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. Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. This is the exit stage for the entrepreneur, and for all earlier investors.

Angel Investor 313

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 313

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 11, 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. If you don’t have a partner, you’ll often lose interest and find something else to entertain you. Marty Zwilling.

Entrepreneur 239

Entrepreneur Cofounder Angel Investor Partner 239

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2018

Now is the time to be an entrepreneur and create a business from your passion. Even the homework is easier, with free and mobile access through the Internet to more business assistance sources, opportunity data, investors, and competitor details around the world. Prepare a pitch deck to document and share your plan.

Technical Cofounder 184

Technical Cofounder Intellectual Property Silicon Valley LLC 184

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 11, 2022

New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. As a former angel investor, I look for this level of alignment and understanding in every funding presentation I hear. Key partners. Key resources.

Business Model 334

Business Model Intellectual Property Angel Investor Channel 334

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2020

As an angel investor in startups, I’m a believer that smart investors invest more in you as the entrepreneur than the next billion dollar solution you are pitching. Certainly, investors want to see a financially attractive opportunity and return projection, but also want entrepreneurs who can take it to the next level.

Entrepreneur 312

Entrepreneur Angel Investor Valuation Leadership 312

Steve Blank

JANUARY 22, 2014

Dino Vendetti a VC at Bay Partners, moved up to Bend, Oregon on a mission to engineer Bend into a regional technology cluster. Part 1: Bend, Oregon Ecosystem and Entrepreneurs. Few entrepreneurs find this scalable and repeatable business model because it’s not easy. I visited Bend last year and caught up with his progress.

Early Stage 286

Early Stage Silicon Valley Oregon Technical Review 286

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 21, 2023

How do you convince investors that your business model will really work, before you have a revenue stream that exceeds your expenses? Even if you are bootstrapping your business, and you are the only investor, you should be asking yourself the same question. Plan for a real revenue model.

Business Model 273

Business Model Customer Angel Investor Bootstrapping 273

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 22, 2020

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. Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. This is the exit stage for the entrepreneur, and for all earlier investors.

Angel Investor 370

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 370

YoungUpstarts

MAY 25, 2018

You might say that Pat Mackaronis has never not been an entrepreneur. He got an early start as an entrepreneur at the age of 12 when he used to live near a golf course and would gather up lost golf balls from the players in the trees, ponds and lakes. All parts of what is vital in a business plan.

Developer 159

Developer Investment Bankers eCommerce Social Media 159

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

If you have been working 20 hours a day, and spent your last dollar, but have no results to show, investors will be sympathetic, but will probably tell you that your dream doesn’t have wheels. I hear a lot of entrepreneurs contemplating their great “idea” for several years with little discernable progress, and looking for money to start.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

Up and Running

DECEMBER 18, 2013

RocketHub also recently partnered with the TV channel A&E for marketing and funding help for their favorite fundraising campaigns. Kiva is a non-profit organization that partners with microfinance institutions (Kiva’s “field partners”) in third-world countries to offer small loans to budding entrepreneurs.

Kenya 119

Kenya Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review 119

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 8, 2023

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. But many have no insight or connections to the ethereal angel investment community, which In the U.S. Most share expertise as well as money.

Venture Capital 265

Venture Capital Accredited Investor Syndicate Syndication 265

YoungUpstarts

JUNE 1, 2019

by Bruce Cleveland, Founding Partner at Wildcat Venture Partners and author of “ Traversing the Traction Gap “. In the go-to-product phase, you can get help from a plethora of incubators, accelerators and angel investors. The Traction Gap is somewhat of a no-man’s land for entrepreneurs.

Cleveland 150

Cleveland Framework Marketing Early Stage 150

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. If you don’t have a partner, you’ll often lose interest and find something else to entertain you.

Entrepreneur 152

Entrepreneur Cofounder Angel Investor Salary 152

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. Each has met legal securities minimums for net worth and professionalism, to reduce the risk to entrepreneurs. Most share expertise as well as money.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Accredited Investor Venture Capital Startup 120

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 29, 2022

Not to mention the mental and emotional impact of being an entrepreneur. While you may be enamored with becoming an entrepreneur and bootstrapping your business, don’t quit your day job. According to a report from the Harvard Business Review , entrepreneurs who plan are 16% more likely to achieve viability. Track finances early.

Forecast 154

Forecast Software Review Bootstrapping Finance 154

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 22, 2021

How do you convince investors that your business model will really work, before you have a revenue stream that exceeds your expenses? Even if you are bootstrapping your business, and you are the only investor, you should be asking yourself the same question. Plan for a real revenue model.

Business Model 414

Business Model Angel Investor Bootstrapping Revenue 414

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 8, 2009

Your friends and advisers tell you that this means you need revenue because in this economy VC’s will only fund businesses with revenue. So if it’s not necessarily revenue that’s preventing an investment, then WTF is traction? Unfortunately your advisers are wrong. They hire key staff. VC’s are the same.

Technical Review 309

Technical Review Term Sheet Venture Capital Revenue 309

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 17, 2011

If you have been working 20 hours a day, and spent your last dollar, but have no results to show, investors will be sympathetic, but will probably tell you that your dream doesn’t have wheels. I hear a lot of entrepreneurs contemplating their great “idea” for several years with little discernable progress, and looking for money to start.

Intellectual Property 253

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 253

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2022

One of the big questions that every entrepreneur struggles with is how much funding they should request from investors in the first round. In fact, the most successful entrepreneur strategy is to bootstrap or fund your own startup, such that you don’t need to expect or require any external investor involvement.

Preferred Stock 304

Preferred Stock Exit Strategy Equity Angel Investor 304

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2021

Most entrepreneurs have found by now one or more of the many popular crowdfunding sites , and have the name and contact information for at least one of the big venture capital firms. But many have no insight or connections to the ethereal angel investment community, which In the U.S. Most share expertise as well as money.

Search 317

Search Accredited Investor Angel Investor Venture Capital 317

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 7, 2023

Entrepreneurs looking for investor funding often fail to realize that all money comes with strings. For example, if you have watched the Shark Tank TV series, you probably noticed that the Sharks always ask the entrepreneurs for their intended “use of funds.”

Elevator Pitch 228

Elevator Pitch Salary Angel Investor Viral 228

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 25, 2023

In the aftermath of the recent pandemic, which caused many businesses to close, a new raft of business workers and entrepreneurs are deciding to pursue their own dreams of being a new business owner, and controlling your own destiny. Network extensively for partners, investors, and suppliers.

Intellectual Property 245

Intellectual Property Social Media Angel Investor Metrics 245

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 31, 2018

Sferra followed this by spending two years at Pinetree Capital, a small-cap focused firm and an angel investor in the mining, energy and technology sectors. One of my friend’s fathers was a very successful entrepreneur and I would pepper him with questions every chance I had. recognizes the success of the Canadian model.

Partner 127

Partner Venture Capital United States Canada 127

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 22, 2010

If you have been working 20 hours a day, and spent your last dollar, but have no results to show, investors will be sympathetic, but will probably tell you that your dream vehicle doesn’t have wheels. Talk and time are cheap, but they need to understand that investors judge past results as a good indicator of future expectations.

Intellectual Property 222

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 222

Feld Thoughts

JANUARY 2, 2014

When people ask me how they can become a VC, I point them to my partner Seth Levine’s excellent blog posts How to become a venture capitalist and How to get a job in venture capital (revisited). Amy likes to remind me that when I was an entrepreneur, I used to regularly give talks at MIT about entrepreneurship.

San Francisco 159

San Francisco Boston Venture Capital Angel Investor 159

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 13, 2019

New entrepreneurs are always looking for a shortcut in getting their venture story and plan across to investors, and closing on the funding they need. As an active angel investor, I look for this level of alignment and understanding in every funding presentation I hear. Key partners. Key resources.

Intellectual Property 250

Intellectual Property Business Model Angel Investor Channel 250

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 23, 2011

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. If you don’t have a partner, you’ll often lose interest and find something else to entertain you. Marty Zwilling.

Founder 233

Founder Startup Cofounder Angel Investor 233

Steve Blank

MARCH 16, 2016

Founders can now access the largest pool of risk capital that ever existed –in the form of Private Equity (Angel Investors, family offices , Venture Capitalists (VC’s) and Hedge Funds.). BTW, Angel investors do not have limited partners, and often invest for reasons other than just for financial gain (e.g.,

Liquidity Event 120

Liquidity Event Founder Liquidation Preference Venture Capital 120

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 25, 2012

Just don’t quit your day job before your new company is producing revenue. Angel investors. If you are looking for $25,000 to $1 million, the next step is to tap into a local angel network. Partner with distributor or beneficiary. Friends and family. Consider licensing and “white labeling.”

Technical Review 257

Technical Review Bootstrapping Venture Capital Incubator 257

ReadWriteStart

MAY 22, 2012

While some lucky startups attract angel investors or have access to money from friends and family, the vast majority are on their own, at least at first. Entrepreneurs who’ve maxed out their cards warn that while it may be necessary, it can also be dangerous. The experience shaped how Turner funded Planwise. “We

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Software Review Angel Investor Startup 118

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2010

Due to the economy as well, traditional individual angel investors haven’t been able to fill the gap. Being “lifecycle investment partners” has a downside. This means smaller amounts given to more entrepreneurs who get a chance to prove that they can build great businesses. Marty Zwilling.

Technical Review 215

Technical Review Early Stage Venture Capital Startup 215

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2020

One of the big questions that every entrepreneur struggles with is how much funding they should request from investors in the first round. In fact, the most successful entrepreneur strategy is to bootstrap or fund your own startup, such that you don’t need to expect or require any external investor involvement.

Startup 337

Startup Preferred Stock Exit Strategy Equity 337

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 12, 2020

Entrepreneurs looking for investor funding often fail to realize that all money comes with strings. For example, if you have watched the Shark Tank TV series, you probably noticed that the Sharks always ask the entrepreneurs for their intended “use of funds.”

Elevator Pitch 336

Elevator Pitch Salary Angel Investor Viral 336

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2014

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. Financial model.

Entrepreneur 270

Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Due Diligence Angel Investor 270

Growthink Blog

MARCH 11, 2012

The conference was geared towards entrepreneurs and small business owners, rather than marketing professionals at large corporations. As a result, I met lots of successful entrepreneurs. It matters because having relationships with other successful entrepreneurs will dramatically improve your success. Why does this matter?

Angel Investor 82

Angel Investor Hosting Networking Partner 82

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2018

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. Different types of investors tend to specialize in capitalizing on businesses at different stages. This is the exit stage for the entrepreneur, and for all earlier investors.

Angel Investor 184

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Investment Bankers Private Equity 184