Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 10, 2011

This makes their business types very different. Some customer segments value the DVD business and these may be more price sensitive. Some customer segments value the convenience of instantly available films. They are potentially different business models. We need video reel to show customers that you care.

Customer 287

Customer Technical Review Caching PR 287

David Teten

AUGUST 19, 2019

A new wave of Revenue-Based Investors are emerging who are using creative investing structures with some of the upside of traditional VC, but some of the downside protection of debt. I’ve been a traditional equity VC for 8 years, and I’m now researching new business models in venture capital. So what is Revenue Based Investing?

Revenue 60

Revenue Term Sheet Founder Technical Review 60

Steve Blank

APRIL 23, 2018

A version of this article appeared in the Harvard Business Review. The entrepreneur who founded and grew the largest startup in the world to $10 billion in revenue and got fired is someone you have probably never heard of. Within each brand there were several models at different price points. But trouble was on the horizon.

Michigan 285

Michigan Cofounder Stock Forecast 285

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 6, 2019

Success in any business these days requires a constant flow of new and innovative solutions, to keep up with changes in the market, competition, and to attract new customers. Yet in my role as a small business advisor, I still see a singular focus on achieving repeatable processes and “cookie-cutter” manufacturing.

Stock Options 236

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 236

K9 Ventures

AUGUST 13, 2010

In fact, at the time (1996-1997) we offered both a downloadable product, that our customers could install on their own servers, and a “hosted-offering”, which came to be known as “On-Demand”, then the “ASP” (Application Service Provider) model, and today we call it “SaaS” (Software as a Service). Today, we call that an “Embed-Code”.

Revenue 72

Revenue Developer Java Customer Development 72

View from Seed

MARCH 20, 2020

Restaurants are closing, stocks are tanking, and travel has come to a halt. Businesses will be forced to adapt to changing circumstances and seek opportunities to innovate. New, emerging business models will gain tailwinds that propel them forward to new horizons.

New York City 374

New York City Demand Technical Review Non-Compete 374

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2016

If the Microsoft board was managing for quarter to quarter or even year to year revenue growth, Ballmer was as good as it gets as a CEO. Services (Cloud, ads, music) have a very different business model. Microsoft executed its 20 th -century business model extremely well, but it missed the new and more important ones.

Azure 120

Azure Business Model Cloud Artificial Inteligence 120

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2016

If the Microsoft board was managing for quarter to quarter or even year to year revenue growth, Ballmer was as good as it gets as a CEO. Services (Cloud, ads, music) have a very different business model. Microsoft executed its 20 th -century business model extremely well, but it missed the new and more important ones.

Azure 120

Azure Business Model Cloud Artificial Inteligence 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2014

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Implement a modern real business model.

Startup 283

Startup Forecast Stock Options Technical Review 283

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 17, 2018

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Implement a modern real business model.

Forecast 161

Forecast Stock Options Technical Review Metrics 161

Ben's Blog

AUGUST 31, 2020

IN THIS EDITION Fintech products ease more Americans into the stock market In defense of the IPO, and how to improve it What’s inside your (mobile) bank? Reimagining the debit card Better models for SMB lending Want more a16z? Thanks for signing up. in addition to home ownership. This is clever for a number of reasons.

IPO 36

IPO Stock Software Review API 36

Steve Blank

FEBRUARY 26, 2020

There are two reasons to raise money: You have a killer idea that is only partially validated, that you think can get to $50M+ of revenue in 5 years with 80%+ gross margins (if margins are lower, you need a lot more revenue)and you need money to get to product-market fit, or. Team, Product, Traction, Business Model and Market.

Cofounder 431

Cofounder Seed Stage Valuation Metrics 431

Steve Blank

MARCH 17, 2020

If you’re running a startup or small business, your first priority (after your family) is keeping your employees and customers safe. But next the question is, ‘What happens to my business?”. The questions every startup or small business CEO needs to ask now are: What’s my Burn Rate and Runway? What will my investors do?

Burn Rate 436

Burn Rate Startup Valuation Sales Cycle 436

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 14, 2023

Simply stated, it means that your business has the potential to multiply revenue with minimal incremental cost. Ready to scale is when you have a proven product and a proven business model, about to expand to new geographies and markets. Build a business plan and model that is attractive to investors.

Hockey Stick 339

Hockey Stick Intellectual Property Non-Compete Business Model 339

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2012

For survival, the objective of every business should be to bring in revenues which exceed their costs. Yet I continue to see business plans, or even talk to founders, and can’t find the specifics of the business model anywhere. Try to relate your business model to one that’s already successful and understood.

Business Model 238

Business Model eCommerce Business Plan Revenue 238

Steve Blank

MARCH 16, 2016

Risk capital takes equity (stock ownership) in your company instead of debt (loans) in exchange for cash. A liquidity event means that the equity (the stock) you sold your investor can now be converted into cash.) For example, in your industry do companies build value the old fashion way by generating revenue? FDA approvals?

Liquidity Event 120

Liquidity Event Founder Liquidation Preference Private Equity 120

Hearpreneur

JANUARY 1, 2023

Thanks to Abdul Saboor, The Stock Dork ! #2- Though it took some effort and money to incorporate these outside resources into my business, it was well worth the expenditure. To prepare for a bad economy, businesses should focus on activities that produce the highest free cash flow. 2- Create an emergency fund.

Entrepreneur 97

Entrepreneur Software Review Technical Review Revenue 97

A Smart Bear: Startups and Marketing for Geeks

AUGUST 18, 2015

They have everything: money, brand, momentum, existing customers, press, product teams, distribution channels, expertise, market insight, analysts, sales offices, product features, and, by definition, a working business model. The insight is: The profitable revenue stream is a prison. Not anymore.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Valuation Flash Revenue 120

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 11, 2022

Getting investors to trust you with their money is always a challenge, and it’s even more difficult in the early stages, where you don’t have a significant revenue stream, a few customers, or maybe even a product yet. Here is my list of red flags that cause many investors to look elsewhere: No well-defined need or viable customer set.

Due Diligence 271

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Preferred Stock 271

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

Funding might be a need in some cases — but it’s not an absolute necessity. ? The business should be self-sustainable. The primary source of your funds should be your paying customers, i.e., your business should generate enough revenues and profits to fund the growth and expansion. Government programs.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 23, 2012

There are obvious reasons the industry has had less-than-desirable returns, including: massive over-funding of the sector, huge increases in inexperienced venture capitalists that took a decade to peter out, and the massive correction in the value of the public stock markets that closed many exit opportunities for half a decade.

Venture Capital 347

Venture Capital Technical Review LP Mobile 347

Steve Blank

SEPTEMBER 14, 2009

Posted on September 14, 2009 by steveblank Over the last 30 years Wall Street’s appetite for technology stocks have changed radically – swinging between unbridled enthusiasm to believing they’re all toxic. Your firm worked with an investment banking firm that underwrote and offered stock (typically on the NASDAQ exchange) to the public.

Silicon Valley 230

Silicon Valley IPO Technical Review Venture Capital 230

Steve Blank

MAY 19, 2015

But over time code/hardware written/built to validate hypotheses and find early customers can become unwieldy, difficult to maintain and incapable of scaling. to drive traffic to their site, which they then turned into ad revenue. Startups focus on speed since they are burning cash every day as they search for product/market fit.

Technical Review 120

Technical Review Salary Early Stage Software Review 120

Women Entrepreneurs Can

MAY 20, 2022

With that, here’s a list of 6 business ideas we can explore and start right at home. 6 Home Business Ideas to Consider Starting Today. Whether it be how to effectively do business, speak in another language, earn significant returns trading stocks, or get great deals on real estate, knowledge is valuable.

Social Media 52

Social Media Web Development Demand Stock 52

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 7, 2022

Angel investors will perk up if you have a prototype or a few real customers, while venture capitalists will likely choose to wait until you have achieved several million in revenue or customer count. Be prepared to explain your business model. How much do you really need for the next 12 to 18 months?

Preferred Stock 304

Preferred Stock Exit Strategy Equity Angel Investor 304

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015

As a long-time mentor to entrepreneurs, here is my collection of smart risks that investors and I look for in new startups: Focus on a tough customer problem rather than a fun technology. Investors hate technology solutions looking for a problem, due to the high risk of no customers. Implement a modern real business model.

Forecast 120

Forecast Startup Stock Options Technical Review 120

Steve Blank

APRIL 26, 2022

They offered desperate founders more cash but insisted on new terms, rewriting all the old stock agreements that previous investors and employees had. Some even insisted that all prior preferred stock had to be converted to common stock. Other times it was simply a take-it-or-leave-it, here are the new terms. Why do VCs Do This?

Cram Down 413

Cram Down Founder Venture Capital Recapitalization 413

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 19, 2017

Success in any business these days requires a constant flow of new and innovative solutions, to keep up with changes in the market, competition, and to attract new customers. Yet in my role as a small business advisor, I still see a singular focus on achieving repeatable processes and “cookie-cutter” manufacturing.

Stock Options 141

Stock Options Incubator Framework Stock 141

VC Cafe

JANUARY 27, 2021

Now synonymous with video-conferencing, the company-name-turned-verb stock peaked in October 2020, a market interpretation of how the Zoom Boom has defined the daily lives of many millions throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Next47 and American Insight Partners VC, demonstrates growing trust in its current and future business model.

Vertical 148

Vertical Video Technical Review Europe 148

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 19, 2020

Simply stated, it means that your business has the potential to multiply revenue with minimal incremental cost. Ready to scale is when you have a proven product and a proven business model, about to expand to new geographies and markets. Build a business plan and model that is attractive to investors.

Hockey Stick 386

Hockey Stick Intellectual Property Startup Non-Compete 386

This is going to be BIG.

MAY 9, 2022

I’ve been asked by portfolio companies and plenty of others about how they should be changing their strategy given the stock market pullback and what they’ve been hearing on “VC twitter”. There could be lots of things wrong with their business model that you didn’t notice until the company folded—and not just because of financing issues.

Stock 97

Stock Marketing Valuation Later Stage 97

Occam's Razor

JUNE 4, 2018

Increase current conversion rate by 25%, quantify how much increased revenue there will be. Aim for quintupling revenue, obviously, but calculating just 25% improvement will give you all the budget you need from your management to insert urgency into the shopping process. In-stock status. In-stock status. I did that.

Conversion 124

Conversion eCommerce Artificial Inteligence Aggregator 124

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2020

Getting investors to trust you with their money is always a challenge, and it’s even more difficult in the early stages, where you don’t have a significant revenue stream, a few customers, or maybe even a product yet. Here is my list of red flags that cause many investors to look elsewhere: No well-defined need or viable customer set.

Due Diligence 308

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Preferred Stock Startup 308

The Startup Magazine

JUNE 1, 2023

million at the end of last year, we’re laser-focused on fast growth without sacrificing customer experience. We’re hitting record revenue months, weeks, and margins. And they probably never will be unless business model viability is reassessed across the board. they still aren’t profitable. And you know what we found?

Early Stage 146

Early Stage Los Angeles Silicon Valley Cofounder 146

YoungUpstarts

DECEMBER 5, 2013

I have been involved in many of these innovations, mainly through my last startup venture, a company that became the world’s leading provider of credit card loyalty solutions with bank customers in 30 countries. We, as an industry, have lost track of the original business goals of loyalty and have turned the process into a monstrosity.

Programming 150

Programming Turkey Social Media Redemption 150

Steve Blank

MARCH 31, 2014

Companies horde cash and squeeze the most revenue and margin from the money they use. The stock market clearly values companies that can deliver disruptive innovation. The first will be commodity businesses that are valued for their ability to execute their current business model. Act Like a Startup.

Private Equity 328

Private Equity Metrics China Intellectual Property 328

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 4, 2020

Angel investors will perk up if you have a prototype or a few real customers, while venture capitalists will likely choose to wait until you have achieved several million in revenue or customer count. Be prepared to explain your business model. How much do you really need for the next 12 to 18 months?

Startup 337

Startup Preferred Stock Exit Strategy Equity 337