Remove Companies Remove Competition Remove Mentor Remove Writing
article thumbnail

Don’t Underrate The Value Of A Startup Plan Document

Startup Professionals Musings

Based on my experience as an investor and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, one of the quickest ways to kill your credibility and your startup is to offer a poorly written business plan, or none at all. Don’t try to impress constituents with technical terms, jargon, and acronyms.

Startup 102
article thumbnail

Interview with Fariborz Maseeh, Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition

socalTECH

Last week, the University of Southern California 's Viterbi School of Engineering announced that it had established a new, business plan competition, the Maseeh Entrepreneurship Prize Competition ([link] specifically aimed at students in the engineering school. Why a business plan competition, and why in engineering school?

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Here Is When Your New Business Needs A Written Plan

Startup Professionals Musings

Based on my experience as an investor and mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley and elsewhere, one of the quickest ways to kill your credibility and your startup is to offer a poorly written business plan, or none at all. Don’t try to impress constituents with technical terms, jargon, and acronyms.

Sample 137
article thumbnail

6 Drivers For Aspiring Entrepreneurs To Finish School

Startup Professionals Musings

Take advantage of free startup programs and mentors. They provide peer group organizations, usually called incubators, with free resources, practice environments, and outside mentoring that can help you learn and pivot with minimal cost. Write a business plan and pitch deck for learning. Learning by doing is the only way to go.

article thumbnail

Praying to the God of Valuation

Both Sides of the Table

I started my first company in 1999 and was admittedly swept up in all of this: Magazine covers, fancy conferences, artificial valuations and easy money. Between 2006–2008 I sold both companies that I had started and became a VC. Starting in 2009 I began writing checks consistently, year-in and year-out.

article thumbnail

8 Keys For Transforming An Innovation Into A Business

Startup Professionals Musings

As a mentor to many business professionals and owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs, I find a wealth of innovative ideas, but often less insight on what it really takes to transform ideas into an income stream that can excite new customers into long-term business success. Write down your business model and five-year plan.

Ideas 145
article thumbnail

7 Ways To Fail In Setting Up Your Board Of Directors

Startup Professionals Musings

Especially for entrepreneurs who have not built and sold companies before, and need this startup to be an attractive acquisition or IPO target in a few years, I can’t think of a better way to enlist outside experts and keep them motivated to help you meet the challenges of a startup. In my view, nothing could be further from the truth.

Startup 145