Tim Keane

JANUARY 12, 2010

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations. The Valuation Question. When companies seeking their first round of serious funding are good enough to receive a term-sheet from an investor, the first issue that always arises is valuation. Let’s start at the end.

Term Sheet 68

Term Sheet Valuation Dividend Liquidation Preference 68

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 22, 2014

Of course it is super helpful if a VC can drop you in to important people for business development, recruiting, PR, sales and eventually M&A. Politics are a part of human nature and thus a part of all startups. Startups are hard. Startup Advice VC Industry' Connections? FourSquare. Everywhere. Commitment.

Portfolio 364

Portfolio Chicago Sales Incubator 364

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 19, 2010

Another topic we debated early in the program was “lean startup” vs. “ fat startup ” where we both took the obvious hedge and said “it depends.” But truthfully both Dana and I are more aligned with the lean startup principles and believe you only go FAT when you’ve really proved out your product / market fit. Time will tell.

Partner 240

Partner New York City Cofounder Syndicate 240

YoungUpstarts

MAY 17, 2019

In today’s sexy startup culture, buying an existing business has lost its vogue. But every year thousands of entrepreneurs become millionaires by buying and growing businesses without the startup headaches of venture capitalists, zero revenue, and no business processes. They make all the sales.

Due Diligence 185

Due Diligence Forecast Deal Structure Valuation 185

The Next Web

FEBRUARY 27, 2014

George Deeb is the Managing Partner at Chicago-based Red Rocket Ventures , a startup consulting and financial advisory firm based in Chicago. One of the questions I get, more often than not, is what is the appropriate valuation of my business. Each industry typically has its unique valuation methodologies. Your industry.

Valuation 167

Valuation Forecast Seed Stage .Net 167

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Entrepreneurs who are looking to attract investors need to develop and pitch a plan -- preferably written -- that answers every potential investor question about your startup before it is asked. Name the three top ones, and present your sustainable advantage as well as barriers to entry for new startups.

Sweat Equity 120

Sweat Equity Advisory Board Liquidity Event Startup 120

Tim Keane

MARCH 9, 2011

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. How to prepare a sales forecast for a business plan » March 09, 2011. It’s a deceptively simple question:  what is the optimal way to finance a new startup? It’s a deceptively simple question:  what is the optimal way to finance a new startup?

Finance 83

Finance Bootstrapping Startup Equity 83

David Teten

AUGUST 6, 2015

So often I speak with companies that have charged ahead building an ultra-complex daily or weekly model with thousands of assumptions and complex dashboard outputs, when their potential investors simply want a high-level 24 month forecast with 12 months of reconciling historical data.”. HOW TO MAKE YOUR CELLS READABLE.

Balance Sheet 60

Balance Sheet Software Review Forecast Acquisition 60

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2011

Once you have a potential investor excited about your team, your product, and your company, the investor will inevitably ask “What is your company’s valuation?” How much is NewCo worth to investors at this point (pre-money valuation)? This is the most concrete valuation element, usually called the asset approach.

Pre-Money Valuation 246

Pre-Money Valuation Valuation NPV Intellectual Property 246

David Teten

JANUARY 19, 2021

More and more startups are pursuing Revenue-Based VCs , but “RBI” doesn’t fit everyone. In all these cases, capital is provided to fuel forecasted growth without creating a commitment to a particular vision for future funding rounds, exit goals, and associated blitzscaling. Yes, via conversion rights at a valuation cap.

Cofounder 78

Cofounder Technical Review Equity Dividend 78

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). Startup Basics Does College Matter for Entrepreneurs?

Sweat Equity 55

Sweat Equity Equity Fractional CTO CTO 55

www.mint.com

MARCH 9, 2010

If you are considering working at a startup, you should ask these questions. If the answer to the question centers around “We will achieve revenue soon so our net will improve and give us more runway,” it means the company is in trouble because no product ever ships on time nor achieves the company’s “conservative forecast.”

Software Review 68

Software Review Startup Post-Money Valuation Technical Review 68

David Teten

SEPTEMBER 23, 2017

The only problem that faces startup investors now is how to mine this new data layer efficiently to increase returns.”. I previously posted a detailed presentation with sales technology tools useful for B2B sales. is an AI bot which helps companies refine their sales pitch to VCs. Pitchbot.vc 3) Originate investments.

Private Equity 60

Private Equity Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 60

SoCal CTO

MAY 19, 2010

I’m planning on going to a Tech Coast Angels mixer tomorrow and the topic for me is whether there is angel funding out there for startups that don’t meet classic VC models. By way of background for the question, there’s a great post by Bob Aholt, a Pasadena Angel: An Angel Investor’s Thoughts on Valuation. So get real.

Hockey Stick 205

Hockey Stick NPV IRR Valuation 205

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2015

Large and growing markets imply a high startup growth potential, with high odds of scaling and success. First to market” is not sustainable by a startup. Startup team strengths and domain experience. Specific elements of your marketing and sales plans. If we build it they will come” is not a marketing and sales strategy.

Product 120

Product Intellectual Property Liquidity Event Burn Rate 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 8, 2016

As a startup advisor and investor, I find that more and more entrepreneurs avoid using the term “profit” in pitching their new venture. Investors look for sales at full price, to people you don’t know, to validate demand, price, and margin. Show an aggressive marketing and sales plan. Without profit there is no business.

Intellectual Property 120

Intellectual Property Entrepreneur Elevator Pitch Exit Strategy 120

VC Cafe

SEPTEMBER 26, 2022

The past year was a wild ride for startups and founders, giving a whole new meaning to the ”rollercoaster” aspect of being an entrepreneur. A combination of competition for top talent and an effort to bring employees back to the office drove startups in Israel to throw extravagant parties and all-inclusive retreats abroad.

Founder 187

Founder Startup Valuation Pre-Money Valuation 187

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2012

Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe your market penetration strategy, sales channels, pricing, and strategic partnerships. Convince investors that you have lined up sales channels, strategic partners, and a viable marketing strategy. Include a current valuation estimate. Financial forecast and metrics.

Business Plan 283

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 283

genylabs.typepad.com

SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Tracking and Forecasting the Trends Impacting the Future of Small Business. Planning, Startups, Stories. I wont bother going into details on start-up financing terms ( see this post for an overview of typical VC terms) except to say if you dont know and understand: the firms cap table and valuation. Small Business Labs.

Equity 40

Equity Technical Review San Jose Stock 40

Steve Blank

APRIL 1, 2020

So here’s a five-day playbook to help CEOs of cash-flow negative startups, or ones about to go negative, assess the new normal and respond with speed and urgency. For companies burning cash, such as startups, how much cash do you have? Forecasted recovery date. Sales pipeline/forecast. External Assessment.

South Korea 334

South Korea Salary Business Model China 334

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 12, 2010

You can also use this space to keep track of innovators (R&D personnel) and rainmakers (sales & marketing personnel). Customers: A company’s only sustainable source of cash is sales, so you need to keep track of your business development efforts. Tags: scorecard venture value Akira Hirai business valuation.

Intellectual Property 223

Intellectual Property .Net Valuation Distribution 223

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 13, 2011

Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe your market penetration strategy, sales channels, pricing, and strategic partnerships. Convince investors that you have lined up sales channels, strategic partners, and a viable marketing strategy. Include a current valuation estimate. Financial forecast and metrics.

Business Plan 290

Business Plan Sweat Equity Exit Strategy Intellectual Property 290

Up and Running

DECEMBER 18, 2018

For one thing, when you purchase an existing company, someone else has probably already done a lot of the startup legwork, like verifying that there’s a market for your product or service, establishing a customer base, hiring employees, and negotiating a lease. How do the company’s actuals stack up against their financial forecasts?

Due Diligence 71

Due Diligence Intellectual Property Balance Sheet Forecast 71

Austin Startup

SEPTEMBER 17, 2017

Startups provide both the luxury and the risk of having very little data on which to base the important early decisions. The converse of calculating exactly how you will make the first sale, and then the first 10,000, and ultimately work your way up to 1.6 But, the manner in which you get paid can swing your valuation considerably.

Valuation 48

Valuation Forecast Seed Money Business Model 48

Tim Keane

FEBRUARY 3, 2010

Startups and angels: Along the way to success. « Term-sheets and Valuations: Thinking about Negotiations | Main. |   For an example written by a VC, see A Startups Guide to Market Sizing from DocStoc. .    For an example written by a VC, see A Startups Guide to Market Sizing from DocStoc.

Marketing 116

Marketing Wisconsin Startup Angel Investor 116

Business Plan Blog

OCTOBER 8, 2013

In order to launch a successful business and raise the capital needed to do so, a startup needs to consider several aspects of the business including the management team , the size of the opportunity, the product/service/technology, the market/sales/distribution channels, the competitive environment and several other factors.

Business Plan 67

Business Plan NDA Exit Strategy Valuation 67

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 1, 2009

More tellingly was the sale of Mint.com to Intuit for $170+ million because it showed VCs that a well-executed investment can still garner a quick, solid results (the company was sold around 3 years after its foundation). VC’s are working hand-in-glove with the investment bankers to prepare for IPOs or create auction-style trade sales.

IPO 255

IPO Investment Bankers Venture Capital Marketing 255

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 2, 2018

It probably had more to do with the fact that they had doubled their sales annually for several years, and still managed to squeeze out a profit of $11M in their year of acquisition. Includes balanced and hard-hitting marketing and sales. Zappos, impressively, has given away 26 million pairs of shoes in 127 countries and all 50 states.

Intellectual Property 48

Intellectual Property Initial Public Offering Merger Acquisition 48

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 22, 2010

Marketing, sales, and partners. Describe your market penetration strategy, sales channels, pricing, and strategic partnerships. Convince investors that you have lined up sales channels, strategic partners, and a viable marketing strategy. Include a current valuation estimate. Financial forecast and metrics.

Business Plan 186

Business Plan Exit Strategy Sweat Equity Intellectual Property 186

Duct Tape Marketing

AUGUST 10, 2022

His first book, The Challenger Sale, has sold more than a million copies worldwide and was a #1 Amazon and Wall Street Journal bestseller. Key Takeaway: In sales, the worst thing you can hear from a customer isn’t “no.” Key Takeaway: In sales, the worst thing you can hear from a customer isn’t “no.”

Customer 66

Customer Sales Networking .Net 66

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 13, 2020

If you need to attract investors to your startup, your financial projections have to be as attractive as the idea. In that context, I offer the following financial projection strategies, from my own experience: Forecast a business that has plenty of room to grow quickly. Project growth equal to or better than current premium startups.

Liquidity Event 308

Liquidity Event Forecast Exit Strategy Bootstrapping 308

YoungUpstarts

FEBRUARY 14, 2017

and also being involved in other startups I have seen a number of pivots, some of them worked well and others in hindsight probably needed some more thought, but all have been a learning experience! One of the great benefits of a startup is their ability to be agile and adapt quickly to a changing environment. Value capture pivot.

Technical Review 157

Technical Review Architecture Revenue Channel 157

Up and Running

OCTOBER 3, 2018

Set a specific time each month to review it , comparing forecasts to actuals and revising as necessary. Consider this example: Pleasant Acres Real Estate, LLC (PARE) is a startup company located in El Paso, Texas. Financial Summary: Explain your business model, startup costs, revenues, and liabilities to the company.

El Paso 61

El Paso Business Plan Technical Review Forecast 61

Hearpreneur

SEPTEMBER 21, 2018

Podcasts are booming and especially for entrepreneurs and business owners it is a way to continue to grow and develop our leadership, marketing and even sales skills while continuing to run our ventures. 1- The Forecast Podcast. Thanks to Reuben Swartz, Mimiran Sales Acceleration ! #2- Photo Credit: Reuben Swartz.

Entrepreneur 74

Entrepreneur Hosting Cofounder Forecast 74

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 30, 2016

forward sales with some as high as 12x sales. Collectively we chose growth and the market was rewarding high growth rates over any other factor so we felt that we ought to bring in an experienced CEO who had taken companies public, who had led large, international sales organizations and who was poised to take Invoca to the next level.

Balance Sheet 150

Balance Sheet Burn Rate Valuation Forecast 150

Up and Running

MAY 15, 2019

No matter its size or age, every brewery was once a startup. Most small businesses and startups that are looking to grow— hire a new employee , or buy a new piece of equipment, or open a new location —need to think hard about cash flow, or making sure they have enough money in the bank to meet payroll and other financial obligations.

Oregon 24

Oregon Jordan Software Review Distribution 24

Up and Running

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016

When I was seeking a co-founder for my startup, each time I’d dive deep into a discussion about commitment with potential partners, they’d bring up venture capitalists and fundraising. as if it’s a requirement of doing a tech startup. See Also: The Best Places Worldwide to Start Your High-Growth Startup.

Early Stage 60

Early Stage Startup Forecast Channel 60