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If You Don’t Define Your Personal Brand the Market Will

Both Sides of the Table

I have long advised startup companies that if you don’t control your messaging somebody else will and your potential customers will form impressions of you shaped by somebody else or by nobody at all. For 1991 I was very technical and also had a lot of practical business implementation experience in technology.

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10 Marketing Lessons for Early-Stage Tech Startups

Both Sides of the Table

Most people totally advise against stealth. I actually like finding entrepreneurs who are more circumspect, less braggadocios and generally more planned about their actions. Where Stealth is Bad – I do meet entrepreneurs who clearly fall on the other side of spectrum and are totally closed. Be careful about this advice.

Marketing 380
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What is the Right Burn Rate at a Startup Company?

Both Sides of the Table

In a world where the economy only heads in one direction (read: 2009-2014) most investors & entrepreneurs forget to pay attention to gross burn. You are particularly vulnerable if: You have revenue concentration (few customers each providing a large total of percentage of your revenue). Growth vs. Profitability. Valuation.

Startup 383
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Some Career Advice for Aspiring Tech CEOs

Both Sides of the Table

Even when you do sign-up initial customers it’s still not clear that your company will be a success and you’re still likely paying yourself under market rates. ” My friend Ian Sigelow wrote about this last week and advised people not to take on this kind of job. And one that you get to write.

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How to Handle a VC Presentation with No Deck

Both Sides of the Table

I would argue that this mostly consists of consumer Internet companies (although not exclusively) and it is predominantly early-stage people who are product gurus and have a mildly technical bend to them. I talked about this in the TWiVC video but I didn’t do a good enough job of writing it up in the summary notes in the post.

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Roping in the Legal Eagles

InfoChachkie

It is surprising how often entrepreneurs forget this simple fact. Your lawyer is a trusted advisor, but in the end, you run your business, your lawyer does not. Just as you would not ask your family physician to perform a coronary bypass, do not ask your corporate lawyer to help you write your patent application.

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Most Common Early Start-up Mistakes

Both Sides of the Table

I often talk with entrepreneurs who are kicking around their next idea. If you live somewhere where this is the case you’re better off discussing with your employer that you may from time-to-time work on private projects outside of work hours and you want their clearance in writing that this is OK. Get customer input.

Startup 365