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Why Governments Don’t Get Startups

Steve Blank

Unlike small business entrepreneurs, their interest is not in earning a living but rather in creating equity in a company that eventually will become publicly traded or acquired, generating a multi-million-dollar payoff. Their job is to search for a repeatable and scalable business model. They hire the best and the brightest.

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10 Strategies To Cover New Product Development Costs

Startup Professionals Musings

The problem is that professional investors (angels and venture capitalists) want a proven business model before they invest, ready to scale, rather than the more risky research and development efforts. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Apply for contests and business grants. Join a startup incubator.

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Even the Smartest VCs Sometimes Get it Wrong – Bill Gurley and Regulated Markets

Steve Blank

The first part was railing against the consequences of regulatory capture on innovation and a second part, about the consequences of premature government regulation of AI and why the incumbents are all for it. He recently gave a talk at the All-In Summit that was really two talks in one. In the U.S. Bill Gurley’s point.)

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10 Keys To Surviving Startup Cash Flow Requirements

Startup Professionals Musings

The problem is that professional investors (angels and venture capital) want a proven business model before they invest, ready to scale, rather than early projections and product development. It always reduces risk to plan your business first. Nevertheless, it’s an option that doesn’t cost you equity.

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10 Common Startup Mistakes That Are Rarely Admitted

Startup Professionals Musings

I certainly agree that starting a business is fraught with risk, and none of us get it all right the first time. It’s important to learn from your own mistakes, but it’s even smarter to learn from someone else’s mistakes, without paying their high price in time lost, cost, and pain. Assume passion level defines business opportunity.

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8 Tips For Success In Turning A Dream Into A Business

Startup Professionals Musings

For example, a while back a passionate entrepreneur approached me with an innovative solution for reducing world hunger, but hadn’t focused on the fact that hungry people often don’t have any money, and governments are not easy customers. Choose a business model that will win in the market.

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Welcome To The New Wave Of Opportunities And Startups

Startup Professionals Musings

Having only a large capital base and distribution channels, with no innovation, is not a sustainable business model. Non-industrial large organizations cling to outdated business models. Government bail-outs do not promote innovation. The cost of entrepreneur entry is at an all-time low.