Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. Industry & market sizing.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 18, 2020

Use multiple social-media channels, blogging, email and voicemail to build the same image and responsiveness as larger competitors. Adding free users or customers to increase valuation makes sense for a venture-backed startup looking to go public, but will kill bootstrapping. Use your equity for key executives and business partners.

Hockey Stick 423

Hockey Stick Bootstrapping Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 423

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Should I trust my instincts for founders and products or should I be more focused on the market size or business plan? Otherwise you’re a stock picker, which in this business isn’t a good thing. Of course I went through normal other channels of deal flow. With which other investors?

Deal Flow 347

Deal Flow Early Stage Investment Bankers Technical Review 347

Gust

AUGUST 5, 2012

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. Industry & market sizing.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Steve Blank

OCTOBER 24, 2017

It’s hard to imagine, but in the 20th century there were no startup blogs or books on startups to read, and business schools (the only places teaching entrepreneurship) believed the best thing they could teach startups was how to write a business plan. The founders. Think of the relentless cycle of iPod then iPhone innovation.)

Founder 269

Founder Technical Review CTO Hire IPO 269

Steve Blank

MAY 9, 2017

When the product and channel are bits, adoption by 10’s and 100’s of millions and even billions of users can happen in years versus decades. Continuous innovation requires the imagination and courage to challenge the initial hypotheses of your current business model (channel, cost, customers, products, supply chain, etc.)

Restful 238

Restful Silicon Valley Puerto Rico San Jose 238

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

People ask me if they really need ANY business plan, unless they are looking for an outside investor. In fact, a business plan is needed more by you than investors, as the blueprint for your company, team communication, and progress metrics. Include a current valuation estimate. Industry & market sizing.

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

Klout Puts Metrics Into Social Media Management - Tim Berry's Blog - Planning Startups Stories , May 21, 2010 I really like klout.com for three good reasons: 1.) it’s about measuring online influence and I’m big on metrics as a key element of business planning; 2.) At best I think business plan competitions are a waste of time.

Fractional CTO 248

Fractional CTO Startup Venture Capital Cofounder 248

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 14, 2020

Non-credible funding request or unreasonable valuation. Investors are looking to buy a chunk of the business, not the product. They need to know how much money you need, and what portion of the current business you are willing to offer for the investment. Future unproven projections don’t set today’s valuation.

Due Diligence 308

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Preferred Stock Startup 308

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 10, 2014

Write a great business plan, but know that few will read it. Business plans are an extremely valuable exercise and should always be presented to show the entrepreneur is serious and has done his homework. could be a Business Analyst, a Bachelor of Arts, or a Bad Ass. List them in your business plan.

Angel Investor 159

Angel Investor Technical Review Software Review Accredited Investor 159

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 4, 2013

Should I trust my instincts for founders and products or should I be more focused on the market size or business plan? Otherwise you’re a stock picker, which in this business isn’t a good thing. Of course I went through normal other channels of deal flow. With which other investors?

Early Stage 361

Early Stage Deal Flow Investment Bankers Technical Review 361

David Teten

DECEMBER 3, 2019

A tool like Quuu identifies relevant, shareable content to keep your social media channels active. . Lean Case provides standard business models & metrics, so you can apply a standard approach to business planning, modeling, and profitability tracking. If you have one, please contact me. 7) Negotiate .

Technical Review 78

Technical Review Software Review Analytics Private Equity 78

Up and Running

NOVEMBER 12, 2014

Develop a Business Plan. Your compliance obligations will surge once your business starts the process of offering securities to potential investors—so start early. Understand Your Business’s Value: Additionally, you must set your business’s strategic funding goals in conjunction with your business’s valuation and share price.

Equity 125

Equity SEC Technical Review Security 125

Business Plan Blog

OCTOBER 8, 2013

Ten Deadly Business Plan Writing Sins for Raising Capital. Another key factor is how these business concepts are portrayed in the startup’s business plan. All good business plans put considerable attention on the competition for several reasons. Unrealistic Valuation.

Business Plan 67

Business Plan NDA Exit Strategy Valuation 67

www.entrepreneur.com

SEPTEMBER 22, 2011

Entrepreneur Homepage Startups Starting a Business Home How-To Guides Startup Basics Business Ideas Business Planning Startup Financing Success Stories Home-Based Business Starting a Business Play Video How to Take a New Product from Just an Idea to a Business (Video). Breaking Down the Buffett Tax.

Sweat Equity 55

Sweat Equity Equity Fractional CTO CTO 55

Up and Running

JUNE 28, 2021

When you specifically work to increase the value of your business, you are actively promoting a profitable future based on your valuation. How to increase the value of your business. Here are 5 key areas that you should focus on when working to increase the value of your small business. Become a leader in your niche.

Small Business 84

Small Business Valuation Early Stage Security 84

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 11, 2013

In that context, I offer you my list of ten top startup failure causes, seen over and over again: No written plan. Don’t believe the old urban legend that a business plan isn’t worth the effort. The discipline of writing down a plan is the best way to make sure you actually understand how to transform your idea into a business.

Intellectual Property 251

Intellectual Property Startup Viral Early Stage 251

Up and Running

DECEMBER 22, 2015

Combine a wild guess on future growth for several years, add in a wilder guess about future valuation prices and exit opportunities, and then pretend that the combination means something. Then, if they sell through channels, they have to wait months to get paid by distributors or retailers. You’re out of school now.

Angel Investor 60

Angel Investor IRR Software Review Startup 60

Women Entrepreneurs Can

NOVEMBER 19, 2022

These firms can provide various services, including financing and business advice. They can also help you develop your product and sales channels. VC funding is best suited for businesses with high growth potential. You can also show how you plan to make money. They may also provide a mentorship network. Seed Rounds.

Venture Capital 52

Venture Capital Early Stage Liquidity Event SEC 52

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I recommend a pitch deck with about 10 slides backed up with a written business plan of approximately 20 pages, both containing quantified answers to the following key questions. What is the business problem you are solving? What are your specific marketing and sales plans?

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Advisory Board Liquidity Event Startup 120

Up and Running

JULY 22, 2019

Engaging investors early on gives companies greater access to the capital funds they need for hiring key staff, developing new technologies, expanding internationally, and accelerating the business plan. . Attracting investors in the early stages helps bring in new partners that are committed to your business. Start early.

Canada 78

Canada Early Stage Valuation Finance 78

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2012

In that context, I offer you my list of ten top startup failure causes, seen over and over again: No written plan. Don’t believe the old urban legend that a business plan isn’t worth the effort. The discipline of writing down a plan is the best way to make sure you actually understand how to transform your idea into a business.

Intellectual Property 274

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Viral Early Stage 274

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 6, 2016

Use multiple social-media channels, blogging, email and voicemail to build the same image and responsiveness as larger competitors. Adding free users or customers to increase valuation makes sense for a venture-backed startup looking to go public, but will kill bootstrapping. Use your equity for key executives and business partners.

Bootstrapping 120

Bootstrapping Hockey Stick Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 120

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2010

Partnerships: Relationships with larger firms not only confer legitimacy to your business; they can be an important source of intellectual property, distribution channels, and marketing clout. Tags: scorecard venture value Akira Hirai business valuation. His website is [link].

Intellectual Property 223

Intellectual Property .Net Valuation Distribution 223

Gust

NOVEMBER 3, 2013

In that context, I offer you my list of ten top startup failure causes, seen over and over again: No written plan. Don’t believe the old urban legend that a business plan isn’t worth the effort. The discipline of writing down a plan is the best way to make sure you actually understand how to transform your idea into a business.

Intellectual Property 183

Intellectual Property Startup Viral Early Stage 183

www.forentrepreneurs.com

FEBRUARY 2, 2010

Far more common is a need to acquire customers through a series of steps like SEO, SEM, PR, Social Marketing, direct sales, channel sales, etc. Lessons Learned – Business Planning Stage My advice to entrepreneurs working on a new business plan is to build a model similar to those above to estimate the cost of customer acquisition.

Acquisition 103

Acquisition Cost Customer Entrepreneur 103

YoungUpstarts

JULY 29, 2013

You have to be prepared for the grueling rigors of fundraising and repeated rejections, and difficult negotiations over valuation. Some entrepreneurs come from a history of winning business plan competitions. Have we confirmed a CHANNEL to reach our market? You will experience challenges. TRACTION and GROWTH?

Asia 207

Asia Singapore Cofounder Incubator 207

The Next Web

SEPTEMBER 29, 2013

The Founder’s gut wrongly tells them their business plan has been validated because they received an investment. You’re tinkering with your marketing and sales channels. What sources of traffic are converting, and which channels are profitable, which aren’t? How it applies to your marketing channels.

Metrics 136

Metrics Cofounder Cram Down Liquidity Event 136

Growthink Blog

FEBRUARY 25, 2015

However, what is clearly not in doubt, is how Uber is massively profiting by harnessing and channeling the entrepreneurial, Sharing Economy Power of these tens of thousands. billion at a $40 billion+ valuation like Uber, my gut is that you will find the path to meaningful growth and a High Value Exit more clearly and easily defined.

Venture Capital 48

Venture Capital Private Equity United States China 48

Growthink Blog

MARCH 1, 2017

Rising public markets, with big companies flush with fresh equity and thus able to more assertively pursue growth-by-acquisition strategies, creates a virtuous trickle-down effect on valuations and business sale probabilities for even the smallest of firms. Yes, let’s channel Harry Truman and always have the buck only stop with us. #2.

Marketing 48

Marketing Private Equity Acquisition Equity 48

Up and Running

APRIL 7, 2015

So plan on answering questions—and hope you have some to answer! Most of the business plan competitions I judge ask the judges to listen quietly for 20 or 30 minutes before asking questions. Do you know comparable numbers for similar businesses? How did you come up with that valuation? Embrace interruptions.

Angel Investor 60

Angel Investor Elevator Pitch Venture Capital Valuation 60

www.vccafe.com

MARCH 11, 2013

Seed Stage Valuation Guide. That’s why we gathered a collection of 20 online resources for European startups that will help you with business plans, recruiting, publicity and networking. BPS : Business Plan Servicesâ?? s leading practice that is dedicated to providing full assistance with business planning.

Software Review 53

Software Review Technical Review Startup 53

Tim Keane

APRIL 24, 2006

Last night, Bob Zieserl, Venture Capitalist, and general partner at Stratus Ventures, was the keynote speaker at the Marquette University Business Plan Competition. As an example, we had an advanced manufacturing business that achieved excellent early results. Lessons Learned: A Successful VC Reflects on his Experience.

Wisconsin 60

Wisconsin Angel Investor Bootstrapping Venture Capital 60