route less and less attractive.

IPO 120

IPO Initial Public Offering SEC Stock Options 120

Austin Startup

FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Those were CEOs of public companies and founders or executives of some of the fastest-growing and most successful tech companies in Austin and tech. Those were teachers, accountants, consultants, entrepreneurs, and community leaders. Are there amazing Silicon Valley VCs out there with whom entrepreneurs should work to partner?

Silicon Valley 48

Silicon Valley Technical Review Venture Capital San Francisco 48

YoungUpstarts

MARCH 14, 2012

IPO stands for Initial Public Offering, and is the first sale of a private stock to the public. Net Operating Profit After Tax, or NOPAT, is a performance measure that reveals a company’s after-tax profit. What You Thought It Meant: Giant Awesome Animatronic Porcupine. Maybe double-check that contract.

Non-disclosure Agreement 202

Non-disclosure Agreement NDA IPO Covenant 202

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

MARCH 18, 2011

VC’s worked with entrepreneurs to build profitable and scalable businesses, with increasing revenue and consistent profitability – quarter after quarter. The reward for doing so was a liquidity event via an Initial Public Offering. For VC’s and entrepreneurs the gold rush to liquidity was on. Wide Adoption.

Internet 334

Internet IPO Silicon Valley Agile 334

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2018

Without profit, there is no longevity to any business, so I’m always surprised when sincere young entrepreneurs avoid using the term, as if “profit” is a bad word. Every entrepreneur, and every investor, needs targets and a conviction that your business will be sustainable, and will provide a return-on-investment (ROI) to all constituents.

Intellectual Property 48

Intellectual Property Initial Public Offering Merger Acquisition 48

online.wsj.com

SEPTEMBER 23, 2012

An entrepreneur with a hot technology and venture-capital funding becomes a billionaire in his 20s. Failure often is harder on entrepreneurs who lose money that theyve borrowed on credit cards or from friends and relatives than it is on those who raised venture capital. Stock Quotes. more in Small Business. Live Chat Recap.

Venture Capital 107

Venture Capital Software Review Rhode Island North Dakota 107

Growthink Blog

MAY 23, 2011

An entrepreneur starts a company in classic " bootstrap " fashion - with a combination of sweat equity and their own financial resources. The angel then introduces the entrepreneur to his or her wealthy friends and business connections who, based on the good reputation of the referring angel, also invest. All live happily ever after.

Angel Investor 112

Angel Investor Venture Capital Sweat Equity Cram Down 112