Startup Professionals Musings

JULY 27, 2018

I’m still amazed at how many technical entrepreneurs don’t have a business pitch, and offer me their product pitch or product spec instead. Certainly a slide or two needs to carry over describing the product and features at a high level. Solo entrepreneurs have a hard time finding an investor. But it’s critical to have one.

Product 58

Product Slides Entrepreneur Invest 58

Berkonomics

DECEMBER 17, 2020

Let’s take a few minutes to examine the kind of equity financing available to small or early stage businesses. In most cases, these applicants for equity funding must be rooted in technology to apply to this limited discussion. Friends and family investors. Some can supply more when syndicating with other such groups. Venture farms.

Equity 156

Equity Technical Review Class Organization 156

Startup Professionals Musings

MARCH 16, 2016

Whether you are talking to peers, competitors or investors, you as an active entrepreneur will be judged on your familiarity with today’s startup and funding jargon. In that context, I offer you my latest collection of popular investor-to-entrepreneur terms and concepts. Frothy is good for entrepreneurs. Sweat equity.

Startup 57

Startup Software Review Equity Invest 57

Startup Professionals Musings

FEBRUARY 13, 2016

Entrepreneurs who are looking to attract investors need to develop and pitch a plan -- preferably written -- that answers every potential investor question about your startup before it is asked. How big is the funding request, and how much equity will you give? Quantify founder investments, both cash and sweat-equity.

Invest 108

Invest Startup Slides Equity 108

Both Sides of the Table

OCTOBER 11, 2009

It’s mostly done by first-time entrepreneurs who want to persuade (bribe?) They are usually offered around 0.25% of the companies equity in exchange for their role and I’ve seen many companies hand out a total of 2% to advisers. My main advice to you if you’re considering it is don’t waste much equity on it.

Startup 306

Startup Venture Capital Equity Technical Review 306

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 29, 2016

Most entrepreneurs I know are so passionate about their new idea that they are surprised when family and friends don’t line up to invest in their new venture. The reality is that investors, including myself, believe that the entrepreneur is more key to business success than the idea. Vision alone rarely convinces people to invest.

Funding 60

Funding Startup Ideas Slides 60

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 8, 2017

Unless you are a serial entrepreneur with a string of successes behind you, you need a business plan to convince investors that you can build a business out of the dream that has been driving your passion to change the world. An entrepreneur who can’t manage a plan, probably won’t be able to manage the new business.

Startup 65

Startup Writing Patents Competition 65

Both Sides of the Table

MARCH 21, 2010

As startup entrepreneurs we all want to work with them because having their name as reference clients makes it so much easier for marketing, PR, selling to other customers, fund raising and even recruiting. I’ve already made clear that I think raising equity from “strategic money&# is an oxymoron. You want them to earn.

Startup 298

Startup Sales Slides Metrics 298

Startup Professionals Musings

JUNE 10, 2011

A perfect round number is ten slides, with the right content, that can be covered in ten minutes. Here are the ten slides you need: Problem and market need. What equity is the company willing to give in return for the investment? Even if you have an hour booked, the advice is the same. Give the “elevator pitch” for your startup.

Slides 93

Slides Competition Sample Sales 93

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 24, 2012

But many entrepreneurs don’t realize that Angels are also extremely discerning in the projects that they will invest in, rejecting approximately 97% of the proposals submitted to them, according to the California Investment Network. Line up an experienced team. Remember the old adage that “investors fund people, not ideas.”

Angel 104

Angel Screening Summary Startup 104

Tech Zulu Event

MARCH 16, 2015

These are usually the first sources entrepreneurs tap. Expect to be diluted by 20-25% with each equity round. They’re typically issued at a 10-20% discount to equity depending on the timeframe; higher range is for longer timeframes. Use before and after slides to hit home with investors. Venture debt.

Startup 40

Startup Venture Capital Equity Funding 40

Startup Professionals Musings

JANUARY 17, 2016

In the new business world, many entrepreneurs are so excited with large initial orders that they don’t anticipate the cash flow challenges that can quickly kill their startup. One way to defer some of these costs, as outlined by ProOpinion , is to provide alternative compensation methods (equity or compensation based) to your new employees.

Startup 64

Startup Sales Layoffs Slides 64

Berkonomics

APRIL 3, 2014

There are three classes of equity investors for early stage businesses that we have not yet considered. You will have to hone your story well, down to fifteen minutes and perhaps fifteen slides in your presentation. We’ve spoken of financing a young company through friends and family, known as “inside angels.” Raising money'

Equity 232

Equity Startup Organization Invest 232

Startup Professionals Musings

NOVEMBER 4, 2011

The corporate entity lends itself best to the concept of “sharing” equity required by investors, and unincorporated entities don’t get funding. Investors expect a one or two-page executive summary sheet for the initial screening, backed up by a ten-slide Powerpoint investor presentation. Line up an experienced team.

Invest 99

Invest Angel Technical Review Summary 99

Startup Professionals Musings

DECEMBER 22, 2017

It’s fair for you to ask for a few slides from each in advance, and make sure the overall story is complete and consistent. Startup equity investments imply a long-term business relationship, lasting five years or longer. Update reference customers, partners, and vendors.

Invest 59

Invest Startup Doc Slides 59

Startup Professionals Musings

SEPTEMBER 23, 2010

The corporate entity lends itself best to the concept of “sharing” equity required by investors, and unincorporated entities don’t get funding. Investors expect a one or two-page executive summary sheet for the initial screening, backed up by a ten-slide Powerpoint investor presentation. Line up an experienced team. Marty Zwilling.

Angel 89

Angel Funding Technical Review Startup 89

Tech Zulu Event

AUGUST 28, 2012

From LA Demo Day to Silicon Beach Fest to Crowdstart LA to hackathons to Startup Weekends, companies and entrepreneurs alike have joined forces to feed the startup ecosystem. THIRD TIME’S A CHARM: On Sunday we presented to a panel of judges consisting of entrepreneurs and a VC investor. Interesting offer considering he did nothing.

Startup 100

Startup Ideas San Diego Mentor 100

Startup Professionals Musings

AUGUST 13, 2018

According to the entrepreneurs I advise, the biggest challenge they typically face in starting a new business is funding. Yet according to recent data compiled by Fundable , 57 percent of successful entrepreneurs end up funding their startup, and that’s a good thing. Offer a realistic equity percentage to generate interest.

Startup 56

Startup Equity Funding Slides 56

Both Sides of the Table

MAY 15, 2010

It’s always fun chatting with Jason because he’s knowledgeable about the market, quick on topics and pushes me to talk more about VC / entrepreneur issues. We’re staring to get the hang of how to divide the show up into talking about deals but also talking about issues for entrepreneurs during funding.

Venture Capital 285

Venture Capital Startup Advertising Redpoint 285

SoCal CTO

DECEMBER 1, 2010

Equity-Only CTO and Equity-Only Developers - SoCal CTO , November 1, 2010 I had a recent email dialog with the founder of a company looking for a CTO for their startup. think his slides are great (and by far much easier on the eye then mine.). It may be that all the doomsayers are right. But I don’t think so.

Technical Review 175

Technical Review Startup Product Technology 175

SoCal CTO

JANUARY 5, 2011

November 23, 2010 Entrepreneurs, Using Outsourcing to Obtain Capital Efficiency Needs to be Thought Through to be Effective - Robert Ochtel , June 7, 2010 Teen Entrepreneur, Brian Wong, Youngest Founder to Receive Angel Funding - teenentrepreneurblog.com , October 28, 2010 Build Your Own Silicon Valley?

Startup 378

Startup Venture Capital Blogging CTO Coach 378

Both Sides of the Table

AUGUST 9, 2011

I thought about things I never had to as an entrepreneur: check size, ownership percentage, deal stage, portfolio construction and risk. So I encouraged entrepreneurs to think about raising their funds as quickly as they could because. I have a young entrepreneur friend who IMs me a lot. Unemployment likely to rise.

Marketing 305

Marketing Venture Capital Funding Technical Review 305