Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2021

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. An entrepreneur who can’t manage a plan, probably won’t be able to manage the new business.

Sample 137

Sample Writing Mentor Content 137

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 8, 2022

These authors reference real cases and real business leaders, based on their decades of experience in building companies and executive coaching. I offer here their summary of purposes and inspirations that have motivated existing business leaders, with insights from my own mentoring and coaching experience.

Technical Review 143

Technical Review Coach Mentor Custom 143

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 9, 2021

As a mentor to startups and new entrepreneurs, I continue to hear the refrain that business plans are no longer required for a new startup, since investors never read them anyway. Executive summary glossy. Pitch your company, not your product. Net out the problem and your solution in the first 30 seconds. Written business plan.

Entrepreneur 156

Entrepreneur Tips Funding Startup 156

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 19, 2022

Yet as I mentor entrepreneurs around the country, crowdfunding still seems to be one of the least understood approaches to startup funding, with more myths than accredited angels and professional venture capital investors combined. As a summary, crowdfunding today can mean any one of the following five quite different models: Rewards model.

Funding 141

Funding Startup Outsource Development Satisfaction 141

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 14, 2020

I recall a good summary of how to motivate and train a team to accomplish this in the classic book, “ The Business of Creativity: How to Build the Right Team for Success ,” by Keith Granet. It doesn’t take a huge marketing budget to provide public recognition in team meetings for individual initiatives that can benefit the company.

Marketing 130

Marketing Develop Development Startup 130

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 21, 2020

Workship - Mentor. Unlike the mentor, who is a coach and teacher, the advocate inspires you to be the best that you can be. When the relationship is appropriate, condoned by the company, and welcomed by both parties, it can be positive from a personal and even a work perspective. Workship - Advocate.

Mentor 135

Mentor Competition Summary Activity 135

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 14, 2022

With the current volatile economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. The image of shell companies has long been tarnished by true stories of lawsuits and “ pump and dump ” schemes. Being a public company isn’t cheap or easy.

Funding 104

Funding Summary Entrepreneur Acquisition 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 30, 2021

By definition, all of you entrepreneurs are leaders, by taking the initiative to start a new company. Johnson accepted full company accountability on Twitter for a racial profiling incident at a Starbucks in Philadelphia. His Virgin Group today consists of over 400 companies. Don’t try to hide your real direction or aspirations.

Coach 162

Coach Startup Resource Competition 162

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2022

Participate as a mentor in local startup incubators. Incubators are a great place to learn about potentially great startups, and participating as a mentor helps you learn which ones are a good fit for you. Startups are private companies with no common document filing requirements. Do your homework before investing.

Startup 120

Startup Invest Equity Incubator 120

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 5, 2023

I saw a good summary of the most effective ways to source prospective investors in a classic book, “ The Art of Startup Fundraising ,” by Alejandro Cremades, who has been there and done that, both as an entrepreneur and an investor. Industry leaders are a prime source of leads to companies and individuals that may invest.

Statistics 98

Statistics Entrepreneur Funding Social Media 98

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2012

I recently read Brad Feld’s thought provoking piece encouraging founders to sit on the board of another startup company. I found it thought provoking because I’ve always believed startup founders need extreme focus on only their company to succeed. But for now, the summary is: You’ll extend your network. .

Startup 294

Startup Carson Summary Press 294

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 15, 2023

But in my experience as a startup mentor, I find that the happiest and most successful entrepreneurs in the long-term are those that continually stretch themselves to get comfortable in the leadership role. Every entrepreneur already knows that building a startup is all about experimentation, new experiences, and problem solving.

Develop 110

Develop Development Startup Entrepreneur 110

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 5, 2023

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs and startups, and an angel investor, my passion is to find and nurture those entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and acumen, to make them into successful business owners. Here is a summary of the key stages along the way: Idea and seed stage. Funding and rollout stage.

Entrepreneur 108

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Satisfaction 108

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 22, 2020

I saw a good summary of the most effective ways to source prospective investors in a classic book, “ The Art of Startup Fundraising ,” by Alejandro Cremades, who has been there and done that, both as an entrepreneur and an investor. Industry leaders are a prime source of leads to companies and individuals that may invest.

Funding 173

Funding Tips Startup Statistics 173

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 25, 2022

He went on to start many successful companies, including General Electric. Don’t be hesitant to use coaches, mentors, and other resources to test and improve your image by others, and your perceptions of business realities and biases. By contrast, Edison persevered and designed a working light bulb after thousands of failures.

Startup 122

Startup Satisfaction Summary Coach 122

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2019

With the current strong economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. The image of shell companies has long been tarnished by true stories of lawsuits and “ pump and dump ” schemes. Being a public company isn’t cheap or easy.

Summary 121

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 121

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 30, 2022

Thus I was pleased to see the same conclusion in a new book, “ CEO Excellence ,” by Carolyn Dewar, Scott Keller, and Vikram Malhotra, each a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company.

Template 109

Template Demand Social Media Summary 109

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 7, 2022

As a mentor to many entrepreneurs and business owners, I find that many of you have a real fear of uncomfortable interaction situations with individuals on your team, and often delay these discussions endlessly until a crisis occurs.

Summary 116

Summary Coach Mentor Training 116

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 23, 2014

Sometimes entrepreneurs are so focused on making change happen for others, that they forget that continually changing themselves and their company is equally important. Everyone and every company needs to continually learn from their experience and adapt to a changing world to thrive. Find mentors who have the skills you lack.

Entrepreneur 105

Entrepreneur Technical Review Mentor Summary 105

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 26, 2020

But in my experience as a startup mentor, I find that the happiest and most successful entrepreneurs in the long-term are those that continually stretch themselves to get comfortable in the leadership role. Every entrepreneur already knows that building a startup is all about experimentation, new experiences, and problem solving.

Startup 124

Startup Entrepreneur Ideas Summary 124

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 11, 2020

As a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs, I’m always surprised by the fact that some never seem to be able to that first startup going, while many others never seem to stop, starting their second or third initiative before the first one is fully hatched. I’m now convinced that serious entrepreneurs relish the startup process more than success.

Entrepreneur 131

Entrepreneur Startup Ideas Software Review 131

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 10, 2020

As a mentor and advisor to entrepreneurs and startups, and an angel investor, my passion is to find and nurture those entrepreneurs with innovative business ideas and acumen, to make them into successful business owners. Here is a summary of the key stages along the way: Idea and seed stage. Funding and rollout stage.

Ideas 127

Ideas Entrepreneur Satisfaction Summary 127

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 7, 2019

Based on my own career with small companies as well as large ones, I assure you that it’s a lot more satisfying for everyone, as well as productive, working in a happy business environment. Pick a relaxing and friendly environment, perhaps with a mentor or friend over a cup of coffee. Integrate new habits into a more healthy lifestyle.

Satisfaction 91

Satisfaction Mentor Summary Class 91

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 30, 2014

Many startups now go through accelerators and have mentors passing through each day with advice – usually it’s conflicting. When I meet other VCs I’m constantly asking how they decide which investments to make, when to pass, when to do follow-on rounds, when to sell a company vs. when to go long, etc.

Startup 407

Startup Framework CTO Coach Sales 407

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2015

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. An entrepreneur who can’t manage a plan, probably won’t be able to manage the new business.

Startup 109

Startup Writing Mentor Sample 109

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

Participate as a mentor in local startup incubators. Incubators are a great place to learn about potentially great startups, and participating as a mentor helps you learn which ones are a good fit for you. Startups are private companies with no common document filing requirements. Do your homework before investing.

Invest 89

Invest Entrepreneur Startup Equity 89

Both Sides of the Table

APRIL 19, 2011

Or read the quick, informative summary below the image! Get connected to the right mentors and your business may catapult to the next level. Don’t and you might make one catastrophic mistake that leaves you in the annals of Effed Companies. Here’s a summary of our interview. Something so simple.

Acquisition 304

Acquisition Startup Customer Custom 304

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 9, 2016

I just saw a good summary of how to motivate and train your team to accomplish this in a new book, “ The Business of Creativity: How to Build the Right Team for Success ,” by Keith Granet. It doesn’t take a huge marketing budget to provide public recognition in team meetings for individual initiatives that can benefit the company.

Marketing 89

Marketing Coach Mentor Social Media 89

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2014

Managers tend to have only a vague picture of where the company is going, so they are unable to share a coherent vision with others. Mentor a permission mentality. Contagious leaders mentor their team to always assume they have permission to do things their way. In summary, leaders are not the same as managers.

Startup 104

Startup Mentor Summary Training 104

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2018

With the current strong economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. The image of shell companies has long been tarnished by true stories of lawsuits and “ pump and dump ” schemes. Being a public company isn’t cheap or easy.

Summary 79

Summary Startup Entrepreneur Funding 79

socalTECH

JANUARY 7, 2013

How to find a startup mentor. LaunchpadLA Opens Up Spring Applications. Broadcom Powering New Mac Wireless. Surf Air Gets First Aircraft. In the latest roundup of fundings (big few weeks for San Diego, apparently): PatientSafe Solutions ($20M, San Diego, mobile health). TapIt Media acquired for $23M by Phunware.

Southern California 168

Southern California Technical Review SoCal San Diego 168

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

Managers tend to have only a vague picture of where the company is going, so they are unable to share a coherent vision with others. Mentor a permission mentality. Contagious leaders mentor their team to always assume they have permission to do things their way. In summary, leaders are not the same as managers.

Entrepreneur 99

Entrepreneur Mentor Summary Startup 99

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 1, 2019

Image via Pixabay As a mentor to many small business owners, I always caution them that you can never relax completely, just because your initial solution or product set appears to be getting traction, and the market buzz is positive.

Metrics 86

Metrics Startup Training Customer 86

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 10, 2010

If I AM an investor, mentor, friend or advisor I accept the email being longer. Structure your email such that you ask for the intro very briefly and then tell them that you’ve pasted a 3 paragraph description of the company below your email to them in case it would help with the intro. I’m sure you get these, too.

Help 332

Help Email Mentor Blogging 332

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 15, 2015

With the uptick in the economy, as an active startup mentor, I’m seeing a new surge of entrepreneurs and startups, with the commensurate scramble for funding. The image of shell companies has long been tarnished by true stories of shareholder lawsuits and “ pump and dump ” schemes. Being a public company isn’t cheap or easy.

Funding 102

Funding Summary Startup Entrepreneur 102

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 13, 2016

Managers tend to have only a vague picture of where the company is going, so they are unable to share a coherent vision with others. Mentor a permission mentality. Contagious leaders mentor their team to always assume they have permission to do things their way. In summary, leaders are not the same as managers.

Mentor 57

Mentor Summary Startup Training 57

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 16, 2017

Participate as a mentor in local startup incubators. Incubators are a great place to learn about potentially great startups, and participating as a mentor helps you learn which ones are a good fit for you. Startups are private companies with no common document filing requirements. Do your homework before investing.

Invest 73

Invest Startup Equity Incubator 73