Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

The average amount per startup has been $23,000, usually in the form of a convertible loan, rather than an equity investment. Their logic is that if your family won’t invest in you, then why should they?

Sweat Equity 274

Sweat Equity Elevator Pitch Startup Equity 274

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Investors are not interested in covering overhead, unless they are convinced that you have already put all your “skin in the game” (not just sweat equity), and have real contributions from friends and family. General startup expenses are beyond your means.

Sweat Equity 239

Sweat Equity Technical Review Bootstrapping Equity 239

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Investors like to see that you have committed personal funds as well as “sweat equity,” and they like to see real progress at this level. If you have neither, you better have a prospect pipeline, connections to distributors, or partner relationship with a known company to bolster your credibility. Show personal investment.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2022

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Partner 351

Partner Cofounder Sweat Equity Startup 351

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 16, 2020

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity.

Sweat Equity 435

Sweat Equity Salary Viral Leadership 435

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Investors are not interested in covering overhead, unless they are convinced that you have already put all your “skin in the game” (not just sweat equity), and have real contributions from friends and family. General startup expenses are beyond your means.

Sweat Equity 255

Sweat Equity Technical Review Entrepreneur Bootstrapping 255

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2020

With one of the many new tools , and a dose of sweat equity, you can create a website for almost nothing -- and you are on your way to success with ecommerce, your latest invention or personal services. It’s more possible to bootstrap today than a few years ago, as the cost of entry continues to go down.

Hockey Stick 423

Hockey Stick Bootstrapping Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 423

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2016

Most founders like to talk about their many months or years of sweat-equity , but cash invested is a stronger commitment. The allocation of shares among the founders, and the number and size of outside investments, will tells volumes about the health, stability, and management of the business.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Burn Rate Technical Review Intellectual Property 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Investors like to see that you have committed personal funds as well as “sweat equity,” and they like to see real progress at this level. If you have neither, you better have a prospect pipeline, connections to distributors, or partner relationship with a known company to bolster your credibility. Show personal investment.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2015

Most founders like to talk about their many months or years of sweat-equity , but cash invested is a stronger commitment. The allocation of shares among the founders, and the number and size of outside investments, will tells volumes about the health, stability, and management of the business.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Due Diligence Sweat Equity Burn Rate 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 11, 2021

The average amount per startup has been $23,000, usually in the form of a convertible loan, rather than an equity investment. Their logic is that if your family won’t invest in you, then why should they?

Sweat Equity 346

Sweat Equity Elevator Pitch Equity Venture Capital 346

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Sweat equity. This unpaid work component is sized in dollars, added to any funds contributed, to represent the total contribution of a founding partner and converted to an equity ownership percentage in a new startup. Although the term may sound negative, it’s actually a very positive sign.

Software Review 120

Software Review Sweat Equity Accredited Investor Angel Investor 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

Investors like to see that you have committed personal funds as well as “sweat equity,” and they like to see real progress at this level. If you have neither, you better have a prospect pipeline, connections to distributors, or partner relationship with a known company to bolster your credibility. Show personal investment.

Intellectual Property 253

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 253

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

Investors like to see that you have committed personal funds as well as “sweat equity,” and they like to see real progress at this level. If you have neither, you better have a prospect pipeline, connections to distributors, or partner relationship with a known company to bolster your credibility. Show personal investment.

Intellectual Property 222

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 222

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 10, 2019

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Partner 177

Partner Sweat Equity Cofounder Equity 177

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 20, 2014

You know how to bootstrap a business, build it from nothing, and burn sweat-equity for long hours to push your dreams to reality. One mistake many entrepreneurs make, especially with online businesses, is a fundamental misunderstanding of how interesting they need to appear to others. Yes, you are a fascinating person.

Leadership 258

Leadership Sweat Equity Bootstrapping Early Stage 258

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2013

Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them.

Sweat Equity 251

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Startup Viral 251

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 29, 2012

Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them.

Sweat Equity 256

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Viral 256

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2017

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Partner 149

Partner Cofounder Sweat Equity Startup 149

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 12, 2013

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Cofounder 240

Cofounder Founder Sweat Equity Startup 240

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 16, 2013

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and “sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. If the runway is less than six months, with no new source signed, both you and the startup are at risk. How much “skin” is already in the game?

Due Diligence 253

Due Diligence Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Burn Rate 253

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 20, 2012

You know how to bootstrap a business, build it from nothing, and burn sweat-equity for long hours to push your dreams to reality. One mistake many entrepreneurs make, especially with online businesses, is a fundamental misunderstanding of how interesting they need to appear to others. Yes, you are a fascinating person.

Sweat Equity 244

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Early Stage 244

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Cofounder 244

Cofounder Founder Sweat Equity Partner 244

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 2, 2016

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Salary Startup Viral 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 21, 2011

You know how to bootstrap a business, build it from nothing, and burn sweat-equity for long hours to push your dreams to reality. One mistake many entrepreneurs make, especially with online businesses, is a fundamental misunderstanding of how interesting they need to appear to others. Yes, you are a fascinating person.

Sweat Equity 256

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Bootstrapping Early Stage 256

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 24, 2015

You know how to bootstrap a business, build it from nothing, and burn sweat-equity for long hours to push your dreams to reality. One mistake many entrepreneurs make, especially with online businesses, is a fundamental misunderstanding of how interesting they need to appear to others. Yes, you are a fascinating person.

Leadership 120

Leadership Sweat Equity Bootstrapping Early Stage 120

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2012

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and “sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. If the runway is less than six months, with no new source signed, both you and the startup are at risk. How much “skin” is already in the game?

Due Diligence 244

Due Diligence Sweat Equity Burn Rate Intellectual Property 244

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2016

With one of the new free tools and a dose of sweat equity, you can create a website for almost nothing -- and you are on your way to success with ecommerce, your latest invention or personal services. It’s more possible to bootstrap today than a few years ago, as the cost of entry continues to go down.

Bootstrapping 120

Bootstrapping Hockey Stick Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 16, 2015

That’s why all those so-called million dollar ideas I hear about as an investor don’t get me excited, and entrepreneurs find that working twenty hours a day often generates nothing more than sweat, instead of the desired sweat equity.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Salary Viral Leadership 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 3, 2011

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Cofounder 239

Cofounder Founder Sweat Equity Startup 239

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 12, 2010

Those at the other extreme don’t look up from the grindstone long enough to notice whether all their work is producing sweat equity or just sweat. Aspiring entrepreneurs ask me why their great idea hasn’t sold; they talk about it endlessly, and they expect others to do the development, finance, and marketing work for them.

Sweat Equity 222

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Viral Salary 222

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Quantify founder investments, both cash and sweat-equity. Since investors are buying a part of your company (not your product), this is the most important question, and is one often not answered. Justify funding requirements, use of funds and specify a current valuation estimate.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Advisory Board Liquidity Event Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 5, 2011

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and “sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. If the runway is less than six months, with no new source signed, both you and the startup are at risk. How much “skin” is already in the game?

Due Diligence 237

Due Diligence Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Entrepreneur 237

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 1, 2015

The average amount per startup was $23,000, usually in the form of a convertible loan, rather than an equity investment. Their logic is that if your family won’t invest in you, then why should they?

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Equity 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Quantify existing skin-in-the-game, by insiders and outsiders, including sweat equity and capital. Funding requirements. Explain how you calculated the funding requirements, and show details on planned use of funds. Include a current valuation estimate.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2010

The intent of this question is to determine the level of commitment of founders, both cash and "sweat equity,” and how much others have already invested into this plan. If the runway is less than six months, with no new source signed, both you and the startup are at risk. How much "skin” is already in the game?

Due Diligence 229

Due Diligence Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Startup 229

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 4, 2010

I’ll put in the money, if you put in the sweat equity.” Some people like to live just over the limit, while others have a high sense of integrity and morality. It usually doesn’t work. Things happen, memories change, and soon both sides feel under-appreciated and over-utilized.

Cofounder 207

Cofounder Founder Sweat Equity Startup 207