Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 22, 2021

You need to work just as hard to convince investors that you are the best person to take your idea from a dream to a successful business, and provide an impressive return on their investment at the same time. Develop a personal story as a visionary and learner. In reality, that’s only half the story. The other half is you.

Ideas 140

Ideas Entrepreneur Equity Resource 140

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 2, 2022

I recommend the elevator pitch -approach instead, which you probably learned in dealing with busy investors, where the person calling the meeting is asked to summarize the purpose, value and recommended solution in the first minute or two. But it only works if you observe the following principles: Never hide from your team.

Mentor 154

Mentor Technical Review Coach Slides 154

TechCrunch LA

MARCH 26, 2020

Startups across the nation and around the world are looking for ways to relieve shortages of much-needed personal protective equipment and sanitizers used to halt the spread of COVID-19. In fact, Kentucky was outbid by the federal government for personal protective equipment. “We break it up into three different programs. .”

Company 281

Company Companies Mobile Organization 281

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Yet I believe that business success is more a function of the person than the idea or the plan, so the best idea is one that is a best fit for you, and only you can assess that. Everyone develops a sense of what activities build their energy, and which ones drain energy from them. I can assess execution plans, if you have any.

Satisfaction 145

Satisfaction Ideas Entrepreneur Activity 145

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 3, 2021

I say that because I’ve heard too many abstract pitches about the next paradigm-shifting technology, which I can’t relate to, and only a couple with stories that really grabbed me. This should be obvious, but much of what passes for “a story” these days are things like elevator pitches or product descriptions that have no characters at all.

Startup 125

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 125

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 15, 2010

You bump into the person you’ve always wanted to chat with or your perfect business development partner who can “make” you. I’ve written about the “elevator” pitch before. One person who doesn’t waste this opportunity is Sam Jones of Formation Media. Know your pitch and make your ask count.” Most are squandered.

Startup 315

Startup Content Conference Media 315

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 1, 2022

Social entrepreneurs pitch me their latest idea for reducing world hunger (such as producing edible algae), but forget that hungry people probably don’t have any money. One of the best ways to assess development risk is to build and test a prototype, or minimum viable product (MVP). Be ready to pivot at any point in the process.

Ideas 145

Ideas Startup Case Study Writing 145

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2021

Thus I recommend that every new business owner needs to really develop and execute a strategy for getting noticed in the marketplace, no matter how unique and impactful they see their solution. Personalization is the ultimate differentiation. Grow customer relationships versus transactions.

Social Media 134

Social Media Case Study Customer Custom 134

Both Sides of the Table

FEBRUARY 17, 2019

from any person?—?must I don’t feel like canceling LinkedIn just because occasionally a well-meaning but slightly not-clued-in person from a faraway place wants me to be their personal mentor, answer 3-questions for their high-school entrepreneurship project or take a sales pitch for their recruiting services.

Email 250

Email Writing Conference Mobile 250

socalTECH

OCTOBER 11, 2016

What's the difference between pitching your startup on television, versus pitching your startup in real life? Steve Seigel: The last few years the technology scene has really exploded here in LA, with the development of Silicon Beach and startup downtown. Hatched recently started into its second season.

Startup 100

Startup Entrepreneur Invest Competition 100

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 26, 2014

You help them on stories, act as a source, develop real relationships, read their stories and eventually when you have news they’re more willing to have a conversation. The other thing that tech execs often want to do is to delegate the PR to their marketing person. You need to have a longer-term view on PR results.

Press 319

Press Startup Writing Training 319

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 4, 2019

As an introvert myself, I remember worrying that I could never be comfortable giving a sales pitch, or networking to find clients. Every entrepreneur, especially an introvert, can benefit from the perspective of another business person, ideally one who has prior experience in the domain you are about to enter.

Entrepreneur 104

Entrepreneur Mentor Activity Startup 104

TechCrunch LA

JANUARY 13, 2020

Every radical turn in technology history has its great entrepreneur, and for space that person is SpaceX founder Elon Musk. And to top off the show, TechCrunch will also feature a space startup pitch-off featuring five early-stage founders chosen by the editors from a large application pool. Air Force and more. .

SpaceX 150

SpaceX Los Angeles Tips Pricing 150

Tech.Co

JULY 24, 2017

Especially in the early days of your startup, when you’re often only months from running out of money, hiring the wrong person can be disastrous. But how do you go about pitching your friends? I suggest to customize your pitch for them. Next, figure out a venue for the pitch. First, figure out what motivates them.

Networking 83

Networking Startup Software Review Conference 83

socalTECH

MARCH 19, 2012

Are you the sort of person who relies on your friends to help you figure out the best places to explore on the web? We help you turn you and your friends into personal tour guides to the web, ultimately making it easier to find new and awesome sites through each other. I'm a person that loves discovering new stuff on the web.

USC 252

USC Startup Web Ideas 252

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020

Develop an “elevator pitch” as an initial path to your goal. An elevator pitch is a problem-solution summary that anyone can understand in a sixty-second ride up to their office in an elevator. Avoid fuzzy goals, like making big money or being a market leader.

Writing 139

Writing Startup Summary Activity 139

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 26, 2020

Let me assure you that a business plan and product plan are two different things (I have personally written several of both). To be clear, I define a product specification as the technical definition of your product, to be used for development and testing purposes, with a quick business summary for context. You need both to survive.

Product 169

Product Summary Startup Examples 169

Tech Zulu Event

MAY 7, 2013

This time they’re inviting you to attend their annual Fast Pitch Conference. UCLA’s EA fast-pitch Conference is being held at UCLA tomorrow, with fast-pitch Semi Finals and the Final Round. Judging this year’s Fast-pitch Conference is a splendid all-star cast featuring: Jason Beck, VP of Vicente Capital Partners.

Competition 82

Competition UCLA Entrepreneur Conference 82

socalTECH

NOVEMBER 11, 2015

The event transformed Dodger's Stadium into a place for not baseball pitches, but startup pitches, with ten different companies pitching their companies to a large audience of investors and others in the technology industry sitting in the stands. What was the biggest takeaway of the evening?

Class 100

Class Los Angeles Statistics Incubator 100

TechCrunch LA

AUGUST 16, 2020

Over their longtime personal and professional relationship, the two Los Angeles-based serial entrepreneurs have invested in each other’s companies and investment firms, but never worked together until now. “We want to connect them to the right person at those companies to create a commercial relationship.

Funding 230

Funding Southern California Los Angeles Invest 230

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 6, 2023

The Founder needs to remember that meetings up to this point have been primarily off-site, with staged demos, and managed personally by the CEO or a small team. That might start with the CEO giving the investor pitch to the whole organization, and distributing the current business plan document to everyone. Status of the solution.

Technical Review 118

Technical Review Startup Satisfaction Invest 118

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 29, 2019

I recommend the elevator pitch -approach instead, which you probably learned in dealing with busy investors, where the person calling the meeting is asked to summarize the purpose, value and recommended solution in the first minute or two. But it only works if you observe the following principles: Never hide from your team.

Mentor 124

Mentor Technical Review Coach Slides 124

Tech.Co

MAY 22, 2018

When it comes to pitching investors, rejection is a lot more common than success. But with the right pitch tactics, you could turn those that pesky “no” into glorious “yes.” To help you crush your next investor meeting, we asked top VCs and tech leaders to share their best pitch advice. Know Your Stuff.

Tips 70

Tips Help Slides Technical Review 70

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 21, 2023

Find a major customer, or a complimentary business, who sees such value in your idea that they are willing to give you an advance on royalty payments to complete your development. Pitch your needs to friends and family. This is the primary source of non-personal funds for very early-stage startups.

Startup 106

Startup Capital Equity Funding 106

Tech Zulu Event

DECEMBER 21, 2011

We dive into the very beginnings of IconFinder, where Martin’s personal need led him to start the site, to how he was able to fit working on IconFinder into his school projects and all the way to where the site is now and where they are heading. The motivation came from a personal need. Can you briefly describe IconFinder.com?

Design 65

Design Web Design Google Develop 65

socalTECH

JUNE 13, 2011

I thought it would be awesome to have a marketplace to donate your stuff, which you no longer wanted, had no personal value, but others would appreciate. Jonathan Lehmann: I was awarded the Larry Wolfen Entrepreneurial Spirit Award at UCLA, after getting amazing coaching from Matt Ridenour in our business plan development class.

UCLA 256

UCLA Startup Ideas Help 256

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 27, 2013

Think about how you would sell in person. Practice on your friends and pitch selling them on your concept and perfecting the pitch. Billy Mays was doing road shows for 12 years perfecting his pitch before he actually took Orange Glo, Kaboom and OxiClean on TV. You may need to hire a good script writer.

Dollar Shave Club 106

Dollar Shave Club Tips Marketing Sales 106

Both Sides of the Table

JANUARY 23, 2011

You help them on stories, act as a source, develop real relationships, read their stories and eventually when you have news they’re more willing to have a conversation. They don’t have enough billable hours to be able to really understand what you do or effectively pitch it. I find this so inauthentic.

Startup 349

Startup Writing Press Blogging 349

InfoChachkie

JUNE 9, 2014

As described in Why Blind Intros Suck , it is more often than not a waste of everyone’s time: mine, the person making the introduction and the person being introduced. However, rather than ask me how I knew the person who introduced us, the caller launched into his consulting pitch.

Networking 232

Networking Santa Barbara Research Blogging 232

Startup Professionals Musings

APRIL 8, 2019

I found many more helpful suggestions in a new book, “ The Culture Question ,” by Randy Grieser, Eric Stutzman, Wendy Loewen, and Michael Labun, who have spent years providing leadership and professional development training to companies around the world. People find it satisfying to finish things, and experience the end product.

Tips 96

Tips Satisfaction Training Mentor 96

Startup Professionals Musings

OCTOBER 15, 2018

I say that because I’ve heard too many abstract pitches about the next paradigm-shifting technology, which I can’t relate to, and only a couple with stories that really grabbed me. This should be obvious, but much of what passes for “a story” these days are things like elevator pitches or product descriptions that have no characters at all.

Startup 84

Startup Technical Review Entrepreneur Customer 84

Tech Zulu Event

JULY 28, 2012

Pitch and form teams! People had one minute to “pitch” their idea to the group as a whole. Of the 150+ participants, about 45 people pitched that night. I was #33 to go up and pitch my idea. Once the pitches were done we were given a cup and paper with our company name on it. We had exactly 54 hours!

Startup 99

Startup Technical Advisors Ideas USC 99

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 25, 2019

Being positive and excited about what you offer should not be reserved for stand-up pitches and closing large deals. Then craft an irresistible pitch, and iterate often to keep tuning it. Effective value propositions are quantified and personalized for each customer or target segment. Hone in and capitalize on your best assets.

Mentor 90

Mentor Startup Sales Examples 90

Both Sides of the Table

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016

I have standard answers to all of these questions at least as far as my personal funding preference are concerned. As entrepreneurs many people are driven to solve their personal issues right in front of them, which leads a disproportionate number of founders to focus on: music, bars, restaurants, photos, etc.

Design 150

Design Ideas Startup Writing 150

socalTECH

FEBRUARY 25, 2014

We''ve spent the past year and a half working with two of seven board-certified, Neuropsychologists, to develop a strength assessment test, to develop a strength profile for each kid. He actually had pitched me on this several years ago, when I was in a middle of another project. Where''d the idea for the company come from?

Help 252

Help Idealab Activity Startup 252

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2020

Find a major customer, or a complimentary business, who sees such value in your idea that they are willing to give you an advance on royalty payments to complete your development. Pitch your needs to friends and family. This is the primary source of non-personal funds for very early-stage startups.

Funding 174

Funding Startup Equity Examples 174

Startup Professionals Musings

MAY 4, 2020

For example, I used to regularly hear pitches for the next great social media site, usually focused on a special interest or niche , such as photography, cooking, healthy living, or a thousand others. Initially, you may be able to do everything in your startup, including product development, marketing, and shipping orders.

Startup 123

Startup Outsource Development Entrepreneur Outsource 123