YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 7, 2019

If you’re planning on starting a business, you need a business plan. A good business plan will help to keep your company on track and guide it in the right direction, and it will also help you to secure funding from banks, venture capitalists and other investors. There’s no way around it. Don’t go overboard.

Business Plan 147

Business Plan Metrics Audience Social Network 147

YoungUpstarts

OCTOBER 16, 2013

There was a time before terms like “social network,” “iPhone,” and “Google it” were used. Rarely is employee turnover talked about in business schools — and you won’t see it as a line item on a business plan, either — but it has the potential to be one of the biggest costs for your business.

Business Plan 174

Business Plan Employee Entrepreneur Customer 174

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 24, 2012

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues: “Business plans are for dummies.” Some startups think business plans are only for investors. We have no competitors.” More features than anyone.”

Sweat Equity 238

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Startup Viral 238

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 14, 2014

Don’t expect that you can create a new social networking site in your garage, and steal all the users away from Facebook. Budding entrepreneurs and home-based businesses should be writing business plans before they start, so they understand and can manage the tasks ahead, but no outside investor need ever see the plan.

Startup 252

Startup eCommerce Hosting Bootstrapping 252

The Next Web

DECEMBER 4, 2013

Starting out, you can’t hit every network and outlet full-force. Zappos has found great success by keeping social media responsibilities horizontal and flexible. Zappos assumes everyone in the company is on social media and trusts them to participate in growing the brand. Prioritize social networks.

Social Media 158

Social Media Media Viral Startup 158

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 25, 2016

I often recommend business networking as the most effective way for a startup founder to find investors, advisors, and even key executive candidates. The answer is still the same, but I have learned over the years that there is an etiquette to this process, just like there is for social networking.

Networking 120

Networking Accredited Investor Elevator Pitch SEC 120

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

Reserve the company name on social networks to protect it. They must amplify your “elevator pitch” to investors, as well as key points from the business plan and the financial model. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. This is called “validating the business model.” Free trials don’t count.

Intellectual Property 249

Intellectual Property Angel Investor Technical Review Elevator Pitch 249

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2011

I’ve written about these before, but since I see them so often, I thought it might be worth reiterating: “Business plans are for dummies.” Some startups think business plans are only for investors. In reality, you should do a business plan primarily for yourself, as it forces you to think through all the elements.

Sweat Equity 246

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Viral Social Network 246

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2012

I often recommend business networking as the most effective way for a startup founder to find investors, advisors, and even key executive candidates. I have learned over the years that there is an etiquette to this process, just like there is for social networking.

Networking 242

Networking Accredited Investor Elevator Pitch Entrepreneur 242

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 13, 2021

Use networking, the Internet, and personal contacts to really understand the ‘how’ and ‘why’ behind related success stories. Don’t be afraid to contact insiders directly, reach out through social networking, and reserve some time each day to expand your insight until you understand their story. Find your level of passion early.

Entrepreneur 339

Entrepreneur Stealth Social Network Business Plan 339

Up and Running

AUGUST 24, 2020

5G Network. 5G is a next-generation cellular network technology which has a number of advantages over 4G: it has wider coverage, greater data bandwidth, higher speed, and lower latency. 5G mobile service is expected to be implemented by 2030, but 2020 marks the start of the deployment of the 5G telecommunication network.

Technical Review 131

Technical Review Analytics Forecast Artificial Inteligence 131

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 18, 2011

Don’t expect that you can create a new social networking site in your garage, and steal all the users away from Facebook. Budding entrepreneurs and home-based businesses should be writing business plans before they start, so they understand and can manage the tasks ahead, but no outside investor need ever see the plan.

Hosting 248

Hosting Bootstrapping .Net Social Network 248

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 10, 2013

Don’t expect that you can create a new social networking site in your garage, and steal all the users away from Facebook. Budding entrepreneurs and home-based businesses should be writing business plans before they start, so they understand and can manage the tasks ahead, but no outside investor need ever see the plan.

eCommerce 196

eCommerce Hosting Bootstrapping .Net 196

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 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. This is how you will make money, who pays you, and gross margins.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

SoCal CTO

JUNE 9, 2010

While Google fights on the edges, Amazon is attacking their core - Chris Dixon , May 22, 2010 Google is fighting battles on almost every front: social networking, mobile operating systems, web browsers, office apps, and so on. it’s about measuring online influence and I’m big on metrics as a key element of business planning; 2.)

Fractional CTO 248

Fractional CTO Startup Venture Capital Cofounder 248

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 7, 2013

Here are some key action items that may give your business some visibility: Start with an investment-grade business plan. This means build a plan that hits all the hot buttons; problem/solution, executive team, competition, business model, reasonable financial projections, and what’s in it for the investor.

Venture Capital 252

Venture Capital IPO Elevator Pitch Initial Public Offering 252

Gust

FEBRUARY 22, 2014

A quick look at the really nice sites developed in just a few months by companies like CircleUp, FundersClub, Bolstr, Seedrs, et al will show you that the base technical challenge of creating a marketplace/social network is not particularly difficult.

Belarus 107

Belarus Kazakhstan Portugal Accredited Investor 107

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 5, 2021

In startup business plans, a bubble is too many entrepreneurs and too many investors chasing the latest “next big thing,” like Google search engine, Facebook social network, or Amazon e-commerce site. In finance, a bubble is too much money chasing assets, greater asset production and a herd mentality. Overconfidence.

Demand 362

Demand Government Venture Capital Valuation 362

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. This is how you will make money, who pays you, and gross margins.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

YoungUpstarts

NOVEMBER 24, 2014

More seniors are also embracing social networks. In fact, they are the fastest social media adopters in the US with over 43% of those over 65 years using at least one social networking site. Building a Boomer Business.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Social Network Asia China 157

Steve Blank

MARCH 8, 2011

We were positing that 20 years of teaching “how to write a business plan” might be obsolete. Startups, are not about executing a plan where the product, customers, channel are known. Startups are in fact only temporary organizations, organized to search –not execute–for a scalable and repeatable business model.

Lean 298

Lean Business Model Customer Development Guinea 298

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 21, 2021

Practice developing a business plan. Pick a startup business that you can do for minimal cost, like a services business with the skills you have. Use social networking and blogging to get your message out. It shows everyone you are serious, and limits your liability on any mistakes.

Startup 390

Startup LLC Social Network Naming 390

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 23, 2022

Everyone talks about innovation, but the majority of business plans I see still reflect linear thinking – one more social network with improved usability, one more wind-farm energy generator with a few more blades, or one more dating site with a new dimension of compatibility.

Social Network 333

Social Network Social Media Demand Entrepreneur 333

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2010

Don’t expect that you can create a new social networking site in your garage, and steal all the users away from Facebook. Budding entrepreneurs and home-based businesses should be writing business plans before they start, so they understand and can manage the tasks ahead, but no outside investor need ever see the plan.

Cost 220

Cost Startup Hosting Bootstrapping 220

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 24, 2022

Real innovation in the business world is still rare. As I’ve said before, everyone talks about innovation, but the majority of new business plans I see still reflect linear thinking – one more social network with more features, another smartphone app for marketing, or one more platform for faster e-commerce.

Marketing 313

Marketing Dilution Social Network Government 313

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 10, 2010

I often recommend business networking as the most effective way for a startup founder to find investors, advisors, and even key executive candidates. I have learned over the years that there is an etiquette to this process, just like there is for social networking. Marty Zwilling.

Networking 242

Networking Accredited Investor Elevator Pitch SEC 242

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. It’s hard to build a business without a plan, just like it’s hard to build a house without a blueprint. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Intellectual Property 281

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Sweat Equity CTO Hire 281

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

Reserve the company name on social networks to protect it. They must amplify your “elevator pitch” to investors, as well as key points from the business plan and the financial model. Prepare an investment-grade business plan. This is called “validating the business model.” Free trials don’t count.

Angel Investor 224

Angel Investor Intellectual Property Technical Review Elevator Pitch 224

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 30, 2022

Of course, that means a new level of risk, giving up some control, and a new business plan. Most entrepreneurs are mavericks, and their passion drove their new business. Delivering a superlative experience is the only way to get truly loyal clients, repeat business, and expansion through social networks.

Mezzanine 368

Mezzanine Private Equity Bandwidth Metrics 368

YoungUpstarts

JULY 6, 2011

Personal knowledge is very valuable and will help an entrepreneur know something more intimately than others, but this personal knowledge, like croutons on a salad, should be a complement and not the basis of your business strategy—which leads us to the next point to consider. Business planning/strategy. Novel ideas are great.

Intellectual Property 244

Intellectual Property Non-Compete Technical Review Business Plan 244

YoungUpstarts

APRIL 22, 2016

What’s the hottest trend in business right now? Social networks such as Facebook and Twitter? Leveraging network effects. Network effects are the phenomenon whereby a good or service becomes more valuable when more people use it, so there is a relentless focus on building as large a network as possible.

Japan 100

Japan Global Asia API 100

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 18, 2012

The idea, termed “an implicit social network,” intrigued many innovators and media types, including ReadWriteWeb founder Richard MacManus, who once predicted that Color would be the next Twitter. Companies with real business plans and real users struggle to raise seed rounds of $1 million or get a $5 million Series A.

San Francisco 146

San Francisco Cofounder Social Network Venture Capital 146

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 31, 2012

Here are some tips which will signal traction and fundability to investors, as well as to your team: Document your business plan. It’s hard to build a business without a plan, just like it’s hard to build a house without a blueprint. If you have a product description, that’s necessary, but not sufficient.

Intellectual Property 260

Intellectual Property Sweat Equity CTO Hire Fractional CTO 260

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. This is how you will make money, who pays you, and gross margins.

Business Plan 182

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 182

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 24, 2010

It’s always painful when a startup fails, but as a mentor to founders I would hope that you can learn from these failings and not stumble on the same issues: “Business plans are for dummies.” Some startups think business plans are only for investors. We have no competitors.” More features than anyone.”

Sweat Equity 130

Sweat Equity Intellectual Property Startup Viral 130

ReadWriteStart

OCTOBER 18, 2012

The idea, termed “an implicit social network,” intrigued many innovators and media types, including ReadWriteWeb founder Richard MacManus, who once predicted that Color would be the next Twitter. Companies with real business plans and real users struggle to raise seed rounds of $1 million or get a $5 million Series A.

San Francisco 128

San Francisco Cofounder Social Network Venture Capital 128

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. This is how you will make money, who pays you, and gross margins.

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186