Both Sides of the Table

MAY 14, 2018

Here’s Why You Should Just Send the Deck I know you have your document sending tool to send your fund-raising deck to VCs and track who read your deck, which pages they read and how much time they spend on each page. Competition isn’t won or lost by your marketing decks?—?it’s What should not be in your deck? A deck is a deck.

Funding 239

Funding Venture Capital IP Email 239

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 10, 2021

I’m over-paying for every check I write into the VC ecosystem and valuations are being pushed up to absurd levels and many of these valuations and companies won’t hold in the long term. We can’t wait for customers to use the product for 12–18 months and do customer interviews or look at purchase cohorts. Are we in a bubble?”

Venture Capital 471

Venture Capital Writing Invest Pricing 471

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 31, 2023

I was most impressed with the steps he outlined for turning ideas into goals into results, which I paraphrase here for aspiring entrepreneurs: Write down your goals or your dreams. Writing something down is the first step toward moving forward and making it real. Establish a clear visual picture of each goal.

Writing 92

Writing Ideas Startup Entrepreneur 92

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 16, 2018

The market is changing so fast these days, and if you are not planning a solution today for tomorrow’s customers, you may be setting yourself up for failure and don’t even realize it. There are many free generalized tools, including Google Trends , which can be used to track customer behavior in looking for things that don’t exist yet.

Customer 57

Customer Custom Technical Review Software Review 57

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

A business plan is the outward facing definition of the business you hope to drive with your hardware solution, with a hardware overview in the intro to highlight customer value and competitiveness. Use non-fuzzy terms to quantify customer value. Provide specifics on the customer business model. and trademarks.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 30, 2019

My experience is that the discipline of documenting a plan will improve your likelihood of addressing all the right issues , as well as finding the right partner or investor. You really need at least a prototype product or customer to make the video come alive. Prepare a business plan 20-page document.

Ideas 126

Ideas Slides Sample Examples 126

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 11, 2023

Stegmaier recommends that you start by writing a regular blog, joining a few related campaigns, building a high-quality video, and completing up to a hundred additional lessons before you even launch your own project. Startups need to build a large passionate group of fans before the campaign.

Startup 100

Startup Equity Entrepreneur Demand 100

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 6, 2020

The Internet is the problem, by facilitating constant change, and it’s the solution, by providing an absolutely current view of customers, trends, and best practices. The Internet is the source of data for alternative views, and social media allows direct customer interactions to test these views.

Social Media 127

Social Media Startup Education Entrepreneur 127

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 13, 2020

I was most impressed with the steps he outlined for turning ideas into goals into results, which I paraphrase here for aspiring entrepreneurs: Write down your goals or your dreams. Writing something down is the first step toward moving forward and making it real. Establish a clear visual picture of each goal.

Ideas 121

Ideas Writing Startup Entrepreneur 121

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 26, 2020

Stegmaier recommends that you start by writing a regular blog, joining a few related campaigns, building a high-quality video, and completing up to a hundred additional lessons before you even launch your own project. Startups need to build a large passionate group of fans before the campaign.

Startup 151

Startup Equity Funding Demand 151

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 72

Services Startup Training Writing 72

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Since this document is outward facing, it is important to keep the terminology and tone consistent with that of your customer set, investors, and business partners. Opportunity segmentation and competitive environment. Marketing, sales, and customer experience. No mention usually means no plan and not competitive.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 27, 2014

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 105

Services Startup Training Writing 105

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 20, 2019

Why you should set up a board at the seed round of funding I know these days with SAFE documents and rolling convertible notes many founders prefer not to set up a board early on. This is the norm and unless you have a hugely competitive round it’s not worth fighting. I actually think having a formal board can really help you.

Startup 236

Startup Venture Capital Tips Capital 236

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 17, 2016

With services, scaling the business often implies cloning yourself, since you are the intellectual property and the competitive advantage. For example, both need to provide exemplary customer service, build customer loyalty, and provide real value for a competitive price. The customer experience is more than the service.

Services 61

Services Startup Training Writing 61

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 19, 2013

This is sad, since “how to write a business plan” is a frequent topic found in every business journal, and a common title in the business section of every book store. In simple terms, it is a document which describes all the what, when, where, and how of your business for you, your cohorts, and potential investors. No problem.

Sample 92

Sample Writing Startup Summary 92

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 14, 2016

I was most impressed with the steps he outlined for turning ideas into goals into results, which I paraphrase here for aspiring entrepreneurs: Write down your goals or your dreams. Writing something down is the first step toward moving forward and making it real. Establish a clear visual picture of each goal.

Writing 100

Writing Ideas Startup Entrepreneur 100

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 19, 2009

I had seen many cycles and decided that since I was going to do it all over again I should write about it. It included one firm who I asked not to call Salesforce.com as a reference (they were our largest pilot customer) and in their kindness they called Marc Benioff (the CEO) and asked his opinion. That changed very quickly.

Venture Capital 274

Venture Capital Blogging Startup Slides 274

Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 21, 2012

This is sad, since “how to write a business plan” is a frequent topic found in every business journal, and a common title in the business section of every book store. In simple terms, it is a document which describes all the what, when, where, and how of your business for you, your cohorts, and potential investors. No problem.

Sample 96

Sample Writing Summary Startup 96

Both Sides of the Table

NOVEMBER 3, 2010

Packaging, pricing & discounts – In the early days of my first company we always had “list prices&# we quoted to customers and of course we were always willing to negotiate based on who the client was, how important the business was to us, who the competition was and how well the deal was negotiated.

Sales 296

Sales Pricing Startup Customer 296

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 20, 2012

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Competition analysis. Here is where you pick a few of these, characterize what they do, and position your own product to show your competitive advantage. Market research and competition.

Product 92

Product Outsource Development Competition High Tech 92

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 4, 2012

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A good investor can do a lot to help a company, but can't make customers buy products.

Technical Review 94

Technical Review Startup Writing Competition 94

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 27, 2015

The Internet is the problem, by facilitating constant change, and it’s the solution, by providing an absolutely current view of customers, trends, and best practices. The Internet is the source of data for alternative views, and social media allows direct customer interactions to test these views.

Entrepreneur 102

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Education 102

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2014

Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones.

Startup 107

Startup Outsource Development Training Outsource 107

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2011

A business plan is an “outward facing” document for external investors, or for C-level executives within your own company. Competition analysis. Here is where you pick a few of these, characterize what they do, and position your own product to show your competitive advantage. Market research and competition.

Product 93

Product Entrepreneur Outsource Development Competition 93

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2010

This is sad, since “how to write a business plan” is a frequent topic found in every business journal, and a common title in the business section of every book store. In simple terms, it is a document which describes all the what, when, where, and how of your business for you, your cohorts, and potential investors. No problem.

Startup 91

Startup Funding Sample Writing 91

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 2, 2016

I’m not suggesting that formal legal documents are always required, but agreements without some paper or email trail are easily forgotten or misconstrued. Trade secrets need to be documented and dated, and business plans labeled as confidential. Reality check first your sizing of the opportunity, competition, and margins.

Startup 62

Startup Patents Entrepreneur Writing 62

InfoChachkie

MAY 16, 2011

Fallacy: Third-party, OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) representatives succeed once the sales process is defined, proven and documented. Fallacy: AdVentures tend to evolve once you begin speaking with pesky customers and demanding partners. 5) Allow Partners To Write Your Agreements. 3) Attempt To License An Idea.

Startup 242

Startup Outsource Development Outsource Sales 242

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 22, 2010

After you have successfully attracted angels or venture capital with your business case, your million dollar product idea, and you have a signed term sheet, there is still one more hurdle to overcome before investors write the check. A good investor can do a lot to help a company, but can't make customers buy products.

Technical Review 90

Technical Review Writing Competition Tips 90

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 29, 2016

The Internet is the problem, by facilitating constant change, and it’s the solution, by providing an absolutely current view of customers, trends, and best practices. The Internet is the source of data for alternative views, and social media allows direct customer interactions to test these views.

Entrepreneur 61

Entrepreneur Social Media Startup Education 61

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 31, 2013

Like it or not, you are now entering the dreaded realm of specifying and documenting “formal business processes.” Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Even if you are doing the work yourself, you need to document requirements, features, metrics, and milestones.

Outsource Development 92

Outsource Development Training Outsource Metrics 92

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. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. Get a real customer and real revenue. Letters of intent or endorsement. Show personal investment.

Funding 112

Funding Entrepreneur Startup CTO Hire 112

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 7, 2011

Even when your startup is a one-man show, you will soon find that you are “out of control,” unless you start organizing and writing down how and when key things need to get done. Write down the key elements of your business plan very early, and keep it current as things evolve. Customer service and support. Funding process.

Startup 102

Startup Outsource Development Writing Training 102

InfoChachkie

AUGUST 10, 2010

Patents held by startups generally have a limited ability to reduce competition. There is a common misconception that an idea can be protected by documenting it, placing it in an envelope and then mailing it to yourself. How can IP be worthless to a startup yet very worthwhile to a BDC? Know Thou Prior Art.

IP 256

IP Patents Company Companies 256

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 19, 2010

Most advisors will tell you to write the business plan first (20-30 pages), then distill the key points into a set of Microsoft PowerPoint slides for standup presentations to potential investors. Here is how and why it works, including a customer-centric quantification of the benefits. Competition and sustainable advantage.

Slides 94

Slides Competition Sample Sales 94

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 14, 2010

I’m writing this post to make sure you’re all on that same playing field. One of our core tasks was “market analysis,&# which consistent of: market sizing, market forecasts, competitive analysis and then instructing customers on which direction to take. So, where is this all coming from, Mark? I encourage it.

Statistics 415

Statistics Startup Report Research 415

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. Forcing yourself to write down a plan is actually the only way to make sure you actually have a plan. Get a real customer and real revenue. Letters of intent or endorsement. Show personal investment.

Startup 104

Startup CTO Hire Press Customer 104