Gust

JULY 15, 2012

Every startup faces a myriad of challenges that are well beyond the scope of any founder, so you need a few guiding lights to illuminate the road ahead. I recommend that every early-stage startup find three Advisory Board members. Once your company is past the startup stage, you do need a board of directors.

Advisory Board 178

Advisory Board Technical Review Startup Software Review 178

Gust

APRIL 6, 2014

Let me assure you that it is also alive and well within startups. I see startup founders and managers who are stalled transplants from large organizations, as well as highly-capable technologists trying to start and run a business for the first time. How many technologists have tried to run startups and failed?

Non-Compete 148

Non-Compete Startup Management Founder 148

Gust

DECEMBER 22, 2011

So you’ve chosen a name for your startup, product, or both. Tech startups are at the other extreme. The gulf has widened with the proliferation of social Internet / user-generated content and mobile application startups. Most of our early-stage startup clients fit this description. Instagram is a textbook example.)

Intellectual Property 149

Intellectual Property Technical Review Software Review IP 149

Gust

OCTOBER 5, 2014

Mid-level or even top executives who “grew up” in large companies often look with envy at startups, and dream of how easy it must be running a small organization, where you can see the whole picture and it appears you have total control. This transfers well to startups, and should give you an advantage. Get used to dynamic budgeting.

Startup 165

Startup Early Stage Technical Review .Net 165

Gust

AUGUST 19, 2022

Having worked with hundreds of founders and early-stage startups, I often hear questions in regards to setting up an Advisory Board. I will address some of the common questions I’ve heard over the years in this article and share some insights I’ve gained as both a founder and as an advisor.

Advisory Board 185

Advisory Board Early Stage Startup Founder 185

Gust

APRIL 5, 2023

Richard Cacciato & Natalie Yates are not only startup co-founders but have known each other since college, are married and have worked together for many years. The post Founder Spotlight – Harnessing Technology to Ease the Stress of Airport Security with Flippit appeared first on Gust.

Security 91

Security Founder Technology Cofounder 91

Gust

MARCH 14, 2023

The biggest complaint I hear from fellow investors is that startup founders often talk way too long, and neglect to cover the most relevant points. The average length of a funding pitch to angel investors is ten minutes. Even if you have booked an hour with a VC, you should plan to talk only for the first fifteen minutes.

Technical Review 113

Technical Review Angel Investor Founder Startup 113

Gust

SEPTEMBER 6, 2022

Before a technology startup becomes a company, it spends a period of time as simply a project. At some point, founders ask themselves: when is it time to turn this project into a company? The post When Should a Tech Startup Form a Company appeared first on Gust.

Startup 172

Startup Demand Founder Technology 172

Gust

MAY 17, 2023

Imagine that you are the founder of a Brazilian B2B SaaS startup that has landed a few enterprise clients and has some good traction. based investors are productive, you soon realize that they are unwilling to invest in your Brazilian startup as it is governed by laws they are not familiar with.

Delaware 160

Delaware Silicon Valley B2B Startup 160

Gust

OCTOBER 29, 2014

” If we’re talking about the US and you are NOT at the Accredited level ($1 million in investable assets, or $200,000 annual income), then for the moment you are actually not allowed to invest in privately held startups (emerging public companies, of course, you can buy on the stock market like everyone else.).

Accredited Investor 157

Accredited Investor Securities and Exchange Commission Technical Review Due Diligence 157

Gust

APRIL 11, 2024

But only one percent of startups become unicorns; in fact, most VC-backed companies don’t reach their expected rate of return. That means 95% of founders—or more—are gonna have a bad time,” explains Rand Fishkin, the author of Lost and Founder, and co-founder of Moz and more recently of SparkToro.

Hockey Stick 169

Hockey Stick Cofounder Founder Startup 169

Gust

MAY 16, 2017

Today we’re proud to release an updated Co-founder Equity Split tool. We released the first version back in November to help startup founders divide the ownership of their startup fairly and rationally among their team. With this release, the tool gives founders. Read more >. Read more >.

Cofounder 131

Cofounder Equity Conversion Founder 131

Gust

SEPTEMBER 1, 2023

Founders often have a mental image of how they imagine their new company will be: the new Google. When you have early stage legal needs, you want to find a law firm that specializes in working with startups and know how to guide them toward an exit. Starting a new business is exciting.

Intellectual Property 91

Intellectual Property Hiring Early Stage Startup 91

Gust

SEPTEMBER 12, 2011

Since this is my inaugural post here, I decided it would fit the occasion to list the five things I value most in an startup investment proposal. Startup experience. I want to see people on the team who have been through a startup. I want somebody who knows what it feels like to work in a startup. Respect for the exit.

Technical Review 70

Technical Review Software Review Angel Investor Exit Strategy 70

Gust

AUGUST 23, 2012

Startups usually begin with one or two founders who play many roles. The lead founder is likely to wear the hats of Founder, Chairman, CEO, President, CFO, CRO and CMO, while a co-founder may well be CTO, Chief Product Officer, and Programming Team Lead.

CTO Hire 118

CTO Hire Cofounder Startup Founder 118

Gust

APRIL 13, 2014

A while back I talked about how and where to find a co-founder in “ For a Startup, Two Heads are Always Better Than One ”. The feedback was good, but some readers asked me to be a bit more specific on attributes that might indicate an ideal startup partner. Invested Interests business entrepreneur partner startup'

Partner 179

Partner Software Review CTO Hire Fractional CTO 179

Gust

MARCH 22, 2024

Investors prefer investing in Delaware C Corps which don’t allow founders to take personal tax losses for early expenses. Many founders are tempted to make an S-Corp election which allows a pass-through tax treatment similar to an LLC.

Delaware 167

Delaware LLC Founder Startup 167

Gust

JANUARY 4, 2012

Last month we covered the basics of intellectual property (IP) for startups, including a simple taxonomy, some common issues and related documents for entrepreneurs to use when forming a new startup. The amount of investment in IP in any direct sense is generally small for early stage startups. In practice, this leads many U.S.

Intellectual Property 143

Intellectual Property IP Startup United States 143

Gust

NOVEMBER 9, 2015

Jason Rappaport, Founder and CEO of Squareknot, has raised $1.3 We sat down with Jason as he shared what his fundraising journey was like, the startup lessons he learned, and his advice to fellow founders. The post Ask A Founder: Startup Lessons Learned from Squareknot’s Jason Rappaport appeared first on The Gust Blog.

Founder 70

Founder Startup Email 70

Gust

OCTOBER 26, 2015

Kevin Klages, Co-Founder and CEO of Planitar, raised a $500,000 seed round after four pitches to angel investors. We sat down with Kevin as he shared what his fundraising journey was like, the startup lessons he learned, and his advice to fellow founders. Here is what he had to say: HK: Tell me a little about Planitar.

Founder 70

Founder Angel Investor Cofounder Startup 70

Gust

JUNE 16, 2023

When you run a startup, securing the right types of funding at the right moments can feel like a never-ending game of chess. And plenty of founders do sabotage the game: It’s estimated that 80% of startups don’t make it past the first year, and 90% fail over the long run.

Equity 185

Equity Security Founder Startup 185

Gust

OCTOBER 28, 2022

As a founder, you likely have a lot on your mind. Raising capital for your startup is probably near the top of your mental "to-do" list, but chances are you haven't really gotten around to starting on it just yet. The post 5 Important Resources You Can Use to Raise Capital for Your Startup appeared first on Gust.

Early Stage 91

Early Stage Startup Founder 91

Gust

MARCH 8, 2016

Kathryn Schifferle, Founder and CEO of Work Truck Solutions, turned being a woman in work trucks into an oversubscribed $2.1 We sat down with Kathryn as she shared what her fundraising journey was like, the startup lessons she learned, and her advice to fellow founders, especially women. million round. Read more >. Read more >.

Founder 70

Founder Startup 70

Gust

NOVEMBER 4, 2016

We’ve just released our free Co-founder Equity Split tool. It’ll give you a fair and objective recommendation about how to divide your startup’s ownership, so you and your co-founders will have a sensible, real starting point for this notoriously hard, crucially important conversation. Read more >.

Cofounder 70

Cofounder Framework Equity Founder 70

Gust

NOVEMBER 14, 2011

Remember that up to this point, the investor has primarily seen and talked to the founder and CEO, and studied written documents. Founders with bad credit, active lawsuits, or recent bankruptcies dramatically increase the risk. How well have you met previous financial and business milestones?

Technical Review 152

Technical Review Due Diligence Intellectual Property Private Equity 152

Gust

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

The bottom line is that the very question you are asking is one of the trickiest things of all when it comes to startup founding.

Founder 134

Founder Option Pool Vesting Cofounder 134

Gust

APRIL 20, 2014

It’s your startup, so you can give early partners any title you want, but be aware of potential investor and peer implications. VCs and Angel investors like to see a startup that is running lean and mean, with no more than three or four of the conventional C-level or VP titles. Image via Wikimedia Commons. Chief Brand Officer.

CTO Hire 171

CTO Hire Fractional CTO Angel Investor Public Relations 171

Gust

APRIL 4, 2024

But only one percent of startups become unicorns; in fact, most VC-backed companies don’t reach their expected rate of return. That means 95% of founders—or more—are gonna have a bad time,” explains Rand Fishkin, the author of Lost and Founder, and co-founder of Moz and more recently of SparkToro.

Hockey Stick 79

Hockey Stick Cofounder Founder Startup 79

Gust

MAY 31, 2014

So before a startup receives outside funding, the board is “elected” by—and usually consists of—the founders (although it may exist in name only.). Invested Interests board of directors business entrepreneur founders startup' original post can be found on Quora @ [link] *.

Common Stock 159

Common Stock Startup Stock Founder 159

Gust

FEBRUARY 8, 2016

Hudson Valley Startup Fund brings together a network of the region’s successful business and community leaders to give back, supporting the launch of the next Hudson Valley visionaries. Read more >.

Angel Investor 70

Angel Investor Chad Founder Startup 70

Gust

JUNE 3, 2012

Many entrepreneurs I know feel guilty about not quitting their day job when initiating their startup, worrying about not giving their all to an employer, juggling the multiple roles, or even a legal conflict of interest. Then there are the more pragmatic questions of how to make concurrent startup efforts productive.

Entrepreneur 152

Entrepreneur Cofounder Angel Investor Salary 152

Gust

OCTOBER 5, 2015

Though it was only $5,000, it was enough to prove to myself and my co-founder, Lauren Mosenthal, that we could actually fundraise for our startup. The post Raising Capital As A First Time Founder appeared first on The Gust Blog. We already had 1,000 women signed Read more >.

San Francisco 70

San Francisco Founder Angel Investor Cofounder 70

Gust

MAY 24, 2014

Gust News founders Gust investors startups' original post can be found on Quora @ [link] *.

Founder 135

Founder Database Restful Global 135

Gust

FEBRUARY 12, 2014

Power Pitches founder investors pitch questions startup VCs' What is your contingency plan for when this seed round is exhausted, and you are unable to raise any more? What is your API/platform/partnership strategy? How are you going to sell the company, and to whom, within six years?

Founder 140

Founder API Advertising Startup 140

Gust

JUNE 23, 2014

With the estimated 510 million live websites at last year-end, and 280,000 new ones being added every day, the biggest challenge for an entrepreneur is to get found, and get some credibility for a new startup. The biggest excuse most startup founders mention is too much to do building a product, mapping strategy, investors, etc.

Startup 174

Startup Cofounder Social Media SEO 174

Gust

APRIL 9, 2014

The Founder of a company starts by owning all the shares representing ownership of the company. Uncategorized company equity dilution founder investors startup' Equity dilution works when the same pie is divided among more people. original post can be found on Quora @ [link] *.

Dilution 150

Dilution Equity Vesting Stock Options 150

Gust

JUNE 16, 2023

When you run a startup, securing the right types of funding at the right moments can feel like a never-ending game of chess. And plenty of founders do sabotage the game: It’s estimated that 80% of startups don’t make it past the first year, and 90% fail over the long run.

Equity 91

Equity Security Founder Startup 91