Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations. Solution development and delivery. Team building status and plan.

Exit Strategy 288

Exit Strategy Metrics Operations Cost 288

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. The market and venture capitalists are looking for business, but with a continuing focus on proven business models.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2020

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Growth and exit stage. Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption.

Incubator 429

Incubator Startup Exit Strategy Institutional Investors 429

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2021

There is no magic formula for a formal business plan format or sequence, but I would recommend the following ten sections, in this sequence, with relevant content: Executive summary Problem and solution Company description Market opportunity Business model Competition analysis Marketing and sales strategy Management team Financial projections Exit (..)

Silicon Valley 342

Silicon Valley Exit Strategy Business Plan Restful 342

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 25, 2023

Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. Here are three important reasons for the question: Good investment paybacks normally require an exit event. Here are three important reasons for the question: Good investment paybacks normally require an exit event.

Exit Strategy 264

Exit Strategy Private Equity Equity Technical Review 264

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 14, 2016

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. The target market better be a big one, certainly over a billion dollars, with a double-digit growth rate, and large enough to absorb multiple entrants.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Valuation Merger Exit Strategy 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2021

You need complementary skills for marketing, financials, and operations. What do you see as your legacy and exit strategy? For me, the acid test of a leader and an idea is whether you can convince other people, and perhaps a co-founder, to join you in your quest. A business is never a solo operation.

Startup 399

Startup Exit Strategy Cofounder Equity 399

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 12, 2021

You should plan an exit strategy, and optimize your activities and timing to get top dollar. The critical tasks , which require professional skills, include packaging the business, actively marketing it, negotiating terms, and due diligence. Selling your business requires the same energy and passion as growing it.

Due Diligence 410

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Bankruptcy Exit Strategy 410

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

A business needs technical, marketing, financial and many other skills. The business plan should address all key questions, including valuation, funding needed, use of funds and exit strategy. Assemble a team with the requisite expertise and experience. Create and highlight your intellectual property portfolio.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Accredited Investor Angel Groups 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations. Solution development and delivery. Team building status and plan.

Entrepreneur 328

Entrepreneur Exit Strategy Metrics Operations 328

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 25, 2020

Yet one of the first things a potential equity investor asks about is your exit strategy. Here are three important reasons for the question: Good investment paybacks normally require an exit event. Here are three important reasons for the question: Good investment paybacks normally require an exit event.

Exit Strategy 376

Exit Strategy Startup Private Equity Equity 376

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. All the conviction and market research in the world are no substitute for real customers paying real money. Finalize your financial model. Variables for “what if” questions add credibility.

Intellectual Property 249

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 5, 2011

So here are the most common exit strategies and considerations these days for planning purposes: Merger & Acquisition (M&A). One often-overlooked exit strategy is simply to shutdown, close the business doors, and liquidate. There may be a natural catastrophe, like 9/11, or the market you counted on could implode.

Exit Strategy 231

Exit Strategy Initial Public Offering Startup IPO 231

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

It should answer every question an investor or associate might ask, including current valuation, funding needed, and exit strategy. All the conviction and market research in the world are no substitute for real customers paying real money. Finalize your financial model. Variables for “what if” questions add credibility.

Angel Investor 224

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2013

IPOs in 2008, the market was up to a still trivial 128 in 2012 (compared to 675 in 1996). I reviewed a good summary of the advantages and disadvantages of an IPO exit strategy for startups in a widely-used textbook “ Entrepreneurship ,” by Robert Hisrich, Michael Peters, and Dean Shepherd. After a record low of 39 U.S.

IPO 224

IPO Founder Exit Strategy Investment Bankers 224

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2011

I recently reviewed a good summary of the advantages and disadvantages of an IPO exit strategy for startups in a widely-used textbook “ Entrepreneurship ,” by Robert Hisrich, Michael Peters, and Dean Shepherd. Their synopsis of the key risks should make you look hard for an alternate exit strategy: Increased risk of liability.

Exit Strategy 235

Exit Strategy IPO Investment Bankers Entrepreneur 235

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 28, 2018

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Growth and exit stage. Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption.

Incubator 236

Incubator Exit Strategy Institutional Investors Angel Investor 236

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2012

Here are the ten slides you need: Problem and market need. Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Define the characteristics of the overall industry, market forces, market dynamics, and customer landscape. Investors like $1B markets with double-digit growth rates.

Elevator Pitch 247

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 247

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Industry & market sizing. Start with the evolution of the overall industry, market segmentation, market dynamics, and customer landscape. Data from accredited market research groups like Forrester or Gartner is required for credibility. Avoid any statements like “All we have to do is get 1% of the market.”

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

Here are the ten slides you need: Problem and market need. Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Define the characteristics of the overall industry, market forces, market dynamics, and customer landscape. Investors like $1B markets with double-digit growth rates.

Elevator Pitch 234

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 234

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

Here are the unique business elements that I expect to hear as a potential investor: Target market size and growth projections. Most investors won’t be interested unless you can show them a large market (billion-dollar opportunity), with a double-digit growth rate. First to market” is not sustainable with normal startup resources.

Product 145

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Exit Strategy 145

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Industry & market sizing. Start with the evolution of the overall industry, market segmentation, market dynamics, and customer landscape. Data from accredited market research groups like Forrester or Gartner is required for credibility. Avoid any statements like “All we have to do is get 1% of the market.”

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

Here are the ten slides you need: Problem and market need. Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Define the characteristics of the overall industry, market forces, market dynamics, and customer landscape. Investors like $1B markets with double-digit growth rates.

Elevator Pitch 235

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 235

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 24, 2021

The CEO is the check and balance on the constant parallel pushes for more development, more marketing, and more growth. They need an operational CEO who knows the market and the marketing game. Make certain you as the founder and the CEO are on the same page on mission, company values, exit strategy, and workplace model.

Exit Strategy 407

Exit Strategy Leadership Founder Networking 407

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2011

It has been at least a decade since going public via an Initial Public Offering (IPO) has been considered a credible exit strategy for startups. The timing of an IPO is driven heavily by the state of the economy in general and the stock market in particular, in concert with your profitability. If it’s not enough, don’t do it.

IPO 223

IPO Social Media Media Exit Strategy 223

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2013

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Growth and exit stage. Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption.

Incubator 256

Incubator Entrepreneur Exit Strategy Institutional Investors 256

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2016

After a number of challenging years we determined that the market did not develop as expected and I closed the operation down. The market did not evolve. An exit strategy is being discussed by senior management and funding partners. Consensus management tends to prevail at this stage.

Leadership 120

Leadership Matching Exit Strategy Europe 120

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Marketing, sales, support, and service operations. Solution development and delivery. Team building status and plan.

Exit Strategy 155

Exit Strategy Metrics Operations Cost 155

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2013

But, if you ask, ten sections is a nice round number, and would include the following: Executive summary Problem and solution Company description Market opportunity Business model Competition analysis Marketing and sales strategy Management team Financial projections Exit strategy You can get free downloads of sample business plans from the Internet, (..)

Business Plan 230

Business Plan Exit Strategy Partner Business Model 230

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Industry & market sizing. Start with the evolution of the overall industry, market segmentation, market dynamics, and customer landscape. Data from accredited market research groups like Forrester or Gartner is required for credibility. Avoid any statements like “All we have to do is get 1% of the market.”

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 27, 2016

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Growth and exit stage. Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption.

Incubator 120

Incubator Startup Exit Strategy Institutional Investors 120

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. Concerns over valuations being reset to a new normal, and a soft exit market, are seen as key drivers. Analysts want escalating profits.

IPO 120

IPO Initial Public Offering SEC Stock Options 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2012

But, if you ask, ten sections is a nice round number, and would include the following: Executive summary Problem and solution Company description Market opportunity Business model Competition analysis Marketing and sales strategy Management team Financial projections Exit strategy You can get free downloads of sample business plans from the Internet, (..)

Business Plan 240

Business Plan Exit Strategy Partner Business Model 240

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2015

They don’t realize that knocking competitors is assessed as a weakness and denying that you have any competition suggests there is no market for your solution. Position your solution as broadening the market, not killing a competitor. Quantify your value over current market alternatives.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Exit Strategy Angel Investor 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

Quantify the market opportunity in business terms. For example, “Nielsen projects that the market for smart phones will double every year for the next five years.” Include marketing, sales, and customer rollout plans. Outline a viable exit strategy for you and investors.

Business Plan 423

Business Plan Product Intellectual Property Elevator Pitch 423

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2012

Every entrepreneur needs help and support along the way, from developing the initial idea, to selling off the successful business (exit strategy). Growth and exit stage. Companies at this stage must have a large market, good traction, and be focused on scaling infrastructure and market adoption.

Incubator 237

Incubator Startup Exit Strategy Institutional Investors 237

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2014

That’s why investors want to hear about your exit strategy. Overall, financial projections that make sense in your business domain, and cross-foot with available data from independent market analysts are no guarantee that you can deliver. Build a path to 10x return. Venture capital requests that get satisfied are even lower.

Liquidity Event 249

Liquidity Event Equity Venture Capital Merger 249