Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 18, 2023

If the company has been around for more than a couple of years, and still has no product or revenue flow, there better be a good explanation. Is there a real customer willing to give a testimonial? Don’t be sidetracked by potential customers in the middle of a free trial, or friends of the founder.

Sweat Equity 207

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 207

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2023

Don’t forget to consider customer alternatives, like trains versus airplanes. Check for intellectual property barriers in your way. Even good social causes need to bring in revenue to continue their worthy efforts. Ask domain experts to quantify value for you. Choose projects with financial resources within your reach.

Technical Review 267

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Internet 267

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 28, 2020

Building a minimum viable product, with customer validation. Before you bring on partners, develop intellectual property, raise capital, or generate revenues, you need to establish an official business entity. Just make sure you can fill in all the details. Incorporating a business entity early through online services.

Intellectual Property 404

Intellectual Property Startup Angel Groups Social Media 404

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2020

Don’t forget to consider customer alternatives, like trains versus airplanes. Check for intellectual property barriers in your way. Even good social causes need to bring in revenue to continue their worthy efforts. Ask domain experts to quantify value for you. Choose projects with financial resources within your reach.

Technical Review 434

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Internet 434

Steve Blank

JUNE 26, 2014

We’re changing the order in which we teach the business model canvas and customer development to better-fit therapeutics, diagnostics and medical devices. “Customer Development” to test the hypotheses outside the building and. Teams talk to 10-15 customers a week and make a minimum of 100 customer visits.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Lean IP Open Source 281

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2019

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Intellectual Property 219

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 219

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

I was having breakfast with Radhika, an ex-grad student of mine who wanted to share her Customer Discovery progress for her consumer hardware startup. Activities define the unique expertise your company needs to deliver the value proposition, customers, channels, customer relationships and/or revenue. (If

Cofounder 335

Cofounder Founder Intellectual Property Business Model 335

The Startup Magazine

FEBRUARY 21, 2024

This could involve leasing out unused space, selling off non-core assets, or finding innovative ways to monetize intellectual property or data. Are there new revenue streams you can tap into? Explore asset-based lending options where loans are provided based on the value of specific assets.

Technical Review 133

Technical Review Due Diligence Bankruptcy Intellectual Property 133

YoungUpstarts

JANUARY 30, 2015

Google is focused on expanding its already broad reach into the advertising market by increasing the span and coverage of its digital and mobile platforms, and the company’s 4Q14 results highlight how the company’s efforts to buttress its core services is paying off: Google’s revenue and gross profit climbed 15.3% billion and generated $4.1

Advertising 100

Advertising Revenue Mobile Intellectual Property 100

Steve Blank

APRIL 23, 2014

If they decide to buy, large companies can: license/acquire intellectual property. buy out an entire company for its revenue and profits. A business model is all the parts of a strategy necessary to deliver a product to a customer and make money from it. acquire startups for their teams (and discard the product).

Acquisition 332

Acquisition Intellectual Property Silicon Valley Startup 332

Up and Running

JULY 28, 2022

Small Business Administration , an organization is considered to be a small business if their: Firm revenue ranges from $1 million to $40 million Number of employees is between 100 and 1,500. Secure your intellectual property. It walks you through everything from coming up with your idea to getting your first customers.

Small Business 167

Small Business Intellectual Property Cofounder Software Review 167

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Don’t expect them to believe your $100M revenue projection, if you are still waiting for the first revenue dollar. For a business, you must define the absolute minimum features you need to satisfy the customer problem, and test it in the market. Get a real customer and real revenue. Only real results count.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 14, 2014

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Entrepreneur 283

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 1, 2017

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Product Development 177

Product Development Cost Developer Product 177

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Don’t expect them to believe your $100M revenue projection, if you are still waiting for the first revenue dollar. For a business, you must define the absolute minimum features you need to satisfy the customer problem, and test it in the market. Get a real customer and real revenue. Only real results count.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 19, 2020

Does it have a niche or intellectual property? You should always design with the customer experience in mind. Patrons refers to the customers your company serves. A diversified customer base can reduce cash flow risks and greatly increase your company’s value. Is your product thriving or dying?

Exit Strategy 246

Exit Strategy Intellectual Property Valuation Metrics 246

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 19, 2013

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Intellectual Property 309

Intellectual Property Technical Review Venture Capital Startup 309

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2018

These days you can create a C-corp or LLC online quickly at a low cost, to serve you well in signing partners, intellectual property, investors, and revenue. Validate your solution with a prototype and real customers. You need something real that investors and customers can touch and feel.

Technical Cofounder 184

Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property Silicon Valley LLC 184

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 12, 2018

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Intellectual Property 134

Intellectual Property Technical Review Startup Incubator 134

Steve Blank

DECEMBER 10, 2009

Early on in my career I took a “we’re moving too fast to deal with lawyers” attitude to patents and Intellectual Property (IP.) At one of my entrepreneurship classes at Stanford, Dan Dorosin , of Fenwick & West LLP guest lectures about startups and Intellectual Property. Intellectual Property.

Intellectual Property 213

Intellectual Property IP Software Review Non-disclosure Agreement 213

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Don’t expect them to believe your $100M revenue projection, if you are still waiting for the first revenue dollar. For a business, you must define the absolute minimum features you need to satisfy the customer problem, and test it in the market. Get a real customer and real revenue. Only real results count.

Intellectual Property 253

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 253

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2013

I think it’s important for enterprise startups to layer in professional services into your revenue stream. deliver profitable revenue that while on gross margins of 50% vs. software at 85-95% it is still profits to help you cover fixed costs. Minimize Any Custom Work That Will Not Feed Back Into Your R&D.

Software Review 321

Software Review Software IP Technical Review 321

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 18, 2022

How an entrepreneur answers this question speaks volumes about their knowledge of business realities, customers, confidence, and their ability to handle investor funding. Facebook spent over $150 million before revenue. Intellectual property as barrier to entry. Money from customers and investors is the same color.

Intellectual Property 334

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Matching Founder 334

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

It’s equally easy to go online and incorporate your new entity, register some intellectual property and have some fun with social media for marketing and interacting with customers. Keep expenses down, but keep customer visibility and sensitivity as a top priority. Favor profitability over revenue and user growth.

Equity 349

Equity Hockey Stick Bootstrapping Sweat Equity 349

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 24, 2018

Don’t forget to consider customer alternatives, like trains versus airplanes. Check for intellectual property barriers in your way. Even good social causes need to bring in revenue to continue their worthy efforts. Ask domain experts to quantify value for you. Choose projects with financial resources within your reach.

Technical Review 208

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Internet 208

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2022

The canvas is a visual chart with elements describing your value proposition, structure, finances, and customers, to help companies identify and align business activities. I look for evidence of the nine major elements of the model canvas, as paraphrased here from the author’s key points and how they apply to teams: Customer segments.

Business Model 334

Business Model Intellectual Property Angel Investor Channel 334

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 17, 2023

For example, if you have a proven product, real revenue, a big potential market, and are ready to scale up the business, every investor will be interested. On the other hand, if you are a new entrepreneur, still in the idea stage, professional investors will only tell you to come back later when you have traction (customers and revenue).

Angel Investor 313

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 313

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2016

Premium ventures need real traction, such as 100 million users, 10 million in revenue, or brand recognition around the world. If you don’t yet have a hundred investors knocking on your door, it’s time to put more focus on viral marketing, closing customers, and exponential growth. Strong intellectual property and defensibility.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Merger Exit Strategy 120

The Startup Magazine

MARCH 29, 2024

This isn’t just about having a eureka moment; it’s about understanding the problem you’re solving and why it matters to your potential customers. Then, consider how you’ll reach your customers and what kind of relationship you want to build with them.

Intellectual Property 131

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Business Model Bootstrapping 131

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2017

They come at the early stage while a startup has no revenue or valuation, so professional investors are hard to find. Meeting the new consumer demand for customization. Customers today increasingly demand solutions that are customized just for them. Facilitates building skills and familiarity with new tools.

Technical Cofounder 153

Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property Wiki Cofounder 153

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 21, 2016

Lead with your intent to offer the solution free to customers. Of course, customers love free, but investors hate it. In reality, fundamental changes in technology frighten away more customers than they attract, and take longer and more money to come to fruition than any investors wants to commit. Skip the hype.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Technical Review Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Don’t expect them to believe your $100M revenue projection, if you are still waiting for the first revenue dollar. For a business, you must define the absolute minimum features you need to satisfy the customer problem, and test it in the market. Get a real customer and real revenue. Only real results count.

Intellectual Property 222

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 222

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2023

Actually, great new customer solutions lead to great platforms, not the other way around. Extrapolating you as the target customer. Never mix up what you like with what your customers will buy. It’s tempting to believe that one more new platform will win for crowd funding or video games, like Indiegogo and Wii.

Intellectual Property 314

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Bankruptcy Viral 314

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2015

The “valley of death” is a common term in the startup world, referring to the difficulty of covering the negative cash flow in the early stages of a startup, before their new product or service is bringing in revenue from real customers. Consider licensing your product or intellectual property, and “white labeling.”

Entrepreneur 120

Entrepreneur Intellectual Property Technical Review Incubator 120

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 19, 2015

Nearly all businesses, whether they are small or large, are comprised of intellectual property (IP) and trade secrets, which can serve as the foundation for commercial success. The World Intellectual Property Organization defines IP as, “creations of the mind,” which, depending on the business, can take many forms.

Intellectual Property 60

Intellectual Property Business Plan IP Early Stage 60

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2022

This means building a revenue stream, and tuning your business model to produce margins in the 50 percent range or above. In the jungle, it might be the strongest jaws, but in startups it’s more likely the strongest intellectual property. I don’t believe in greed, but we all need to make enough money to eat. If you want to mate.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Startup Early Stage Venture Capital 281

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

Simply stated, it means that your business has the potential to multiply revenue with minimal incremental cost. I see too many business plans that are really product plans for customers, touting free services and long feature lists. But what does that really mean? These are more likely scalable and investable. Automate to the max.

Hockey Stick 339

Hockey Stick Intellectual Property Non-Compete Business Model 339