Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 27, 2015

I have found it to be more productive and effective to lead with the model that no meetings will take an hour, and may be done in as little as five minutes. I have personally used this approach in leading startups as well as large organizations, in highly technical roles as well as business development and marketing.

Founder 120

Founder Product Elevator Pitch Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2023

I’m not proposing that anyone promise things that they don’t intend to deliver, but it’s time that founders switch to start selling their product before they build it, rather than believing the old adage of “if we build it, they will come.” Craft and hone your elevator pitch early. Capitalize on yourself early. Marty Zwilling

Elevator Pitch 315

Elevator Pitch Public Relations Social Media Startup 315

The Startup Magazine

DECEMBER 24, 2018

Enter the elevator pitch, a tried-and-true networking tool that is crucial for any successful business leader to master. What Is an Elevator Pitch? Forbes suggests that the speech should be around 30 seconds — the same amount of time it takes to ride up an elevator. Sales pitches. Networking events.

Elevator Pitch 104

Elevator Pitch Differentiation Campaign Design 104

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

Turn existing connections into productive relationships. By helping others, and participating in online debates and industry events, you will find that productive relationships emerge naturally with peers. Asking someone to be your mentor is not a sign of weakness, and most mentors love to help.

Entrepreneur 261

Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Incubator 261

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 20, 2016

Building a startup business is not the same as corporate executive experience, so prior titles in a big business may actually be seen as a negative. On the other hand, having failed in an earlier startup may be an advantage, if positioned properly, and some learning is evident. Focus on prior results, not titles.

Sweat Equity 152

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Software Review 152

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

Many first-time entrepreneurs find themselves unable to bootstrap their startups, and also unable to find early funding at the venture capital level or even with angel investors. These are the only people likely to believe in newbies, with only minimal product evidence or business experience.

Sweat Equity 274

Sweat Equity Elevator Pitch Startup Equity 274

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2014

You see, investors invest in people, before they invest in ideas or products. If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be upbeat and respectful. Don’t be one.

Technical Review 266

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Due Diligence Startup 266

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 10, 2010

An "elevator pitch" is a concise, well-practiced description of your startup and your plan, delivered with conviction and enthusiasm, that your mother should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. A good elevator pitch is not just for an elevator discussion.

Elevator Pitch 233

Elevator Pitch Startup Distribution Channel 233

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2019

Based on my experience and data from the field, over seventy-five percent of new startups fail, even with venture backing. I love good causes and social entrepreneurs, but a recent pitch to me about eliminating world hunger with a new product (harvesting algae at low cost) seemed to forget that really hungry people don’t have any money.

Intellectual Property 235

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Harvest Technical Review 235

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2015

Every entrepreneur needs a value proposition statement for his or her startup that can hook potential investors and partners in less than a minute -- the short time you might join them in an elevator on the way to their offices. Skip the sales pitch and avoid preaching. Build up for the punch line at the end.

Elevator Pitch 120

Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Differentiation Business Plan 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

Based on the final report for 2012 from Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA), it may appear that IPOs are back as a viable startup exit strategy. Angels are also moving up-stage, leaving a bigger and bigger black hole for new startups. Remember you only have one chance for a good first impression.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

SoCal CTO

MARCH 12, 2012

I've recently received several emails from people looking for a technical cofounder for their startup. Make sure you go through the 32 Questions Developers May Have Forgot to Ask a Startup Founder. You should definitely hit up the Startup Weekend events as well. And look at StartupDigest.com for lots of startup oriented events.

Technical Cofounder 211

Technical Cofounder Cofounder CTO Hire Los Angeles 211

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2020

As an aspiring entrepreneur, one of the most important things you need is a memorable “ elevator pitch ,” to communicate your startup value proposition and leave a great first impression on friends, investors, employees, and future customers. What they want to hear is quantified value to them.

Elevator Pitch 317

Elevator Pitch Intellectual Property Cost Technology 317

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2018

The biggest challenge for every entrepreneur and every startup today is to get noticed and remembered in today’s information overload. Every one of these probably has a unique story, but in my years as a startup advisor I only remember hearing a few who capitalized on their story. Every story needs a main character.

Elevator Pitch 211

Elevator Pitch Technical Review Boston Sales 211

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 20, 2011

You see, investors invest in people, before they invest in ideas or products. If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be upbeat and respectful.

Early Stage 247

Early Stage Technical Review Elevator Pitch Due Diligence 247

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2020

Every startup and every new business needs a unique selling proposition (USP) to get people’s attention these days, and make it stand out in the information overload we all see. Skip the fill words and fuzzy phrases, like better, cheaper, easier to use, or more productive. That may sound easy, but I rarely see it happening.

Intellectual Property 416

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Startup Algorithm 416

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2016

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Startup Angel Investor 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 6, 2013

Investors tell me that startup success is all about execution, all while facing determined competitors and overcoming customers’ resistance to change. So here is my interpretation of the fundamentals he outlines, adapted to the language of a startup: Define the win for your business. A startup is not a parlor game.

Elevator Pitch 303

Elevator Pitch Entrepreneur Matching Leadership 303

The Next Web

JANUARY 23, 2014

She previously served as the Chief Product Officer and Chief Marketing Officer at Smule , where she remains an advisor to the Board of Directors. To many, it connotes bloated budgets and the use of psychological trickery to make up for the fact that your product sucks. If a product is good, we are told, it should simply sell itself.

Product 147

Product Elevator Pitch Silicon Valley Vertical 147

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2021

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. For aspiring entrepreneurs, or if your last startup failed, it’s all about standing out above the crowd of others like you, and demonstrating your readiness.

Elevator Pitch 390

Elevator Pitch Entrepreneur Due Diligence Angel Investor 390

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 8, 2020

I’m not proposing that anyone promise things that they don’t intend to deliver, but it’s time that founders switch to start selling their product before they build it, rather than believing the old adage of “if we build it, they will come.” Craft and hone your elevator pitch early. Capitalize on yourself early.

Elevator Pitch 312

Elevator Pitch Public Relations Marketing Social Media 312

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2013

Can concisely explain the unique, compelling value of the proposed venture in written terms and in oral presentations (elevator pitch), recognizing that some investors rely more on one than the other. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage. entrepreneurs intestors startups characteristics business'

Technical Review 273

Technical Review Intellectual Property Angel Investor Elevator Pitch 273

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 29, 2012

Investors tell me that startup success is all about execution, all while facing determined competitors and overcoming customers’ resistance to change. So here is my interpretation of the fundamentals he outlines, adapted to the language of a startup: Define the win for your business. A startup is not a parlor game.

Entrepreneur 286

Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Matching Leadership 286

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 3, 2013

You see, investors invest in people, before they invest in ideas or products. If you set around quietly waiting for someone you know to offer you money to fund a startup, you will probably have a long wait. Practice your “elevator pitch,” and end it by asking for the order. Be upbeat and respectful.

Technical Review 273

Technical Review Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Due Diligence 273

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 30, 2013

The average length of a funding pitch to Angel investors is ten minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point. Marty Zwilling.

Angel Investor 256

Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch Matching 256

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 17, 2018

As a startup co-founder with a growing team, here are the recruiting tips I’ve learnt over the last couple of years. You need to sell them on why your startup is the best. Think of it as an elevator pitch for recruiting. For example, if you run a tech startup , you will know how hard it is to find good software engineers.

Cofounder 140

Cofounder Elevator Pitch Hiring Dividend 140

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 26, 2012

An "elevator pitch" is a concise, well-practiced description of your startup and your plan, delivered with conviction and enthusiasm, that your mother should be able to understand in the time it would take to ride up an elevator. A good elevator pitch is not just for an elevator discussion.

Elevator Pitch 283

Elevator Pitch Startup Differentiation Distribution 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 23, 2023

Every startup and every new business needs a unique selling proposition (USP) to get people’s attention these days, and make it stand out in the information overload we all see. Skip the fill words and fuzzy phrases, like better, cheaper, easier to use, or more productive. That may sound easy, but I rarely see it happening.

Intellectual Property 240

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Algorithm Social Media 240

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2015

As a model, think high-quality marketing collateral, with text and graphics in columns and sidebars, but focused on the value of your business, rather than selling your product. I see too many executive summaries that are simply heavy-duty customer pitches, or lightweight visions of the future.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Technical Review 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2021

Many first-time entrepreneurs find themselves unable to bootstrap their startups, and also unable to find early funding at the venture capital level or even with angel investors. These are the only people likely to believe in newbies, with only minimal product evidence or business experience.

Sweat Equity 346

Sweat Equity Elevator Pitch Equity Venture Capital 346

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2023

That means they normally only invest in startups with a working product that has already been sold to at least one customer for full price (beta tests, giveaways and best friends don’t count). They are willing to cover marketing, inventory and scaling, but not product development. Make your focus and priorities clear.

Elevator Pitch 228

Elevator Pitch Salary Angel Investor Viral 228

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

The reality is, the vast majority of real startups are driven by people who know their market from experience and who are ready to bet the farm on it! ” Students and newbies need market research, while the vast majority of real startups are driven by people who know their market from experience and are ready to bet the farm on it.

Elevator Pitch 60

Elevator Pitch Startup Balance Sheet Forecast 60

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 18, 2012

Can concisely explain the unique, compelling value of the proposed venture in written terms and in oral presentations (elevator pitch), recognizing that some investors rely more on one than the other. The technology or product may be at an embryonic stage. Here are some key ones they look for: Talks and writes well.

Technical Review 294

Technical Review Intellectual Property Angel Investor Elevator Pitch 294

Gust

JULY 23, 2014

So even if my own mother asked me to meet with you, and you were pitching me a biotech opportunity for a $10 million investment at a $90 million valuation, I might take the meeting, but it wouldn’t be particularly useful for either of us. In this case, it’s not a lack of interest, just a lack of time and efficiency.

Angel Investor 153

Angel Investor Elevator Pitch Pre-Money Valuation Technical Review 153

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

For the rest of us, we need a business plan, as well as a product plan. Some of you may be convinced that your product specification communicates the product message even better than a business plan, so why be redundant? Professional investors and even customers invest in people, rather than just a product.

Business Plan 423

Business Plan Product Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch 423

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 22, 2012

The average length of a funding pitch to angel investors is ten minutes. The biggest complaint I hear from investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. If you start by pitching your extended life story, that’s the wrong point.

Technical Review 243

Technical Review Elevator Pitch Angel Investor Matching 243

Up and Running

MARCH 30, 2015

The business pitch. When I say pitch or business pitch I mean the short presentation startup founders make for angel investors or venture capitalists. That’s what Guy Kawasaki writes about in The Art of the Pitch, in his landmark book “The Art of the Start.” The LivePlan pitch page.

Elevator Pitch 60

Elevator Pitch Lean Oregon Angel Groups 60