Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 10, 2023

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Exit Strategy 288

Exit Strategy Metrics Operations Cost 288

Growthink Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2017

Detail prior accomplishments, including funding rounds, product launches, milestones reached, and partnerships secured, among others. Get Growthink's Proven Venture Capital Business Plan Template Here Industry Analysis Goal of the industry analysis section: Prove that there is a real market for your product or service.

Venture Capital 129

Venture Capital Business Plan Technical Review Private Placement 129

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 27, 2021

Here are eight key insights that will help you find a productive match: Angels want equity ownership, not causes. By definition, angels are accredited investors, who invest their own money for a percentage of the business. Every angel looks to scale the business after you have funded product design, perhaps with friends and family.

Search 317

Search Accredited Investor Angel Investor Venture Capital 317

Up and Running

JANUARY 8, 2019

Because you’re the expert on your own business, the research you do to understand your target market, your competition, and your particular business model will help you fill in the details and really make your business plan useful and credible to potential funders. What’s the point of a business plan?

Business Plan 118

Business Plan Lean Oregon Matching 118

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 11, 2016

Come with a product built and a proven business model. These may not be required, but they will help convince an investor that you have a real plan to execute and understand the variables that affect every business. Formalize the business structure before asking for funding.

Angel Investor 120

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Accredited Investor Angel Groups 120

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 28, 2015

If the elements of your business aren't expertly developed and aligned, even the best dream will be in jeopardy. Such failures ignore the essential business elements investors look for before committing to a startup. Too many competitors or a product with minimal differentiation makes a startup risky.

Exit Strategy 120

Exit Strategy Technical Review Distribution Viral 120

Up and Running

MAY 15, 2018

Innovative products and business models are the foundations of a promising startup. Funding is crucial for improving technology, hiring the right people, and launching a comprehensive marketing strategy to get a foothold in the market. Creating a scalable business model.

SBA 84

SBA Angel Investor Technical Review Startup 84

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

I’m still amazed at how many technical entrepreneurs don’t have a business pitch, and offer me their product pitch or product spec instead. I’m a technologist, so I always love to learn about the product, but every investor needs to make sure you have a business, as well as a product.

Product 145

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Exit Strategy 145

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 7, 2020

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Entrepreneur 328

Entrepreneur Exit Strategy Metrics Operations 328

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Build a prototype product. A conundrum for many frustrated entrepreneurs is that they need money from investors to design and build a prototype product, yet most angel investors expect to see at least a prototype before they invest. Finalize your financial model. This is called “validating the business model.”

Intellectual Property 249

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

Up and Running

AUGUST 28, 2018

Financial summary: Explain your business model, startup costs, revenues, and liabilities to the company. Future products and services : Name the products/services you will offer as your practice grows and earns more money and as your patients develop new needs. Your funding ask and exit strategy, if applicable.

Business Plan 72

Business Plan Technical Review Exit Strategy Oregon 72

ReadWriteStart

JUNE 1, 2020

You must have a prototype or a minimum viable product (MVP). One should also establish the proof of concept of your business before you can qualify for funding. Ground rules of funding. ? Firstly, not all businesses are fundable. This kind of funding is only applicable if the product is unique and innovative.

Startup 150

Startup Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Seed Stage 150

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

We just finished our Lean LaunchPad class at UC Berkeley’s engineering school where many of the teams embedded machine learning technology into their products. Later entrants who miss that wave have to build real products that people want to buy. Often no usable products exist and commercial viability is unproven.

Artificial Inteligence 318

Artificial Inteligence Lean Exit Strategy Startup 318

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Build a prototype product. A conundrum for many frustrated entrepreneurs is that they need money from investors to design and build a prototype product, yet most angel investors expect to see at least a prototype before they invest. Finalize your financial model. This is called “validating the business model.”

Angel Investor 224

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

In reality, they need a separate pitch about the business, carrying over only a slide or two about the solution. Remember, investors are buying into the business, not the product. Investors are business experts, while the entrepreneur is more likely the product expert.

Product 120

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Burn Rate 120

YoungUpstarts

SEPTEMBER 9, 2019

But if you’re someone whom just has a dream of launching a social media agency, a business to consumer service, or virtually any other underwhelming by comparison business model, it’s been proven that undercutting your competitors is a tried and true model. No Exit Strategy.

Exit Strategy 174

Exit Strategy Startup Bootstrapping Social Media 174

Duct Tape Marketing

APRIL 18, 2024

As a former business exit advisor, she crafts exit strategies, adding up to five figures to clients’ net profit monthly so they can focus on growth. She stresses the importance of building systems that allow businesses to thrive without the constant presence of the CEO. Why is that? Well, we'll systematize that.

Framework 62

Framework Sales Cycle Sales Hiring 62

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 12, 2018

Investors will read your executive summary first, so give enough information that they’re intrigued enough in your business to be interested in seeing your full plan. Solution : How does your box and the products it contains solve that problem? Team : Who are your coworkers and what’s their business experience? Target market.

Business Plan 63

Business Plan Curation Balance Sheet Intellectual Property 63

Up and Running

JUNE 16, 2014

I’m personally 70% management, 30% product […] If I feel a priori that the CEO can’t cut it I’m highly unlikely to invest. Make no mistake, you will need to have a business model or a business plan that shows just where you sit in relation to your competitors. This is where the ‘exit strategy’ comes in.

Exit Strategy 91

Exit Strategy Advisory Board Business Plan Portfolio 91

Women Entrepreneurs Can

JUNE 3, 2021

There are several things that determine startup success such as having the right product market fit, having a product that the market needs, having the right team and having enough cash. These online tools are force multipliers and help you be more productive by automating tasks among other crucial benefits.

Partner 52

Partner Technical Review Cofounder Georgia 52

Up and Running

JULY 2, 2014

Picking the right attorney in your startup is as important as picking the right business partner. You can’t underestimate the importance of selecting an attorney who “gets” your business model, your market opportunity, and most importantly, your fundraising and exit strategy. How much time do they have for you?

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Angel Investor Due Diligence Dilution 118

Up and Running

MAY 1, 2014

Accommodate your investors, and keep explanations of your product simple and direct, using terms that everyone can understand. The vast majority of business owners and entrepreneurs aren’t business experts. Products and Services. Your business plan isn’t complete without a financial forecast. Read more ».

Business Plan 163

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Distribution 163

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 27, 2012

Solution product & technology. Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Business model. Exit strategy. What is the planned exit strategy (IPO, merger, sale, including likely candidates)? What is the timeframe for the exit? Opportunity sizing.

Elevator Pitch 247

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 247

Up and Running

OCTOBER 3, 2018

Financial Summary: Explain your business model, startup costs, revenues, and liabilities to the company. Future products and services. Name the products/services you will offer as your company earns more money and as your market develops new needs. Your funding ask and exit strategy, if applicable.

El Paso 61

El Paso Business Plan Technical Review Forecast 61

Up and Running

MAY 4, 2015

Projecting confidence and having the clearest, most concise explanation of your product or service possible is key. Describe your revenue model. State your exit strategy. Remember, investors want to see any kind of external validation of the usefulness/coolness of your product or service. Outline your competition.

Technical Review 60

Technical Review Entrepreneur Software Review Houston 60

Steve Blank

NOVEMBER 18, 2016

We just finished our Lean LaunchPad class at UC Berkeley’s engineering school where many of the teams embedded machine learning technology into their products. Later entrants who miss that wave have to build real products that people want to buy. Often no usable products exist and commercial viability is unproven.

Artificial Inteligence 120

Artificial Inteligence Lean Exit Strategy Startup 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 12, 2013

In reality, hitting large numbers of Angels in multiple locations with a generic pitch is one of the least productive approaches. They also favor entrepreneurs who are experienced in starting a company, and experienced in the business domain of the startup. Angels like to get involved directly with the team.

Angel Investor 252

Angel Investor Accredited Investor Silicon Valley Venture Capital 252

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

Solution product & technology. Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Business model. Exit strategy. What is the planned exit strategy (IPO, merger, sale, including likely candidates)? What is the timeframe for the exit? Opportunity sizing.

Elevator Pitch 234

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 234

Up and Running

FEBRUARY 10, 2021

Beyond understanding your business strategy, investors will also want to understand your financial forecasts. They want to know how your business will function from a financial standpoint — what is typically called your “ business model.” Product/market fit and traction. An exit strategy.

Business Plan 138

Business Plan Forecast Balance Sheet Exit Strategy 138

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 28, 2016

Entrepreneurs need to document a process of responding to a market need, sizing opportunity, assigning a specific business model, and planning for marketing, sales, and customer satisfaction. Typically some production and delivery is outsourced, requiring formal contracts and documentation. Solution development and delivery.

Exit Strategy 155

Exit Strategy Metrics Operations Cost 155

Hearpreneur

MAY 15, 2020

I finally gave up on everything else out there and decided to create my own product. Once I created the product and had amazing results, I knew I had something good. Namely, to have the certainty every day that I am not being controlled by others and that I have a business that I can identify in and grow with.

Entrepreneur 127

Entrepreneur LLC Los Angeles San Francisco 127

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 5, 2012

In reality, hitting large numbers of angels in multiple locations with a generic pitch is one of the least productive approaches. They also favor entrepreneurs who are experienced in starting a company, and experienced in the business domain of the startup. Angels like to get involved directly with the team.

Angel Investor 245

Angel Investor Silicon Valley Exit Strategy Boston 245

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Every plan must start with the problem you are solving, not a description of your company and product. This is not the place for a detailed product specification, but an explanation of how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Explain the business model. Exit strategy.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

Solution product & technology. Make sure to communicate the relevance of your product / services to market needs. Business model. Exit strategy. What is the planned exit strategy (IPO, merger, sale, including likely candidates)? What is the timeframe for the exit? Opportunity sizing.

Elevator Pitch 235

Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy Burn Rate Merger 235

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2016

My view is that the purpose of every business is to make a profit, as fuel for growth, sustainability, and social impact. Without profit there is no business. Validate your business model on real customers. Giving free beta copies of your solution to customers to elicit testimonials does not validate a business model.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy 120

Up and Running

MAY 17, 2017

Even if you aren’t planning to sell, building your business thoughtfully and with an eye toward making it highly acquirable is an effective way to build a healthy business. Plus, you’ll always be prepared in case an opportunity or desire to sell arises in the future—it’s a smart idea to have an exit strategy.

Acquisition 92

Acquisition Technical Review Revenue Exit Strategy 92

Up and Running

AUGUST 29, 2011

By contrast, when you establish a business, the company eventually becomes bigger than you alone and can survive without your daily contributions. In order to build a sustainable business, your service or product offering needs to be easily taught to and followed by others. Otherwise, you will always be “the business.”.

Exit Strategy 153

Exit Strategy Operations Business Model Media 153